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BGI Fellows Bios


Alumni Stories


Julia Rabkin

Avraham Eli Tukachinsky

Vladimir Lukashevsky



Commencement 2011


Brooks, Lawrence send Class of 2011 off with high hopes and good humor



Remarks by President Lawrence: Is it realistic to be optimistic?



BGI in the News


The Jewish Week - Returning To Where I'd Never Been Before. I’m a Russian Jew. I was born and raised in New York City. Julian Olidort '11.....Read More


Oral History


The Brandeis Hoot - Russian-American author Lara Vapnyar read from and spoke about her book, “There are Jews in My House,”...Read More


The Jewish Advocate - Don’t count him out. At Brandeis, rabbi-to-be/boxer stirs students. When boxer Yuri Foreman fell to the mat after his knee gave out in the seventh round of the fight to defend his world title...Read More


Undergraduate Alumni

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Class 2011


DianaDiana Aronin '11

Diana received her BS degree with a double major in Biology and Russian Language and Literature.  Diana is taking a year off before heading to dental school. Meanwhile she is enjoying life in Boston and working at a pharmaceutical company. In her free time she loves to hang out with her sister and her 2 baby nieces.


VladVladimir Lukashevsky '11

Vlad received his BA in Economics with a minor in Russian and East European Studies.  After completing his Investment Banking summer internship at Wells Fargo, he traveled to          Netherlands to study at Erasmus University in Rotterdam during the fall semester.  Vlad will return to Brandeis in the Spring of 2012 to complete his graduate school. In the meantime, Vlad plans to continue creating electronic music DJ sets in celebration of his 10 years as a DJ.


JulianJulian Olidort '11

Julian graduated with BA cum laude with high honors in Economics, European Cultural Studies and English Literature and a minor in Business. He was awarded the Fulbright Fellowship for the 2011-12 academic year to explore the economics of the glass-blowing industry in Sweden. He will be based at the Växjö Glass Museum, in Växjö, southeastern Sweden. He learned a great deal as a BGI fellow these past two years at Brandeis, and looks forward to applying this knowledge and experience upon his return to the US.


Julia RJulia Rabkin '11

Julia graduated  with a BS double major in Health: Science, Society, and Policy, and Russian Studies, and a minor in Business. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in International Health Policy and Management at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Julia is very excited to be able to remain close to her BGI family at Brandeis for another year, and to see the wonderful progress of the program.


HelenHelen Shapiro '11

Helen graduated with a BS in Neuroscience and a minor in Classical Studies.  She currently works as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. In the future, she plans on attending law school to further her career goals of working within healthcare or pharmaceutical industries, specializing in the legal aspect of these fields.


EliAvraham Eli Tukachinsky '11

Eli graduated with a BA in Studio Arts and Biology. He is interning with the Brandeis Genesis High School Summer program.  Throughout the summer of 2011 Eli worked at Genesis summer program at Brandeis, creating and facilitating educational programs that target teens to spark their curiosity in Jewish topics, ranging from religious rituals to Tikkun Olam.  He is studying to certify as AFAA Private Training Instructor and plans to apply his skills in his local JCC.  He continues being connected with the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center and the Gesher Program through volunteering with elderly and youth from the FSU.


NeraNera Lerner '12

Nera graduated with BA in Economics and Art History, and a minor in Russian Studies. She currently works at Sperone Westwater Gallery in New York where she continues to learn more about the intersection of her academic interests. Nera is thankful for the memory, support, and opportunity provided to her through the BGI experience. She looks forward to her future involvement with the program.

High School Students | Undergraduate Fellow | Graduate Fellows