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UN Public Service Day: Using IT to Promote Transparency in Governance in Kyrgyzstan June 22, 2012 by Amy Bernath Among the nearly fifty recipients of the CAPS award over the last five years, Omurbek Ibraev of Kyrgyzstan stands out as an innovative leader promoting effective use of technology in the public sector. In his work at Kyrgyzstan’s National Statistics Committee (NSC), Ibraev is coordinating a country-wide effort to promote open access to information through the digitization of local government statistics.	Georgian Women Honored by U.S. State Department June 18, 2012 IREX congratulates Lia Putkaradze, a 2009 Global UGRAD student, on being honored as the June 2012 State Alumni Member of the Month. Putkaradze, one of more than a million State Department alumni, is currently serving as one of Georgia’s first young Corporate Social Responsibility professionals at the Alliance Group Holding company.
Encounters with Muskie Alumni Leaders June 13, 2012 by Jason Vuong Do I’ve been fortunate to visit four IREX field offices and one theme loudly surfaces each time- Muskie alumni are everywhere. I hear about their great work from our country directors. I run into them on the streets on my way to meet other alumni.	Muskie Forges New Partnership between Kazakh and U.S. Universities May 24, 2012 by Amy Bernath Professor Michael Brown had never heard of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) when Muskie fellow Askhat Yerkimbay began his studies at the University of Wyoming last fall. Six months later, Brown traveled to Almaty to teach a journalism seminar and to sign a formal cooperation agreement between KazNU and the University of Wyoming that will allow for future academic exchanges and collaboration between the two institutions.
New Interactive Map Shows Impact of Muskie Fellows Across Eurasia May 18, 2012 In recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship, the Muskie Eurasia Map highlights the widespread successes and community engagement of Muskie alumni.	Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to U.S. Reflects on Muskie Experience April 24, 2012 Azerbaijan recently appointed Elin Suleymanov as its Ambassador to the United States. A Muskie alumnus who received a Masters degree at the University of Toledo in 1994, Suleymanov has dedicated his career to public service and diplomacy. Below he reflects on his experience as a Muskie fellow and how that has shaped his perspective and how it still affects his work today.
A Milestone But Not a Finish Line: 20 Years of Muskie April 13, 2012 by Rebecca Bell Right now, nearly 5,000 leaders in cities, towns, and villages across Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus are working to advance democracy, spur economic growth, reduce poverty, improve health, bolster community services, protect the environment and human rights, and promote gender equality. These alumni from 20 years of the Muskie Program are using the new technical skills and professional knowledge gained from their studies in the United States to develop their countries and communities. Fifty percent of the alumni are working in the public and non-profit sectors. Together they form a network of change-makers forging strong ties with the United States and improving their societies from the inside.	Urging Congress to Support Exchanges April 9, 2012 by W. Robert Pearson I am pleased to share with you an excerpt from the written testimony I recently submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs in support of the Department of State exchanges budget. Even in this current budget environment, it is critical to continue to invest in these programs which bring manifold benefits to US taxpayers. I strongly encourage you to find out more and contact your representatives in Congress to voice your support as well.
Alumna Appointed to Key Position Supporting Entrepreneurship March 19, 2012 Muskie alumna Manzura Makhkamova of Tajikistan was recently appointed to serve as Deputy Chair of the State Committee for Investments and State Property Management. Makhkamova now leads government initiatives aimed at further developing entrepreneurship in Tajikistan.	Muskie Alumnus Advances Transparency at the Local Level January 17, 2012 by Elizabeth Knight I recently traveled to Luhansk, Ukraine, to witness alumni of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program in action. In a region filled with challenges—lagging industry, political division, and unemployment—one alumnus I met with is offering hope and driving positive change. Meet Volodymyr Shcherbachenko , who started a local NGO, the East Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiatives (EUCCI), which currently works to protect homeowner’s rights and open spaces like parks, forests, and neighborhoods.