Master's student Ilya Kim, 2025 CHSS Dean's Challenge Scholarship recipient, is expanding his undergraduate capstone project on the Russian island of Sakhalin in a project his advisors call a "fascinating case study." Discover how Kim's journey from Russia to South Korea shaped his academic interests.

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is proud to honor Kira Clark, BA Foreign Languages; Russian Studies '03, with the 2025 Distinguished Alumni award in Russian and Eurasian studies. Clark is the founder the nonprofit organization, K9s Serving Vets, and a U.S. Army veteran.

Meet Anka Whelan, a Global Affairs and Eurasian Studies double major who graduated this spring, in 2025. As an accelerated master's student, she will complete her MS in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in the Dynamics of Violence here at George Mason. With her interdisciplinary education and strong understanding of the Russian language and culture, she hopes to bring this expertise into the field of international security, where she can research and analyze the war in Ukraine and its human rights and security implications.