Jenni Kornfeld (MARCA 2013)

International programs

Privet from Kansas City! After graduating from the MARCA program, I worked as a Russian language coordinator for Jewish Family Services in Kansas City, MO, a non-profit organization. I helped case managers with interpretation and translation for Russian-speaking clients, mostly over the age of 65 with low income. The clients were from Russia, Ukraine, or Moldova. Part of my job was helping them apply for benefits through Blue Card, a program which provides direct financial support for Holocaust survivors. It was a fascinating job. I loved getting to use my Russian language in a professional setting to help those in need.

In March 2015, I started working for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, another non-profit organization. My role here is a refugee employment specialist. I help refugees from Burma, Iraq, Bhutan, Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia, and Somalia to find stable employment so they can become self-sufficient. Unfortunately none of my clients now speak Russian, but I find this job incredibly rewarding. And fun! I hope to continue my career path in refugee resettlement.

I know these two jobs aren't directly related to Russian cultural arts, but I do value my degree and I think it taught me a lot about working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and a lot about cross-cultural awareness. I would encourage future students to consider the MARCA program because you never know what kind of job it could lead to. I would also highly recommend graduates from all three programs to look into opportunities in the non-profit sector.