December 2024 - Veterans, Children, Youth and Families, Research Awards, International Programs
December 2024
Veterans, Children, Youth and Families, Research Awards, International Programs
Dear Friends,
As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, I want to take a moment to personally thank you for your support of our beloved Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Your dedication to Ukraine and to the students, faculty members and scholars has been unwavering, especially at this difficult time of war. You are a vital part of what makes the National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy a premier university of Ukraine.
I also wish to acknowledge the many individuals at the university who lead with wisdom and the values that form the core and the spirit of our students. Their passion for the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy knows no bounds. We thank the university’s president Serhiy Kvit, for his vision of taking the university to an international level at this critical time, including the education of veterans who will rebuild Ukraine, and of thousands of Ukrainian students who now live in Europe.
We are proud to share some of the university’s recent programs and work. The Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America helps the university to continue its important work. Best wishes to you and your family for a very happy and healthy holiday season. May God bless the Ukrainian people with strength and hope for victory and peace.
Marta Farion, president, Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America
Veterans Leadership and Rehabilitation Center is a source of hope
Support the Veterans Center!
The role of veterans and defenders in leading the reconstruction of Ukraine is undisputed. Kyiv-Mohyla Academy has always played an integral role in Ukraine’s history. As the country is faced with 1.5 million veterans, the university established the Veterans Education and Mental Rehabilitation Center in September to provide pathways for professional growth for veterans, to ensure their successful reintegration into the economy and to take a leading role in shaping the country.
The Center is situated in a modern inclusive building on campus. Programs include collaborations with the business community and civil society organizations. Round tables, seminars, lectures and other activities underscore the role of education in supporting veterans, the role of veteran-focused strategies that meet business needs, leadership qualities of veterans, assisted by the Kyiv-Mohyla Center for Mental Health that has been collaborating with Johns Hopkins University for many years.
Yana Chapailo, director of the Center, with a degree from the University of Maryland and years of experience in capacity building in various international organizations, has been the undisputed visionary of the Center. She said, “institutions of higher learning should help vetereans find their place in theeconomy and the country’s leadership”. Hennadiy Zubko, former vice-prime minister at the Cabinet of Minister of Ukraine and Kyiv-Mohyla Business School alumnus, is the chairman of the supervisory board of the Center. He said that “it is precisely the veterans and defenders that will lead the reconstruction of Ukraine”.
Kyiv-Mohyla School of Professional and Continuing Education
The Kyiv-Mohyla School of Professional and Continuing Education has launched its second group of the Scholarship Learning Program “Individual Leader’s Trajectory” This program supports children and youngsters affected by the war. As the war continues to exact a devastating toll, more children are left without parents and homes. It is our duty not only to support them during these challenging times but also to help them unlock their potential, receive a quality education, and find their professional paths. These young Ukrainians will be the ones to rebuild Ukraine after victory.
Seventy-two participants from almost all regions of Ukraine were selected based on their motivationaln letters for this semester. The first 16 hours of intensive training provided participants with not only new knowledge but also ignited a true spark of leadership within them.
It is because of the scholarships provided by our generous donors that this program is possible. Recipients of scholarships in the first semester wrote personal letters to each donor. More letters from the students will be coming after each semester. We applaud the vision of Professor Tetyana Nagornyak who leads this successful program that needs to be duplicated in other universities.
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Received a Certificate of Recognition from the Ministry of Education and Science
Oksen Lisovyi, minister of education and science of Ukraine, presented a special Certificate of Recognition to Dr. Serhiy Kvit, president of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, for the university’s achievements in research and scholarly work, that includes numerous scientific articles published and presented at international academic institutions by the Academy’s scholars.
The event took place in Kharkiv as a sign of solidarity during the war and was attended by representatives from universities and academic institutions from across Ukraine. The agenda included presentations and a visit to V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Despite severe destruction in the city, the university continues to thrive and work at this challenging time.
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in Munich, Germany
The National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy opened its representative office in Munich in July 2024, with its interdisciplinary bachelor's program, "Political Leadership and Economic Diplomacy". This unique undergraduate program was developed in response to the demand from Ukrainian students living abroad for quality Ukrainian higher education abroad. The program also fulfills the university social mission.
