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Program Results

Alumnus From Ukraine Featured on State Department Website
January 6, 2010

While studying in the United States, Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD) fellow Andriy Maksymovych met an activist who biked across the U.S. to raise money for charity. Andriy decided to adapt the idea to raise money for premature babies in his native Ukraine. Hear him describe how and why he and a friend ran more than 600 miles in 41 days to cross the largest country in Europe. (Audio slideshow created by exchanges.state.gov web team.)

Web 2.0 Training Helps UGRAD Alumna Launch Popular HIV/AIDS Blog
December 8, 2009

Knowledge is power. Let knowledge save lives.

- "Kyrgyzstan Fighting Against HIV/AIDS" (http://aids.kloop.kg)

Over 70% of youth in Kyrgyzstan have misconceptions about HIV/AIDS, according to a recent study by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. To change that statistic, Elina Karakulova (UGRAD 2002-2003) created a popular Russian-language blog (http://aids.kloop.kg) on the topic after learning to use online tools at a workshop IREX organized for UGRAD and Muskie alumni in Bishkek.

A screenshot of Elina Karakulova's blog, http://aids.kloop.kg

“I thought a blog would tell people more about the work we are doing, especially youth,” Elina said, explaining that the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) HIV/AIDS initiative she works on previously had only a small, official presence on the UNDP and government websites in Kyrgyzstan.

The strategies Elina learned for drawing traffic to her site paid off when the blog reached fourth place in the popularity rankings at kloop.kg, a site widely used to host blogs in Kyrgyzstan. “If the information is updated regularly and the language of the blog is simple, the blog attracts more users,” she advised.

Elina works with the UNDP in Kyrgyzstan to strengthen the local media’s capacity to cover HIV/AIDS. Though the overall prevalence of HIV infection in the country, estimated at 0.1-0.3%, is relatively low, she says experts are concerned with a steep rise in the number of new infections among women outside of higher-risk groups. “This indicates the spread of the virus among the general population,” she explained.

With many young people getting their primary information about HIV/AIDS from newspapers and television, Elina believes the media have an important role to play. “It can be harmful or constructive, depending on the message,” she said. “Because this topic is very delicate, very often it is hard for journalists to cover it accurately and in depth.”  

In addition to reaching youth, the blog is another tool Elina uses to communicate clear and accurate information to local journalists working in fast-paced newsrooms. “We teach that sensationalizing or intimidating the population with strong messages about HIV/AIDS is simply wrong,” Elina explained. “[The media’s] task is to inform people how to protect themselves from the virus, how to get tested, how to get treatment if you are infected, and most importantly, how to be around people living with HIV and avoid stigma and discrimination.”

Elina credits the alumni Web 2.0 workshop with helping her launch the blog and is now planning to utilize two other web tools presented—YouTube and Facebook—to spread information about HIV/AIDS and her program. “It was the best seminar I attended this year and it was especially useful in finally getting things started,” she said. “It also helped me learn about some technical issues which make the process of blogging a lot easier.”

 

Global UGRAD Fellow Attends Minnesota Student Leadership Summit
November 12, 2009

Moldovan Global UGRAD fellow Victoria Vlad represented Riverland Community College at the October 15-18 Minnesota Student Leadership Summit, which brought together approximately 300 student leaders from colleges and universities throughout Minnesota. Victoria is a Student Senator and a member of the Student Senate’s Public Relations Board at the Austin, Minnesota community college, where she is studying economics.

Global UGRAD fellow Victoria Vlad of Moldova with Minnesota Senator Al Franken

Victoria enjoyed attending workshops on leadership during the summit, as well as meeting notable educational and political figures. She and other students had lunch with Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, as well as with James McCormick, the Chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.

“I was very curious to meet Senator Franken,” Victoria said. “I approached him and introduced myself and told him I am a Global UGRAD student. I was glad to learn he knew about my country. He gave a speech in which he encouraged the young student leaders to keep gathering knowledge and improve the Minnesota educational system. [I was so happy] to meet a government official and have the chance to listen to his motivational speech.”

As part of the summit, Victoria also took part in the General Assembly of the Minnesota State College Student Association and the Minnesota State University Student Association. “It is an honor for me to be a Student Senator and be a voice for Riverland students,” Victoria said. “It is a pleasure to be part of an energetic team of young people who want to make a difference.”

 

Alumni Share American Culture with Students at Home
November 3, 2009

2008-2009 Global UGRAD alumni Aynur Cherkesova (Azerbaijan), Olga Ibragimova (Turkmenistan), and Masuda Sobitova (Tajikistan) recently gave presentations about their time in the United States for elementary, high school and university students in their home countries.

