Hi! My name is Harrison LeFrois and I am a senior mathematics major and nontraditional student at the University of Nebraska Omaha. After graduating from high school, my life had little director or purpose. Eventually I took some college courses because that was what was expected of me, however, I drifted away from school and dropped out after two uninspiring years. I was one of the nameless, faceless, rabble going from one low paying job to another. At the age of 26 I discovered my talent for math and returned to school with a fervent passion to finish my degree. Despite all the hardships attending college as a nontraditional student, my life experiences and maturity have helped me make the most of every opportunity that has come my way.

Studying abroad is an experience I never even considered until this past semester because I did not think it would be financially feasible. At the prompting and encouragement of my professors, I looked into study abroad programs and decided to go to Russia because I had taken Russian language classes before and dreamed of experiencing Russian culture firsthand. Miraculously, I was accepted into the Math in Moscow (MiM) program in Moscow, Russia for the Fall 2014 semester. The intense mathematical environment at MiM will prepare me for graduate school where I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in mathematics. I love math and the Russian language and this will be a wonderful opportunity to learn advanced mathematics and continue my progress towards fluency in Russian. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to learn and to serve.