Russian-US Young Leadership Alumni Celebrate Six Years of Success

The sixth and final year of the Russian-US Young Leadership Fellows for Public Service (YLF) Program concluded with a reunion in Moscow, Russia, reuniting alumni and university sponsors to reflect upon the success and impact of the program.

Public service and community affairs studies in the United States prepared Natalia Oukrainko to return to Russia in order to help people affected by the explosion at Chernobyl. “I volunteered as a Clinical Services Assistant at Pathway to Care in Orlando, Florida, a not-for-profit respite center providing recuperative care for poor, medically underserved adults. By understanding the role and activities of clinical services and their relationships with hospitals and other health and social services agencies, I can work on organizing and managing health and social care related to the Chernobyl accident.”

Since its inception in 1999, the YLF Program has provided opportunities for nearly 260 dedicated and dynamic Russian and US citizens to gain practical skills and technical experience to become leaders in the public service sector. Nearly 55 American universities have participated representing educational institutions in more than 30 states across the United States.

YLF Fellows pursued academic studies in either community, corporate, or government affairs and volunteered a minimum of 40 hours per month with a public service or philanthropic organization. A professional internship followed the academic and public service components and serves as the culmination of this unique, integrative program. Alumni can remain active through US Department educational exchange sites (alumni.state.gov and speakout.state.gov) and IREX.

As a result of the program, YLF Fellows have taken on leadership positions in their home communities applying the important skills in management, fundraising, social policy, corporate governance, public administration, activism, and social work gained during their year overseas.

Olga Pestova, from Vladivostok, Russia, volunteered with the HIV/AIDS prevention and support organization AID Atlanta in the United States. “My experience has helped me understand how to organize and manage volunteers and training for HIV/AIDS in a way that can be effective for my region of Russia, remarked Ms. Pestova.

When Anastasiya Ermolaeva returned back to her home town, she established a psychological and social support hotline and crisis center for child abuse at the Children’s Hospital in Nizhni Novgorod. “As a result of my fellowship, I was able to return to put in place programs that raise professionals’ and the public’s awareness about domestic violence and the importance of the crisis hotline in the community,” Ms. Ermolaeva noted. In addition to her studies at the Department of Health Studies at Temple University, she received a certificate in domestic violence prevention training and volunteered with Philadelphia organizations Child and Family Services Center and Women Organized Against Rape.

At the reunion, IREX honored Kazan State University and Robert Donnorummo from the University of Pittsburgh for their sponsorship of the program. “The Young Leaders program represents a perfect example of the power and wisdom in supporting intellectual, committed young people on international exchanges. Alumni of this well executed program have experienced internationalism at the critically important personal level that continues to have a very positive impact on both societies.” stated Donnorummo.