Aynur Cherkesova with elementary school students in Azerbaijan

On September 20 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Aynur met with a class of 24 third-graders, their teacher, and interested parents to share her experiences assisting in an elementary school classroom during her U.S. internship. “My memories about the American elementary school in Banner Elk were very interesting for the children, since they are the same age but get their education very differently,” she said. Aynur studied education during her program at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

On June 8, Olga spoke to a group of 10 high school and university students at the American Corner in Mary, Turkmenistan about her experiences in the U.S. and gave tips on the Global UGRAD application process. “I was very glad to contribute my gained skills to my community and share the experience that helped me to develop as an individual personally and professionally during my unforgettable time in the States,” she said.

Masuda Sobitova speaks to students in Tajikistan

On June 10 and 12, Masuda gave two presentations, the first for 22 high school students at the American Corner in Khujand, Tajikistan, and the second for 35 natural science students and instructors at Khujand State University. Masuda worked with 2007-2008 UGRAD alumna Mafuza Sobitova to put together her presentation, entitled “My Incredible Year in the US,” which featured photos and video. “Students found my presentations very interesting and they had many questions about Americans’ way of life, the education system and how they can apply to Global UGRAD program and be successful,” Masuda said. “I fulfilled my goals but still I think that we alumni should conduct more and more presentations about the Global UGRAD program to involve many students in this wonderful opportunity.”

The three alumni were awarded micro-grants to complete a small community project or presentation as the result of a video competition held at the End-of-Program Workshop in April 2009.

 

Alumni Promote Environmentally Friendly Transportation in Kazakhstan
November 2, 2009

A group of UGRAD and Muskie alumni celebrated World Car Free Day in September, conducting a campaign to raise awareness about pollution and encourage environmentally friendly ways of traveling around Almaty, such as walking, public transportation, and cycling.

Inkarim Beg-Ali, Talant Sultanov, and Sofya Tairova

Sofya Tairova (UGRAD 2005-2006), Inkarim Beg-Ali (UGRAD 2006-2007), Dmitry Zhukov (Muskie 1998), and Talant Sultanov (Muskie 2004) developed content and printed books, stickers, leaflets and pins for the outreach campaign, which targeted schools, libraries, educational clubs and information centers.

 

The alumni met with children at an Almaty school to discuss cleaner transport options and review bicycle traffic rules. Car Free Day culminated with a bike march to a local park, where the alumni met with media outlets to demonstrate the advantages of bicycling in the city and pass out additional informational materials.

 

 

Global UGRAD Fellows Explore California Attractions
September 21, 2009

With most Global UGRAD Fellows only weeks into their academic year in the United States, there was no lack of activity and enthusiasm as students jumped right into the events in their host communities and started getting into the swing of things.

Students at California State University Dominguez Hills started off their semester with a day trip to Disneyland and attended a professional tennis match between Maria Sharapova and Urszula Radwanska, which took place on campus just days after the seven students arrived. Nataliia Derkach from Ukraine, Aleksandr Ignatyev from Russia, Kiryl Katushkin from Belarus, Ana Ramazashvili from Georgia, Yerkebulan Sagiyev from Kazakhstan, Oleg Shemetov from Ukraine and Nadezhda Unesikhina from Russia all participated in these opportunities in and around their host community of Carson, California. 

 

 

Global UGRAD Fellows Cheer on Their Host Universities' Teams
September 21, 2009

Liudmila Timofeeva from Russia spent one of her first evenings at the University of Mississippi watching the women’s soccer team compete. Liudmila took particular notice of the team spirit at her university, commenting, “We took first row places, bought some ice cream and got involved, either shouting ‘good girl’ or ‘oh no, cm’on!’ We were happy every time our team scored." The University of Mississippi Rebels won the game that evening, 3-0.  Reflecting on her first American sports experience, Liudmila added, "It unites, really. It was awesome that we won!"

Russian fellow Ekaterina Pshenitsyna is also holding nothing back while getting adjusted to her host community in Greensboro, North Carolina.  In her first few weeks at Bennett College, Ekaterina attended a football game, jazz concert and community fair! She commented on the Global UGRAD in Eurasia and Central Asia Facebook page, “I have never been to the fair before, so I decided I shouldn’t miss the chance to feel the atmosphere of a real American fair. The whole thing was quite entertaining! There was a crowd of people there. The most courageous ones were screaming from upstairs, which meant they were definitely enjoying their rides. The rest were eating, chattering or just walking around, admiring the others having fun. When it became dark, the colorful lights were turned on, which created the atmosphere of a holiday or a special occasion.” 