As a consequence of the war, currently, approximately 400,000 Ukrainian children are studying abroad in 26 countries. This is an entire generation of young students who should not feel abandoned by their home country. Kyiv-Mohyla Academy stepped up to fulfill this calling for Ukraine’s youngsters. The program’s graduates will become ambassadors of Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian values worldwide, driving societal changes and building a successful future for themselves and Ukraine.
The “Political Leadership and Economic Diplomacy” program is the result of a collaborative effort by the team at Kyiv-Mohyla School of Professional and Continuing Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ukraine’s diplomatic corps, and NaUKMA’s partners. Students have the opportunity to pursue higher education online and in-person both Kyiv and Munich, earning a bachelor’s degree in two specializations: “International Economic Relations” and “Political Science”, with an additional specialization of their choice (e.g., African Studies, Latin American Studies, or European Interdisciplinary Studies).
Forty-seven first-year students started the new academic year in this program. They will be supported by Kyiv-Mohyla instructors: Prof. Tetiana Nahorniak, Natalia Kravchuk, Iryna Zaichenko, and Ihor Ozadovskyi.
It is a pleasure to announce that first-year students of the “Political Leadership and Economic Diplomacy” program will participate in the First Winter School titled “Youth Davos 2025: Environmental Leadership of Ambassadors. The Ukraine-Germany PartnershipVector.”
KYIV-MOHYLA SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
PhD Candidate Oleksandr Chubko Wins Prestigious News Fixer Award in Journalism
Oleksandr Chubko, PhD candidate of the Kyiv-Mohyla School of Journalism, has been honored with the Kurt Schork News Fixer Award 2024. Oleksandr received the award together with Ievgeniia Sivorka. The Thomson Reuters Foundations awards this annual award to recognize the world’s best local reporters and fixers in memory of their journalist Kurt Schork, who died in 2000 in Sierra Leone. Ievgeniia Sivorka worked for the Wall Street Journal, covering russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Oleksandr Chubko worked with New York Times correspondents. The award celebrates those who often work behind the scenes but play a crucial role in gathering critical stories, facilitating access to key sources, and reporting from some of the world's most dangerous regions. Congratulations!
J-School Director Victoria Romaniuk writes chapter to Monograph on Strategic Communications
Victoria Romaniuk, Director of the KM School of Journalism, authored a chapter to the new edition of the monograph “Strategic Communications in Wartime: From Volunteer to Scholar Perspectives”, published by the National Academy of the Security Service of Ukraine.
The book consolidates the communications experiences of Ukraine’s governmental and security structures during 2022–2024. Among the contributors are leading scholars, researchers in strategic and military communications, as well as military personnel and volunteers.
The monograph highlights Ukraine’s unique wartime experiences, analyzing the critical role of communications in ensuring effective coordination between government agencies, the military, and the public. For years, Victoria Romaniuk has been deputy director of the publication StopFake, well known to media professionals all over the world. Not only does it identify cases of fake information about events in Ukraine, but it also initiated an international movement on how to resist it in the midst of an information war. StopFake was established at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy by its Media Reforms Centere inMarch 2014. It is translated and published into almost twenty languages.
Law and Life: Kyiv Mohyla School of Law at an International Conference in Poland
On November 29, the international conference “Current Legal Issues of Civil Liability, Pursuit of Claims, and Enforcement” was held at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, organized by the Center for International Private Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration. The central theme focused on the relationship between law and real life, encapsulated in the slogan “Law and Life.”
The Kyiv Mohyla School of Law was represented by Roksolana Khanyk-Pospolytak, PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Private Law, who delivered a report titled “Small Claims: Ukrainian Approach.” Foreign attendees expressed significant interest in the topic and were impressed by the fact that the Small Claims Court, a European legal institution has already been integrated into the Ukrainian judicial system and recognized by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.
The presentations covered a wide range of topics related to civil legal responsibility. Delegates were also invited to meet with Professor Michał Kowalski, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration at Jagiellonian University, who shared the history and achievements of the university, with the academic community. Such events play a crucial role in international cooperation, not only facilitating theexchange of knowledge but also fostering a shared vision of legal development in a global context.
Yaryna Chornohuz – a Poet on theFrontlines of the War
Yaryna Chornohuz is a Ukrainian activist and poet who joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2019 before the full-scale Russian invasion. She traveled to Donbass during the so-called ‘non-active’ phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war, resulting in her belief that Russia won’t stop unless Ukraine stops it.
