A warm and meaningful meeting of graduates of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy with a delegation of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) led by the university’s president, Dr. Serhiy Kvit, took place at the Ukrainian House in Washington.
This was reported Kyiv Mohyla Foundation of America.
“The National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy continues to shape the future of Ukrainian society and the state. Many of its graduates have achieved success in politics, science, business, and cultural initiatives. Some of them now live in Washington, and it was an honor for us to host their meeting and hear about the Academy’s new strategic vision for the next decade – including promising international cooperation, important initiatives in support of veterans…”, reads the Ukraine House report.
Thus, Serhiy Kvit gave a thorough presentation on the role of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in reforming higher education, training new generations of leaders, and developing the Leadership Center for Defenders of Ukraine. He also spoke about the university’s work in wartime and outlined strategic plans for the coming years. Kvit and his team are currently in the United States and Canada to strengthen support and develop joint academic programs.
A special moment of the evening was the signing of a memorandum of cooperation, which provides for the establishment of 30 scholarships for children who have suffered from the war and are currently participating in the youth leadership program supported by United Help Ukraine.
“Unexpectedly, a representative of United Help Ukraine announced that the organization had decided to allocate scholarships for 30 children who have suffered from the war and are studying in the youth leadership program, and signed the memorandum,” reported Marta Farion, president of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America.
During the event, Marta Farion also welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of alumni and international support for Ukraine’s educational and leadership initiatives. In particular, for the 2024-2025 academic year, KMFoundation provided scholarships to 82 children affected by the war – children whose parents gave their lives defending Ukraine.
In addition, the event brought together NaUKMA graduates of different years, representatives of Ukrainian diplomacy and media, in particular graduates of the Mohyla School of Journalism. Namely, the alumni meeting was attended by Ruslan Petrichka – former editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian Service of the Voice of America, Zinaida Petrychenko – Maria Ulyanovska, International Cooperation Department of the US Department of State, Yuriy Panin – former journalists of the Ukrainian Service of the Voice of America, now independent freelance journalists, and Yuriy Panin – also a graduate and teacher of the Mohyla School of Journalism. The topics discussed included modern challenges, changes in the media sector, support for veterans, education reform, and the strategy for developing academic partnerships.
The organizers expressed special gratitude to the Counselor of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States, Kateryna Smagliy, a graduate of NaUKMA, for her valuable assistance in organizing the meeting, as well as to Oksana Markarova, former Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States, who is also a graduate of the academy, for her support in organizing the event.
“Ukraine House expresses sincere gratitude to the President of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Serhiy Kvit, for his tireless leadership, vision, and dedication to ensuring that the Academy remains a benchmark for higher education in Ukraine,” the official statement said.
Background
This year, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy celebrates its 410th anniversary, continuing the tradition of free, dignified, and high-quality education. The Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America has been supporting the University, its students, faculty, scholars, and veterans for over 25 years, promoting international connections and partnerships.
Photo: Ukraine House
Author: Inna Mikhno