In regards to her first American football game Ekaterina added, “I have never been a football fan, though I really enjoyed the game as it was something I have never attended before. The moment which really impressed me was the one in the middle of the match. When the second round was over, the teams went to have a rest. A great performance started on the field at the same time. An orchestra was playing and cheerleaders were dancing. Some of them were swinging the flags and some of them were doing some calisthenics elements, which was wonderful as I love calisthenics.”

 

An Outdoor Adventure for Global UGRAD Fellows in North Dakota
September 21, 2009

In Dickinson, North Dakota, advisers at Dickinson State University led Global UGRAD fellows on a horseback ride through Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Jeyran Babajanova from Turkmenistan, Saba Gvetadze from Georgia, Emin Mammadli from Azerbaijan, Tatsiana Ryvinskaya from Belarus and Khuraman Mammadova from Azerbaijan participated. Saba Gvetadze recalls from the afternoon, “It was my first ride and I enjoyed this despite the fact that Sierra, the horse, loved to run fast and jump over every single pebble!” During their adventurous ride, the group came across wild horses and buffalo on their way to their final destination, one of the homes Teddy Roosevelt lived in before becoming president of the United States.      

 

Armenian Alumni Clean Part of Lake Sevan's Shore
September 16, 2009

On August 22, 2009, in celebration of the recent International Youth Day, eleven UGRAD and Muskie alumni and two IREX staff members worked together in cleaning a small area of Lake Sevan’s polluted shore.

Despite the cold weather, the attending alumni diligently covered a quarter mile stretch of Sevan’s shore, picking up trash that had accumulated over many months. Over two hours, alumni collected dozens of trash bags full of cigarette butts, bottle caps, empty bottles, and plastic bags while asking visitors to be more environmentally conscious by cleaning up after themselves.

During the day, the alumni also discussed their experiences in the United States, particularly in dealing with community service. The alumni concluded that while the concept of community service is widely accepted in the U.S., they need to encourage friends and colleagues to be more active within the community for Armenia’s benefit.

At the end of the event, the alumni enjoyed a traditional Armenian barbeque while discussing Armenia’s environmental challenges. 2000 Muskie alumnus Norayr Vardanyan stated that he was concerned with the current trend in deforestation and tree cutting in Armenia’s urban areas. Despite having returned to Armenia eight years ago, Vardanyan continues to volunteer, saying, “It is another chance for me to help people in need, improve the environment, and also provides the opportunity for me to meet other alumni and interesting people.”

(Story originally posted on the ECA State Alumni website.)

 

Summer Round of Project Smile Grants Awarded
September 7, 2009

IREX is pleased to announce the Summer 2009 Project Smile grantees. Project Smile is a community development program for alumni of select Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) sponsored programs. Grants are awarded to alumni to implement community service activities that will benefit an underprivileged group in their local community such as children at an orphanage, the disabled or the elderly.

 

UGRAD Alumna Connects Russian and Chinese Students in Khabarovsk
September 4, 2009

Located only 30km from the Chinese border, the Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law (KSAEL) attracts many Chinese students pursuing higher education abroad. Seeing a lack of opportunities for meaningful interaction between Russian and Chinese students at KSAEL, Elvira Gayfullina (UGRAD 2007-2008) teamed up with fellow Debate Club members at her university to connect the two groups.

 

Elvira and her team of volunteers organized a series of meetings throughout June for 80 Russian and Chinese students to spend time together in the countryside, the downtown city, and academic settings. A professional photographer accompanied the group to document each of these gatherings, resulting in a final photo exhibit showing the relationship between the two countries. The opening of the exhibition, held at the Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law, was attended by several special guests, including a representative from the Chinese Consulate, and covered on the local TV news.

Elvira’s project was inspired in part by her experiences as a UGRAD fellow studying in Mississippi. “An important role in adapting to a new culture is played by representatives of this culture,” she reflected. “It’s always nice to be taken as a friend. That’s what I felt when I came to the United States, and that’s what I want for our Chinese friends who come to Russia.”

“In our modern world, when borders become more and more transparent, we can’t let people be unknowledgeable,” Elvira continued. “In the case of our Chinese partner, the closest neighbor living just next door, we should do the most we can to avoid any misunderstandings or clashes that might occur when different cultures meet. In addition to receiving pictures that will stay with the participants of the project for the rest of their lives, as well as the memories about those meetings, the Chinese students got good Russian friends and vice versa.”

