School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies Society (SSEES): Vice-President

My dear colleagues and friends,

As a dedicated member of SSEES, there would be no greater honour for me than to take part in the promotion and development of our great society.

I deeply value the important role our society has played through the marvellous events it has organised for our entire SSEES family, as well as the hard work the committee has invested to enrich our collective learning. I am truly grateful for all the events and the amazing support we have received.

As Vice-President of the SSEES Society, I will not only provide the full support that the rest of the amazing committee will require of me, but I also promise you, the members of our society, that I will always be available to listen to any concerns or questions you may wish to raise about our society or any SSEES-related matter to the very best of my abilities.

I have the great privilege of being on the two-year Master’s in Research programme, which allows me to connect closely with both the postgraduate community and those undertaking doctoral studies here at SSEES.

No matter who is elected to any position on our next committee, I want to say that our society works beautifully and represents our area of study perfectly. Every single member at SSEES is a vital piece in the big puzzle of our department.

I have loved SSEES since I entered and I will love it once I leave. In fact, having left for my year abroad to Budapest at the beginning of this school year made me realize this just a little bit more. I love SSEES most for its community - the mix of cultures, united by a strong interest for our region, our fascination with each other's traditions, and our opinions on our professors. As someone who has trouble calling any place home, I know that when I say this word abroad, I mean SSEES. It is for that community, and to give back to that community, that I wish to run for VP.

Through a variety of experiences, from Model UN to my little music magazine side hustle in second year, I learned leadership, event organization, crisis/reputation management, external relations, social media and many, many more little elements that give me confidence in calling myself an "all-rounder." All these are things that I could and wish to contribute to SSEES society next year as your VP. 

Most importantly, being half "Eastern", half "Western" myself, I strive to represent and celebrate the multiculturalism and diversity of SSEES!! 

Yours truly, 

Maria Kliuchnikova :))