Inspired in part by her math advisor and a penchant for world travel, Lanlan Yu ’18 found a study-abroad program that supports both her majors – math and Russian studies. She’s been accepted into the competitive Math In Moscow at the Independent University of Moscow. Her advisor, Andrew Dykstra, associate professor of math, told her about the program.
Yu has always liked math, and thought Russian would be valuable to learn. “I always wanted to be a translator, and knowing Russian would be very helpful. When I worked as a Chinese-English translator last summer, I happened to meet some Russian clients. I had a brief Russian conversation with them, and I was very proud,” she says.
Yu, who is from China, worked as a translator for a business executive in Shanghai and would like to translate as a career. As a rising junior she journeyed to Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia, to take part in an intensive Russian language program.
Yu figures math will provide her career options if she does not become a translator. She’s applying for summer internships in finance – and for a summer experience with a touch more excitement: She wants to be a volunteer at the FIFA Confederation Cups Russia 2017.