The exhibit has already had an estimated 3,000 visitors and will be on display until October 2009. The project was made possible with funding from an ECA Project Smile grant.

 

UGRAD Alumna Brings America to At-Risk Youth in Kazakhstan Through "Two Capitals - Two Cultures" Project
September 4, 2009

In July, UGRAD alumna Ulyana Tyrtyshnaya teamed up with local university students and American Peace Corps Volunteers to share her firsthand knowledge of the United States and bring two world capitals to youth at a local orphanage. During Ulyana’s week-long project, the 12 teens practiced their spoken English and learned about American culture through a virtual tour of Washington, DC. They then traveled to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, to tour its monuments and museums. Following the trip, the group discussed similarities and differences between American and Kazakhstani culture and created collages about their experiences during the “Two Capitals – Two Cultures” project.

Project participants display their collages

“The trip was the most thrilling part of our project,” Ulyana reflected. “We travelled by train and spent the whole day in the capital of our country, Astana, a wonderful city with incredible architecture and a unique history. None of this group of orphanage children has ever been on a trip like this before. They have never left Petropavlovsk actually, so that was an amazing time for them. I cannot even describe the expressions that they had on their faces. There was surprise, joy, happiness and delight all mixed in.”

Ulyana recently graduated from North Kazakhstan State University in Petropavlovsk and took courses in education at Wittenberg University in Ohio during her UGRAD fellowship. As a future teacher of English and German, her partnership with the orphanage could impact her career plans. “I haven’t chosen the place of my future work yet, but I feel that I might want to work in the orphanage with children that don’t have parents,” Ulyana shared. “I have both a father and mother and know how important it is to feel your parents’ love and care. I want to share my love with children.” She and one of her classmates plan to continue visiting the orphanage to help the teens with their English.

The "Two Capitals - Two Cultures" project was supported by an Alumni Small Grant funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by IREX.

 

UGRAD Alumna Organizes Competition to Help Orphans Develop Teamwork Skills in Azerbaijan
August 31, 2009

On July 7, 2009, 25 children at the Gunash Evi Orphanage #3 in Baku gathered to build birdhouses in a friendly competition, enjoying the creative activity and developing valuable teamwork skills in the process. Vafa Huseyinli (UGRAD 2005-2006) organized the event with the help of an ECA Project Smile grant and 12 volunteers.

Children work together on their team's birdhouse

The children were divided into five teams, with adult volunteers interspersed amongst the teams, and were asked to build a birdhouse. Additional volunteers were used as judges, closely observing the team spirit, cooperation and communication skills used by each team. At the end of the day, the participants were awarded certificates based not only on their birdhouse carpentry skills, but also on their team problem-solving, cooperation, time-management, brainstorming and critical-thinking skills.

As the project organizer, Vafa aimed to foster teamwork skills in the children. “It was extremely interesting to see how they worked as a team and inspired each other to have the best bird nest, which was a sign of their will to work as a team and develop this skill. Each team member was helping the other and brainstorming on how to accomplish the task perfectly,” she reflected.

The project proved not only to be beneficial for the environment, but for the children and volunteers alike. “It was really hard to leave them when they were literally begging us saying, ‘Please, don’t leave.’ Nevertheless, this is a very strong motivating factor for all of us to improve our work and do more than we did before,” Vafa said. One of the volunteers expressed that she had always dreamed of working with children at an orphanage but had not been able to for various reasons until this Project Smile activity. “I want to see at least those five kids from my team as intellectual, well-educated Azerbaijani youth with a strong vision for the future,” she wrote.

“The children helped me to feel happy and realize that in order to celebrate each day, we should serve others in some way,” Vafa concluded.

 

Ukrainian UGRAD Alumni Distribute Donated Clothing to Migrant Center in Volyn Region
August 27, 2009

During the months of May and June, alumni and IREX staff in Kyiv mobilized the local community of NGOs, international organizations and embassies to collect more than twenty-five bags (approximately 100 kg) of donated clothing and shoes for irregular migrants in Ukraine.

Volunteers present clothing to a migrant woman

Representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) delivered the donations during a June 24-25 monitoring visit to the Migrant Accommodation Center (MAC) in Zhuravyshi in Volyn region. Two UGRAD alumni from nearby Lutsk, Vitaliy Lipich (2003-2004) and Iuliia Rogach (2007-2008), volunteered to visit the center and assist with the donation. The alumni met with the migrants and presented the clothing as representatives of the IOM, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, State Committee on Nationalities and Religions, and Security Service of Ukraine monitored accommodation conditions and discussed findings with the MAC’s administration.