Yaryna studied philology at the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy,”majoring in Ukrainian language and literature. She began to write poems long before the war, and she participated in demonstrations against the russian invasion, she enlisted in the Armed Forces as a matter of conviction to defend her country. Her time in the service also led to poetic inspiration – her debut poetry book was published in 2020. She has become a celebrity in Ukraine and has been invited to speak at various major venues in Europe. She was recently featured in Ouest France
Kyiv-Mohyla Academy delegation in France
INSTITUT FRANÇAIS invited a delegation from Kyiv-Mohyla Academy to participate in the program “In the Face of War – European Dialogues”. KMA President Serhiy Kvit, scholoars Kostiantyn Sigov, Tetiana Ogarkova, and military defender and poet Yaryna Chornohuz represented Ukraine at this important event in France.
The three-day event, which took place primarily at various locations at the University of Rennes (hometown of the prominent philosopher and honorary professor of NaUKMA, Paul Ricœur), included a conference, presentations, interviews for the French press, and public discussions. The conference featured a presentation on the resilience of Ukrainian higher education and the innovative projects launched by NaUKMA during the full-scale war. Military servicemember Yaryna Chornohuz held negotiations with a French publisher regarding her poetry collection.
The main goal of the NaUKMA delegation was to convey the truth about the war in Ukraine, strengthen existing ties, and develop new projects with French partners, primarily from Université de Rennes, Université Rennes 2, Université Paris VIII Vincennes - Saint-Denis, Sciences Po, and the French Institute.
A key event also included establishing cooperation with Ouest France, the largest francophone daily newspaper in the world, which holds a strong pro-Ukrainian stance. A visit from leading representatives of the paper to NaUKMA is expected soon.
Other notable activities included a meeting with the local Ukrainian community, active in numerous volunteer projects, and a screening of the Ukrainian-French documentary film Intercepted. This film, based on intercepted conversations between Russian soldiers and their families, was captured by Ukrainian intelligence services in 2022-2023. It will soon be shown in six languages on the popular ARTE channel.
Student’s Letter for Scholarship Award from the Pozniak Family Endowment
Києво-Могилянській фундації в Америці
Марті Фаріон
Студентка МП-1
Дериш Богдана
Вітаю, пані Марто!
Мене звати Дериш Богдана, я навчаюся на магістерській програмі кафедри історії НаУКМА і сьогодні я Вам пишу, аби висловити свою щиру подяку. Я щиро вдячна Вам за те, що Ви перерахували кошти з ендавменту Фонду родини Позняків для оплати мого навчання, чим надали мені знакову та важливу допомогу. Для мене ця підтримка стала вагомим доказом того, що ніколи не можна опускати руки і що диво завжди має місце у нашому житті. Символічно, що цей лист я пишу на християнське свято Святого Миколая Чудотворця. В Україні завжди вірили, що в цей час настають дива і те, що сталося зі мною завдяки Вашій фундації, теж, без перебільшення, диво для мене та моєї сімї.
Мене все життя виховували мама та бабуся, які і взяли на себе оплату мого навчання на магістратурі, попри те, що для них це дійсно велика сума, враховуючи їхні фінансові можливості. Але вони хотіли, аби я продовжувала рухатися в обраному колись напрямку і здобула своє місце в науці, хоча цього відверто не розуміло наше оточення, яке казало моїй сімї шукати мені “більш перспективну” на їхню думку спеціальність. Тому попри те, що в селі, в якому я жила до свого вступу в Могилянку, через своє прагнення серйозно здобувати знання, мене часто не розуміли мої ровесники, я була певна, що людина має займатися тим, до чого лежить її серце, а не тим, що диктує оточення. Цій думці я не зраджую до нині.
За всі ці роки навчання в Могилянці, я ніколи не пошкодувала про свій вибір двічі вступити сюди і обрати саме кафедру історії, попри всі життєві труднощі на цьому шляху. Я і надалі хочу розвивати себе в історичній науці, зокрема досліджувати українських емігрантів у Чехословаччині у ХХ ст., адже я переконана, що український шлях мав потужний розвиток не лише безпосередньо на території України. У моєму дослідженні з цієї теми є цікавий знаковий історичний момент, про який я хочу тут згадати. Тоді, 100 років тому, дійсно безпрецедентною подією стало рішення президента Чехословаччини Томаша Масарика надав тисячам українським емігрантам, здебільшого воякам українських військових формацій в інтернуванні, стипендії для їхнього навчання та життя в його країні. Завдяки цьому вони змогли навчатися в університетах Чехії або ж в організованих для них навчальних закладах. Саме це, зрештою, допомогло причетним до цієї акції допомоги українцям здобути професію і реалізувати себе у житті, про що вони часто з вдячністю згадували у своїх спогадах.
