Ian Turner, a foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of State and a West Virginia University alumnus, will discuss contemporary Belarus and the country’s experience with the authoritarian political regime after the collapse of the Soviet Union Sept. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in Ming Hsieh Hall Room 122.

While visiting campus, he will meet with students interested in pursuing a career with the U.S. Foreign Service on Oct. 1 at 11 a.m. in the Department of History Library in Woodburn Hall Room 221D.

Turner’s talk stems from his experience serving the U.S. Department of State in Central Asia and Belarus, as well as Poland, where he was named second secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. He will discuss the country of Belarus today, its prospects for change, and its relations with Lithuanian, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian neighbors.

Before joining the U.S. Foreign Service, Turner worked for the International Research and Exchanges Board. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdepartmental Studies from WVU in 1997, and is a former president of the WVU Russian Club.

The event is sponsored by the Slavic and East European Studies Program (SEES).

For more information, contact Robert Blobaum at (304) 293-3424 ext. 5241 or Robert.Blobaum@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Rebecca Herod, Marketing and Communications Coordinator
304-293-7405, ext. 5251, Rebecca.Herod@mail.wvu.edu