 

UGRAD Alumna's "Cinderella Dresses, Dances, and Fundraising" Project Makes Orphans Smile
August 27, 2009

Many teenage girls in Kyrgyzstan dream of wearing a beautiful dress to their high school graduation – one that makes them feel fantastic on their special day. 1997-1998 UGRAD alumna Stella Bilalova, through her project “Cinderella Dresses, Dances, and Fundraising,” not only made that dream a reality for girls at an orphanage in Bishkek, but also equipped them and their younger classmates with fundraising and marketing skills they can use long after graduation.

Bilalova mobilized local community members to maximize the impact of her ECA Project Smile grant. She found a seamstress to create 20 evening gowns and dance costumes for the orphanage, and a local dance instructor volunteered to teach a class for the girls. Bilalova lent her own expertise as a business consultant to train the girls and their orphanage teachers on business and fundraising in the local market. The orphanage plans to implement charity concerts and performances for fundraising. They also want to start a dress rental program in which other girls in Bishkek can pay to borrow the gowns when they are not being used.

Performers from the orphanage pose in their costumes at Panfilov Park in Bishkek

On June 1st, 2009, International Children’s Day, eight girls showed off their costumes and their new dance skills during a fundraising performance in Bishkek’s Panfilov Park, and a new tradition has been established at the orphanage – the top 10 female students graduating each year now have the honor of wearing the evening gowns to their graduation party. Beyond that one special celebration, however, these young women will have marketable skills and ideas for how to realize their dreams.

Project Smile is a community development program for alumni of select Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) sponsored programs. Grants are awarded to alumni to implement community service activities that will benefit an underprivileged group in their local community, such as children at an orphanage, the disabled, or the elderly.

 

UGRAD Alumna Organizes Camp for Children with Disabilities in Kazakhstan
July 30, 2009

UGRAD alumna Zhanar Zhaxylykova (2007-2008) believes that kids with disabilities have the right to perform in concerts, play sports, socialize, and do all the other things their peers without disabilities often take for granted. To make sure all young people have a chance to enjoy childhood, in June Zhanar organized Gold Heart 2, a volunteer-run camp in Aktobe, creating an environment where kids with disabilities could enjoy themselves, while parents received specialized training in how to care for and support their children. The project had the added benefit of raising awareness of children with developmental challenges in the local community.

As part of her ECA Alumni Small Grant project, Zhanar worked with physiotherapists from Operation Mercy to train 19 volunteers on techniques for working with children with disabilities. Guest physiotherapists from Holland and England also provided valuable insight to volunteers and parents by relating basic skills in caring for children that are rarely taught locally due to the absence of trained specialists.

Zhanar enjoyed developing her own project management skills as well as making children and families happy. “I became more trained learning something new in working with disabled children,” she said. “I did projects before, but this project was a challenge for me that I could overcome. I think people need to help those people who really need it. I am totally satisfied how the project was done, because I was eager to help children and their families, and I saw a lot of smiles on their faces. Their ‘thank you’ was one of the most honorable awards.”

Zhanar is already planning to make the camp an annual event and to do more specific work on issues of children’s inclusion in society. “We need to help them feel confident and necessary…to feel they have their own niche,” she said. “These kids, their parents and the volunteers really do have 'golden hearts,' and we want everyone to come together once a year and make these events annual. We just need to get together to let our hearts beat together.”

To read local Russian-language press coverage of Gold Heart 2, click here.

 

New Round of Project Smile Grants Awarded
June 10, 2009

IREX is pleased to announce the April 2009 Project Smile grantees.

Project Smile is a community development program for alumni of select Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) sponsored programs. Grants are awarded to alumni to implement community service activities that will benefit an underprivileged group in their local community, such as children at an orphanage, the disabled, or the elderly.

 

The UGRAD Video Competition’s Winning Entry
Olga Prokhorchuk, Ukraine (Utica College)
May 5, 2009

In preparation for the End-of-Program Workshop held April 16-19 in Washington, DC, IREX asked the UGRAD fellows to create videos communicating their experiences in the United States. By submitting a video and an accompanying micro-grant application form, fellows entered a competition to win funding to complete a small community project in their home countries.

Of the 23 videos submitted, nine winners were chosen for micro-grants, and three of the winning videos were shown at the End-of-Program Workshop. Olga Prokhorchuck’s video was one of the best that IREX received, and we are sure you will enjoy watching it.