Тож символічно вийшло, що я, яка про це писала у своїх роботах, сама зараз здобула схожий досвід і тепер ще більше розумію значення тієї фінансової допомоги для української молоді 100 років тому.
Надання мені стипендії Фонду родини Позняків теж стало для мене потужним прикладом, що ніколи не треба зневірюватися в собі та в майбутньому, навпаки, варто стукатися в усі можливі двері, адже якісь із них, цілком ймовірно, відкриються. Це казав ще мій покійний науковий керівник, доктор історичних наук, богеміст Михайло Кірсенко, завдяки якому я і знайшла свій напрямок в історичній науці і продовжую ним рухатися до нині, як він мені і заповідав.
Тому на завершення я ще раз хочу щиро Вам подякувати за те, що Ви сприяєте студентству НаУКМА розвивати свій потенціал та надаєте йому можливості більше та якісніше присвячувати себе навчанню.
Бажаю Вам, пані Марто, та всім членам Фундації успіхів та натхнення в усіх починаннях! І звичайно ж щасливих різдвяних та новорічних свят!
Щиро,
Дериш Богдана
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To the Kyiv Mohyla Foundation in America and Marta Farion
Bohdana Derysh
Dear Marta Farion !
My name is Bohdana Derysh, I am studying at the Master's programme of the Department of History at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and I am writing to you today to express my sincere gratitude. I am grateful to you for transferring funds from the endowment of the Pozniak family foundation to pay for my studies, thus providing me with a significant and important assistance. For me, this support has become a strong proof that we should never give up and that miracles always happen in our lives. It is symbolic that I am writing this letter on the Christian holiday of St Nicholas. In Ukraine, people have always believed that miracles happen at this time, and what happened to me thanks to your foundation is also, without exaggeration, a miracle for me and my family.
I was raised by my mother and grandmother, who took care of funding my master’s studies, despite the fact that it was a really big amount for them, given their financial capabilities. Never the less, they wanted me to keep moving in the direction I had chosen and find my place in science, although this was frankly not understood by our environment, which told my family to look for a “more promising” speciality in their opinion. Therefore, despite the fact that in the village where I lived before entering Mohylianka, I was often misunderstood by my peers because of my desire to pursue serious studies, I was convinced that a person should do what their heart is in, not what their environment dictates. I have not changed this opinion to this day.
For all these years of studying at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, I have not regretted my choice to enter the university and choose the Department of History. Despite all the difficulties along the way, entering NaUKMA was one of the best things that happened to me in my life. I want to continue to develop myself in historical science, in particular, to study Ukrainian emigrants in Czechoslovakia, because I am convinced that the Ukrainian path had a powerful development not only on the territory of Ukraine. In my research on Ukrainian emigrants in the Czechoslovak Republic, there is a significant historical moment: 100 years ago, a truly unprecedented event was the decision of Czechoslovak President Tomáš Masaryk to grant thousands of Ukrainian emigrants, mostly interned soldiers of Ukrainian military formations, scholarships to study and live in his country. Thanks to this, they were able to study in educational institutions organised for them, acquire a profession and realise themselves in life, which they often mentioned with gratitude in their memoirs.
So it is symbolic that I, who wrote about this in my works, have now gained a similar experience and now understand even more the importance of this help for them. For me, the Pozniak Family Foundation’s scholarship has become another example of how I should never give up on myself and, on the contrary, knock on all possible doors, because some of them will most likely open. This was also said by my supervisor, Doctor of Historical Sciences, bohemian Mykhailo Kirsenko, thanks to whom I found my direction in historical science and continue to follow it to this day.
So, in conclusion, I would like to thank you once again for helping NaUKMA students to develop their potential and giving them the opportunity to devote themselves to their studies rather than looking for part-time jobs to pay for them, which, in the end, mostly impairs their ability to study well.
I wish you, Ms. Marta, and all the members of the Foundation success and inspiration in all your endeavours! And of course, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Bohdana Derysh.
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