Student Snapshot: Helen Marhoul ’23

Helen Marhoul

Helen Marhoul ’23 is a Russian major from North Carolina who’s found a home on Dickinson’s global campus. Below, Helen discusses the joy of exploring multiple subjects of interest within a multifaceted major, the key to academic satisfaction and more.

Hometown:

Durham, North Carolina.

Major:

Russian.

Clubs/organizations:

Swing Dance Club, Queer Student Union and Gaming Club.

Honors/awards:

Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society and Dean's List.

Favorite book:

The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Dystopia by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Favorite movie:

Galaxy Quest.

Best thing about my major:

I love how I can experience subjects like history, literature, film studies and languages all under the umbrella of the Russian major. Some of my favorite classes have been the electives that fell into these different disciplines.

On choosing Dickinson:

I chose to attend Dickinson due to the faculty and programs, the option to study abroad (even if COVID derailed those plans), and for the strong Russian department.

Favorite space on campus:

Bosler 222.

Favorite class:

Russian History with Professor of History Karl Qualls. It was a robust course well taught, with in-depth readings and discussions on subject matters that interested me. I left the course with a favorite book, and I developed skills in essay writing.                            

As a kid, I wanted to be …

… a nuclear physicist or an astronomer or author.

Post-graduation plans:

I want to attend graduate school after graduating from Dickinson. I want to broaden my understanding of Russia and focus on topics that interest me. After that, I want to teach on those subjects.

If I could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, it would be …

… Eugene V. Debs.

Proudest accomplishment so far:

Being an Eagle Scout.

Most important thing I’ve learned so far:

Enjoying what you are studying is more important than just studying for what will get you a good job in the future. If you can do both, great, but be sure to, at the very least, take classes that interest you, even if your major is chosen only for utility.

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Published December 19, 2022