 

 

 

The UGRAD 2008-2009 Slideshow Video
April 22, 2009

From their academic studies and country presentations to internships and community service, it’s been a busy year for the 2008-2009 UGRAD fellows. Watch this video slideshow to see what they’ve been up to all year long.

 

Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine Come to the Tennessee World Affairs Council
Nargiz Alakbarli, Azerbaijan; Davit Antadze, Georgia; Maryna Shevchenko, Ukraine (Tennessee Tech University)
April 2, 2009

Three UGRAD fellows are expanding the scope of the Tennessee World Affairs Council. In a month long series of presentations, Nargiz Alakbarli, Davit Antadze and Maryna Shevchenko will be speaking about their home cultures, politics, and food to local audiences. (read the full press report)

Moldovan Fellow Learns About Diplomacy through Model UN
Olga Bogdan, Moldova (Johnson County Community College)
April 2, 2009

UGRAD fellow Olga Bogdan has been learning about different nations and meeting many diverse people through her participation in Model United Nations (Model U.N.) with Johnson County Community College.  Olga traveled to Chicago and St. Louis for two Model UN conferences this year and will head to New York in April for the national conference.  Olga has written position papers, and represented both Poland and Kenya in addition to her home country of Moldova.  As a result of Model U.N., Olga says: “I felt a change in my attitude towards the opportunities of young people to influence the solutions of problems that affect them directly or indirectly.  I acquired diplomatic skills and knowledge of how to reach a consensus…with countries that have other approaches towards the issue than your country does.” 

Fellows in Fargo Throw their Weight into Fighting Floods
Satenik Aghbalyan, Armenia; Vitalii Chumak, Ukraine; Ariadna Grigoryan, Armenia; Natalia Konstantinovskaya, Russia (North Dakota State University)
April 2, 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.  (read more)

Grand Loop of the USA
Aliaksandr Malokin, Belarus (Troy University)
March 25, 2009
After filming footage in 18 states, Aliaksandr Malokin created this video to document his travels.  Enjoy!

Ukrainian Alumna Partners with Local Youth Organization to Teach Disabled Teenagers about the Importance of Healthy Lifestyles
Liudmyla Samsoniuk, Ukraine (Alumna 2005-2006)
March 23, 2009

With support from an ECA Project Smile grant, Liudmyla Samsoniuk partnered with eight volunteers from the organization "Youth Studio of Healthy Lifestyle” to develop and implement a one-day workshop on healthy lifestyles for 25 teenagers with disabilities. During the workshop, participants learned about the importance of physical exercise and proper eating habits in developing strong bodies and minds.

 

Georgian Alumna Organizes Educational Camp for Orphans
Tamar Giorgadze, Georgia, (Alumna 2007-2008)
March 23, 2009

With support from an ECA Alumni Small Grant, UGRAD alumna Tamar Giorgadze organized a seven day educational camp for ten orphans from the Brotseula Orphanage House located outside of Kutaisi, Georgia. The primary goal of Camp “Imedi” (“hope”) was to provide the children with opportunities to develop practical skills in computer processing and English language in order to help them integrate into society.

 

 

 

Mock Trial Teaches Knowledge, Skills and Fun
Saniya Toktogazieva, Kyrgyzstan (University of Wisconsin-Superior)
March 09, 2009

From the very first meeting of her Mock Trial team, Saniya Toktogazieva said she knew “it was going to be a very interesting and amazing experience.”  Saniya says that participating in Mock Trials is like working on a real trial.  She practices twice a week with her team, and then they travel once or twice a month to neighboring universities to participate in Mock Trial competitions where Saniya’s task is to present the closing arguments for her team.  When she returns home to Kyrgyzstan next year, Saniya plans to start a similar competition.  “Basically it will be similar to Mock Trial, but it will be in accordance with Kyrgyz law and the Kyrgyz civil and criminal process.” Thanks to her participation on the Mock Trial team, Saniya says she is gaining important knowledge and skills in her field of study.  Perhaps even more importantly, as she says, “I love it.  Its lots of fun.”

Uzbek Fellow Programs His Way to Second Place Award
Davlat Ibragimov, Uzbekistan (Maryville College)
March 09, 2009

Davlat Ibragimov has been taking advantage of the abundant resources in the US to log some serious computer programming hours.  In addition to his extensive programming coursework at Maryville College, Davlat has been participating in competitions throughout the Southern states.  On February 28, he competed on Maryville’s junior team in a competition at Mercer College, and programmed for five grueling hours, helping lead his team to a second place finish.  Davlat says, “ I am really, really happy that I have had the opportunity to take classes [at Maryville] and benefit from fruitful teaching and great teamwork.”

