Brandon Harvey, Dual MA in Slavic and East European Studies and Public Affairs, Class of 2021

Where do you work and what is your current position?
I currently work as an Operations Manager at a water mitigation company. Here I make sure the day to day tasks like documentation are being handled and manage the crews that are producing the jobs for us.

Tell us how you got there.
I got into this position because of a job a took shortly after graduation. Being interested in poverty, urban development, and disaster response, I purposefully got into emergency water mitigation services. First, it started as a job to try to get in the door and move over to the construction side of things, hoping to get some experience for urban development positions. However, I saw that water mitigation had a lot of promise and room for growth. Also, this job was not too taxing and allowed me to continue studying Russian, create a Russian rap Youtube channel, and because I had time and energy, I was able to do enough research on the side to present a paper at the 2024 Midwest Slavic Conference. I worked at two water mitigation companies in Ohio and Georgia prior to my current company, which gave me great experience. The amazing thing about this position is that the owner found my application on Indeed and sent me an email—he interviewed me and liked my education and experience, and things have been going well since. 

How has your CSEEES MA helped you throughout your post-graduate life?
I truly believe that my CSEEES MA helps me in my daily life because of what I learned in the sense of gaining different perspectives, understanding others, and how it helped to refine me as a person. Additionally, being able to do the dual degree program really helped me gain management and leadership skills. The opportunity that comes with the dual degree allows students to get another perspective of policy and worldviews from a government angle, for those interested in that type of work, which gives more clarity about the system you may be working in and the people you may be working with. The program allows for you to have a third year which helped me to mature in my studies, fully grasp the knowledge of the previous two years, and become comfortable with displaying my understanding. 

How could you have done your CSEEES MA differently to help you more in your post-graduate life?
I would have pursued and done more intern and volunteer work in the area I wanted to live and work in. I believe that any student enrolled in this program with a strong desire to work for the government or any other sector should look into internships and volunteer work in the field immediately. There are many timeframes you need to be aware of and the opportunities that are available are abundant. Most people that have great jobs were not always the most knowledgeable. Forming connections and good relationships with people and companies early in your program will help tremendously. Intelligence will only take you so far before relationships are the most important part of your advancement. Therefore, you should volunteer and intern early, really care about the people you are working with, and know that those same people could get you a job with or without the degree. If you network the right way and show that you can provide value you can always be a desirable candidate. 

What was your focus or research interest when you studied at Ohio State?
My focus was on US-Russia foreign policy, the causes of poverty, and identifying broad solutions to fix issues contributing to poverty. 

If you are a traveler, what is one of your favorite trips you have taken?
One of my favorite trips that I have taken was my study abroad trip to Russia. When I went to Russia for the second time with Ohio State, it took the top spot for trips that I had taken. I met many new friends, I got to visit a lot of new places, the lessons and excursions were enjoyable. Being at a higher language level than the first time I went really changed the country for me and allowed me to be more independent. I travel all over the US, but it is so much better when you are scheduled to go to parks, museums, and other culturally important places because it is so easy to waste hours on vacation. I loved the places, architecture, new food, and the people around me. 

What are your future plans?
My future plans are to devote more time to my Russian channel and create original content in addition to my translated Russian rap songs. I also want to have merch for my channel and create a Cyrillic-based clothing brand that incorporates Russian aesthetics and cultural significance. I am still looking to find my way into urban development and work on poverty issues as well.

What inspires you? 
I would say that I am inspired by a quest for knowledge, but I could equally say that art and beauty inspire me. At the root of what moves me, is a desire for self-improvement for myself and others and wanting to be in a position to where I can help others.