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IREX Hosts Virtual Career Fair for Russian Graduates March 31, 2009 Alumni of the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship (Muskie) Program and the Global Undergraduate Exchange (UGrad) Program in Russia recently participated in a Virtual Career Fair organized by IREX. The fair was the final component of a Career Progression Training program led by IREX and held in Moscow last fall.	Fellows in Fargo Throw their Weight into Fighting Floods March 27, 2009 As the Red River rises to record levels this week, Muskie and Global UGRAD program fellows who live and study at North Dakota State University in Fargo have joined the fight to prevent massive flooding. With classes cancelled for the remainder of the week, Muskie and UGRAD fellows mobilized alongside thousands of community members to fill sandbags to hold back the Red River.
Ukrainian Youth Develop Eating Disorder Prevention Program March 2, 2009 After confronting and successfully overcoming her own medical issues associated with an eating disorder, Halyna Kurylo, an alumna of the Global Undergraduate Program (UGRAD), was determined to share her experiences and personal triumphs with others. In fall 2007, she successfully won a 10-month Alumni Small Grant to develop and implement a public awareness campaign that would educate youth in Ukraine about eating disorders through a series of trainings, workshops, and information distribution.	Brightening the Streets of Yekaterinburg February 5, 2009 Natalia Etskalo found a creative and artistic way to spread ecological messages to city residents in Yekaterinburg.
From Moldovan Exchange Participant to Embassy First Secretary February 1, 2009 From an undergraduate student who had never left Moldova, to First Secretary at his country’s Washington, DC Embassy, it’s been quite a journey for Tudor Ulianovschi. A participant in the Freedom Support Act Undergraduate exchange program (FSAU), now the Global Undergraduate Exchange program (UGRAD), Ulianovschi spent the 2002-2003 academic year studying sociology and law at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. His experience in the United States, and his subsequent work as a program alumni coordinator, helped lay the groundwork for a future career in law and diplomacy.	Students Develop Outreach Services for Disabled Youth in Ukraine December 3, 2008 As in many countries, Ukrainian children with physical disabilities find themselves left out of important parts of their local communities and struggle to integrate themselves into society at large. Motivated by the year she spent studying in the United States and her experiences working at summer camps for disabled children, Olga Mangusheva decided to confront this issue.
IREX Cultural Passports Now Available for Educators! November 15, 2008 In light of the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from students and educators, IREX is now making available its Cultural Passport to America to schools, colleges, and universities. The Cultural Passport to America offers educators the ability to facilitate and track American cultural experiences along with their visiting international students.	Kazakh Kids Get Hands-On Training in Renewable Resources September 4, 2008 by Sofiya Tairova and Tim Gibson ECA alumni recently organized a series of training courses on renewable energy for the children of Boarding-School #2 in Balkhash, Kazakstan. In cooperation with Kazakh National University, Sofya Tairova (UGRAD ’06) led a group of alumni to teach children about renewable energy and how to apply this knowledge in practice. During the seven days of the course, the boarding school hosted professors from Kazakh National University, Kazakh National Technical University, The Institute of Botany, The Fish Institute of Balkhash, independent scientist-inventors, and businessmen working in the renewable energy area.
Hundreds of Georgian Students Initiate Model UN August 7, 2008 by Giorgi Tskhekhani and Nicole Mechem After participating in a Model United Nations project as an exchange student in the United States, Georgian UGRAD 2006 alumnus Giorgi Tskhekhani knew it was something that could be of great value if he could replicate the project in his home country. With dedication and assistance through the ECA Alumni Small Grants program and the support of United Nations Association of Georgia, Giorgi was recently able to do so, giving an opportunity to more than 230 students from 10 Georgian universities.	Moldovan Graduate and Undergraduate Students Pursue Journalism in US May 31, 2008 by Michael Robie and Marisa Itte Educational Fellowships in the United States provide opportunities for advancement at multiple levels of career studies. A recent example is that of two Moldovan fellows, graduate student Nadine Gogu and undergraduate student Mariana Oprea, who both pursued journalism at different stages of their lives and for different reasons, but both gaining valuable experience that would help them upon their return home.