‘Spicing Things’ Up at a Community Food Festival
Kristina Razahova, Turkmenistan; Olga Rudykh and Nina Tabinaeva, Russia; Olena Skorokhod, Ukraine; Vahe Tshitoya, Armenia (Chadron State College)
March 5, 2009

In February 2009, Global UGRAD Fellows added a little flavor to Chadron State College’s Annual International Food Tasting Party.  Each of the five fellows made a dish unique to their home country that they were able to share with other university students as well as members of the Chadron community. While members of the community were able to sample from the dishes provided by 20 different countries, UGRAD fellow Vahe Tshitoyan entertained the crowd with demonstrations of Armenian dance. Kristina Razahova commented, “That was one of the [most] interesting and valuable events for me as a fellow of the UGRAD program…we discovered new traditional aspects for ourselves including American values [and] had a chance to share our own national experiences.”

Fellow Presents Russian Culture to over 200 Americans
Anton Pak, Russia (Tennessee Technological University)
March 5, 2009

In a presentation that covered topics from the Moscow Subway System to Russian words and phrases, Anton Pak brought a taste of his homeland to Cookeville, Tennessee.  Speaking to a packed room, Anton spoke passionately about Russia to a very interested crowd of university faculty, college and high school students, and young children.  Anton was pleasantly surprised to find that the topic that most interested his audience was how to obtain a visa to visit Russia!

UGRAD Alumnus Accepts Position at Euro-Atlantic Centre, Azerbaijan
Geysar Gurbanov, Azerbaijan (Alumnus, 2005-2006)
February 27, 2009

In 2005-2006, Geysar Gurbanov was an active participant on the Eurasian Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD), studying law at Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, WA. Today, Gurbanov is the newly appointed Director of the Euro-Atlantic Centre (EAC), a position he accepted in early 2009. The EAC was established in 2006 by NATO and the Azerbaijani Government to serve as research, public information, and resource center on security studies. The Centre strives to educate students, researchers, and young experts about Euro-Atlantic institutions, as well as to promote NATO public diplomacy in Azerbaijan. The Centre also serves to facilitate public information exchange between NATO Public Diplomacy Division and Azerbaijan.

Moldovan Alumna Reaches out to Disabled Youth in Chisinau
Irina Bocan, Moldova (Alumna, 2006-2007)
February 27, 2009

With the support of an ECA Project Smile grant, Irina Bocan partnered with ten volunteers and specialists from the NGO ‘Motivatie’ and the Community Center for Children and Youth to organize a series of aqua-therapy and cooking classes for 13 youth with disabilities in Chisinau. The primary goals of the project were to provide the children with opportunities to enhance their communication and motor skills, as well as develop independent life skills. Aqua-therapy sessions were be led by a social worker and medical assistant trained in providing such services. The activities were held 2-3 times per week over the span of one month. Bocan notes that the project was a success and ultimately, the children “went home with more confidence in their potential, with improved abilities, new knowledge and experience they were eager to apply at home in helping their mothers.”

Fellows Visit Local Prison
Madina Raimova, Kazakhstan; Lusine Tarlamazyan, Armenia; Albina Ormokoeva, Kyrgyzstan; Anna Sainukevich, Belarus; Rodica Petrea, Moldova (Grambling State University)
February 18, 2009

The 5 Global UGRAD fellows at Grambling State University made quite an impression at Wade Correctional Facility, and not in the way one might think!  Along with two Criminal Justice Professors from the university, the fellows made a visit to the local prison and correctional facility to share the culture of their home countries.  Each of the students came with their own PowerPoint presentation, as well as a number of prizes and souvenirs for the winners of pop-quizzes and games played after the presentations. 

Not only did the students come ready to give their presentations, but the men of the correctional facility also prepared for their arrival.  "The men were so happy to see us, they prepared cookies and tea for us.  They were ready to welcome their guests."  Albina Ormokoeva continues on that at first she was a little nervous about visiting a Correctional Facility, "...but it turned out that the men were cool and friendly!  They listened to our presentation with attention, and after that they could retell what they learned about a new culture!"

The most exciting part of the day for Albina may very well have been as she prepared to walk out of the center, one of the men turned to her and said "Good-Bye" in Kyrgyz, which she had taught them during the presentation.  "I was so happy to hear from him that I gave him one more Kyrgyz souvenir." 

