Graham Milligan
Graham Milligan
Major: Russian, Philosophy
Hometown: New Castle, IN
“Studying abroad gave me the depth of hands-on learning with history and cultural familiarization in a place often overlooked by the West.”
Greatest change since your first year
Getting received into the Church! I was received via Chrismation at Holy Cross Orthodox Church my freshman year
Most meaningful non-academic experience
ROTC! It takes the bulk of my schedule but is incredibly rewarding. Not many students get to have hands-on leadership training while shooting machine guns in the woods over the weekends.
Songs that define your Wake Forest experience
“Southern Nights” by Glen Campbell. During my first two years, I carpooled to ROTC events with a couple upperclassmen. My buddy who drove always found a reason to play “Southern Nights” in our 15-minute drive to morning physical training and afternoon tactical labs, so I came to associate Glen Campbell with Wake Forest!
Favorite course outside your major
My favorite class outside of my area of study was Byzantine Art & Architecture with Dr. Merih Danali. Since then, I’ve been able to independently travel to and study what we learned in class by visiting Ravenna and historic Constantinople. She doesn’t know that I’ve gone so far to visit these places, and I look forward to surprising her at the end of the semester!
Favorite Wake Forest tradition
Rolling the Quad!
Most surprising aspect of your experience
What I would end up studying! I planned to do an Economics and Environmental Science double major, and ended up doubling in Russian and Philosophy.
Most influential person(s) in your journey
Dr. Kit Pribble, thanks to her class freshman year I decided to take the plunge into majoring in Russian, which opened the door for many amazing and unique opportunities. She is currently my thesis advisor!
Most rewarding student experience
By far studying abroad. I was able to spend a semester in Tbilisi, Georgia for Russian language studies. This experience gave me the depth of hands-on learning with history and cultural familiarization in a place often overlooked by the West, as well as growing in my Orthodox Christian faith.
Your idea of Wake Forest in 10 years
I hope that Tribble will remain the same, but that isn’t happening… But I do hope that we win more football games!
What you’d tell your first-year self
Take it slow!
Evolution of your career plans
My plans changed a lot. I went in planning on a STEM/Social Science double major, and ended up doubling up in the Humanities. Because of this, different opportunities have opened up. Right now I am planning on going to either law school or graduate school for Russian after taking a gap year for my wedding and military training.
Do you have a favorite Gameday memory?
Doing pushups in the end zone at the West Point football game my freshman year!