Saving West Virginia’s Water
Dilafruz Zulparova, Uzbekistan (Davis and ElkinsCollege)
February 18, 2009

Environmental studies major Dilafruz (Dilia) Zulparova is on the front lines of protecting precious water sources.  Through her internship with the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, the native of Uzbekistan is developing a statewide map of rivers and streams to use for anti-degradation protection under recently passed state legislation.  Dilia is also working to encourage West Virginia to upgrade its water standards to comply with new federal guidelines.

Moldovan Dance Comes to Lakewood
Dorina Linga, Moldova (PierceCollege)
February 18, 2009

Over 30 students, professors and administrators at Pierce College in Lakewood, Washington learned a little bit more about the country of Moldova last month and came away with some new dance steps as well. Wearing traditional Moldovan clothing, Dorina Linga, a Global UGRAD fellow, shared some interesting facts about Moldova and taught her audience the Moldovan “Hora,” a traditional dance. At the beginning of the presentation, Dorina said that few people knew where Moldova was and were amazed to learn that it is only 1/6 the size of their home state. Yet by the end everyone was on their feet dancing the Hora and sharing Dorina’s culture with her. Since the presentation, people have started greeting Dorina in her native language, and this makes her glad. About her UGRAD experience Dorina says, “When I go back, I want to make a difference in my life and in others’ lives too; I will try to change for better things that surround me in Moldova.” 

From Exchange Participant to Embassy First Secretary
Tudor Ulianovschi, Moldova, FSAU/UGRAD 2002-03
February 18, 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 UGRAD program, 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. (full story)

A Real-Life Kazakh (from the Salina Journal, 2/9/09)
Gulmira Aripova, Kazakhstan (Bethany College)
February 18, 2009

When talking to her mother, Gulmira Aripova sometimes finds a few words of English or Spanish slipping into the conversation.But maybe that's not surprising, considering she's intently studying both languages now -- in addition to growing up speaking Russian, Kazakh and Uzbek, and having studied French. Read the full story on the Salina Journal website.

Bringing Hope and Health, Annual Clothing Donation Drive
Dushanbe, Tajikistan
February 5, 2009

In an effort and deep desire to help low-income and disadvantaged people outside Dushanbe, UGRAD and MUSKIE alumni ran a clothing drive called “Bringing Hope and Help” for elderly homes, orphanages, and boarding schools in Sugd Region. Prior to announcing the drive, in the month of November, alumni from Sugd Region had visited the orphanages and observed the conditions and lives of orphans. After discussions with chief nurses and orphanage administrations, alumni determined that elderly homes need towels, warm blankets, pampers, bed pans and warm clothing, and the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Children asked for shoes for their children.

Eight large boxes of donated items were collected, which will be sorted and delivered to orphanages in Khujand before the beginning of the February. A batch of winter clothing was delivered to the Dehmoy Home for Elderly and Disabled People on December 27, 2008. Contributors included US Embassy staff, representatives of Asian Development Bank, UGRAD and MUSKIE alumni and many ordinary citizens living in Dushanbe.

Alum Helps OSCE Draft Police Reform Strategy for Tajikistan
Alexander Sadikov, Tajikistan (UGRAD 2004-05)
February 5, 2009

In the month of November, Alexander was working as a Program Assistant for Counterterrorism and Police Issues in the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. Alexander and the Counterterrorism and Police Adviser, began work on designing a comprehensive Police Reform Strategy for Tajikistan. When finalized, this document is expected to serve as the basis for a complete Law Enforcement reform in the country. Later, in December, Alexander conducted research on the relationship between the national authorities and mainstream religious groups in Tajikistan. The research as part of a broader study, is aimed at presenting an up-to-date picture of the state of religion in Central Asia.

Brightening the Streets of Yekaterinburg
Natalia Etskalo, Russia (FSAU/UGRAD 2002-03)
February 5, 2009

Natalia Etskalo found a creative and artistic way to spread ecological messages to city residents in Yekaterinburg. In partnership with local NGO EcoAction, Etskalo and friends brightened one of the city’s main streets with pictures of ecologically-friendly activities. The aim of the activity was to encourage local citizens to think about the environment in their everyday lives through positive social messages. In total, the group painted 14 blocks of walls with the help of local youth, as well as artists from the Design and Fashion College. The project was such a success that follow up activities in other areas of the city are being planned. In addition, the group hopes that they can involve local schools in their activities.

UGRAD Program News Archive