September 2025 Issue#2
Celebrating the 34th Academic Year at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
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Greetings from Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America
Congratulations to the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy on the start of the new academic year! This year, 1,422 new Bachelor students and 554 Master students joined NaUKMA across all faculties –a true testament to the Academy’s growth, excellence, and enduring spirit.
We warmly welcome every new student to this vibrant community of knowledge, values, and leadership. May your years at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy be filled with inspiration, discovery, and lifelong friendships.
Wishing you a successful academic year!
Marta Farion, President
Maria Klimchak, Executive Director
The Russian-Ukrainian War Through the Eyes of a Historian: A Lecture by Serhii Plokhy
“The reason why Ukraine has become a barrier to Russian expansion lies within ourselves — in our resilience and in Western support.”
At the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, an open lecture by Serhii Plokhy — Honorary Professor of NaUKMA and Director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University — took place as part of the fifth-anniversary Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen.
His talk, “The Russian-Ukrainian War Through the Eyes of a Historian,” was moderated by Dr. Maksym Yaremenko, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Head of the Department of History at NaUKMA.
The lecture offered students and guests of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy a unique opportunity to hear insights from one of the world’s leading historians of Eastern Europe, ask questions, and take part in a wider dialogue about the role of education and historical memory in shaping the future.
Professor Plokhy drew historical parallels between the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war and past catastrophes such as the Chornobyl disaster. He emphasized the central role of nuclear facilities in today’s conflict and highlighted the continuity of Russia’s disregard for human life — from the Soviet era to the present day.
He also stressed the international community’s lack of preparedness for such challenges, while underlining the critical importance of education and collective memory in building the future. Plokhy reflected on the possible collapse of the Russian empire and the conditions necessary for a new “Nuremberg” to hold its leadership accountable.
The event was co-organized by the Foundation of the President of Ukraine for Support of Education, Science, and Sports.
Leadership and Resilience Executive Education Program for Veterans
On September 13, 2025, the third cohort of veterans began studies in the Leadership and Resilience Executive Education Program at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
This flagship initiative of the Ukrainian Defenders Leadership Center — developed with experts from the 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade and NaUKMA faculty — is Ukraine’s first university-based Executive Education program created specifically for veterans. It serves as a bridge from military to civilian leadership.
On their first day, 25 participants joined discussions on leadership and education with Mykhailo Vynnytsky and Hennadiy Zubko, took part in a team-building session led by Taras Tymochko, and explored the history of NaUKMA and Kyiv’s Podil district.
Over the next three months, they will engage in intensive training designed to prepare them for leadership in public policy, community development, and national rebuilding.
NaUKMA is proud to welcome Ukraine’s defenders into its academic community.
Please help Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation, USA continue its mission
Ukraine Trek 2025 Delegation Visits NaUKMA
NaUKMA welcomed the Ukraine Trek 2025 Delegation — students and alumni of the Harvard Kennedy School.
The event became a platform for international dialogue on the role of education and student communities during wartime. Participants met with Serhiy of the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation, and joined a panel discussion on “The Role of Education and Student Communities in Wartime.”
The discussion was moderated by Liudmyla Kurnosikova, alumna of both NaUKMA and Harvard Kennedy School. Speakers included: Serhiy Kvit, President of NaUKMA, Larysa Chovnyuk, Vice President for International Cooperation. Andrii Hlybovets, Dean of the Faculty of Informatics, Maksym Yakovlev, Head of the Department of International Relations, Ivan Yatskevych, Vice Dean for International Development, Faculty of Law.
They discussed the major challenges Ukrainian universities face during the war, changes in academic programs and student life, opportunities for international cooperation, and the future of higher education in Ukraine.
Guests also visited the Unissued Diplomas exhibition — a student-led initiative commemorating Ukrainian students who lost their lives during the war.
We are grateful to the Harvard Kennedy School for this initiative. Such meetings strengthen international dialogue, encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience, and highlight the importance of unity within the global academic community.
Organizers: Faculty of Law at NaUKMA, KMA Alumni Association, Kyiv-Mohyla School of Governance named after Andrii Meleshevych.
The Old Academic Building Becomes Part of Liliya Pustovit’s Performance “Connection”
The historic Old Academic Building at NaUKMA was transformed into a stage for Ukrainian designer Liliya Pustovit’s performance “Connection”, presented during Ukrainian Fashion Week.
The artistic project combined POUSTOVIT’s new and archival collections with visual works by artist Pavlo Makov. Models were integrated into an installation where textiles and printed images overlapped with Makov’s art, creating a delicate interplay of memory and symbolism.
The 18th-century Ukrainian Baroque building emphasized the layered nature of the performance, turning the space into a meeting point of generations, traditions, and cultural heritage. “Connection” at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy became a dialogue about fragility and strength, the personal and collective, as well as renewal and hope.
NaUKMA joins major Horizon Europe project to boost
Ukraine’s research future
The Center for Analytics and Sustainable Development Business Modeling and the Department of Marketing and Business Management at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, together with international partners and with the support of the European Research Executive Agency, will implement the Horizon Europe project Research Infrastructures for the Future of Ukraine: Roadmap for Sustainable Growth and Recovery (RIFF).
The initiative seeks to modernize Ukraine’s research and innovation system, develop a comprehensive recovery roadmap aligned with EU standards, and strengthen integration into the European Research Area through collaboration, mobility, and knowledge exchange.
“RIFF is not just a scientific project — it is an investment in Ukraine’s future. It will restore and modernize research infrastructure, open new opportunities for scientists, engage youth, and demonstrate to international partners that Ukraine is ready for growth and leadership in knowledge and technology,” said Prof. Nina Chala, NaUKMA project lead.
Read the full story on our website https://tinyurl.com/zvszjxhk
Eternal Glory and Honor to the Heroes.
With profound sorrow, the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy announces great losses.
On August 28, while carrying out a combat mission, Artem Sviridov — master’s student in the Healthcare Management program and commander of the 2nd Assault Company, 1st Battalion, 210th Separate Assault Regiment — gave his life in defense of Ukraine.
At the outset of the full-scale invasion, Artem returned from Germany, where he had graduated from medical college and worked as a nurse in an intensive care anesthesiology unit. On February 28, 2022, he joined the 129th Territorial Defense Battalion of the Obolon District.
In his motivation letter to NaUKMA, he wrote:
“It would be an honor for me to study at your university and to join the Mohyla community. Gaining new knowledge in the master’s program ‘Healthcare Management’ will allow me to contribute professionally to the transformations in healthcare so needed by our country… Over time, this war has become for me not only about defending territorial integrity, but also about protecting freedoms and human values. It would be despairing for me to see that victory on the battlefield does not lead to victory in the civic life of the country, especially in the healthcare system. Therefore, I want to do everything within my power to help my country change.”
His words reflect the depth of his commitment — both as a defender and as a future healthcare leader.
Eternal memory.
On September 7, as a result of a Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Viktoria Hrebeniuk (BA in Social Work, NaUKMA, 2014) and her two-month-old son Roman were tragically killed.
After graduating from a specialized law school, Viktoria studied at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2014. She went on to complete a Master’s degree in Higher Education Management at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and an MBA at the International Business School of Management and Marketing in 2016. That same year, she joined Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko in representing Ukraine at the Fast-Track Cities international conference in New York.
Her commitment to social change was evident from her student years, when she volunteered with the charitable organization 100% Life. Kyiv Region, teaching English to HIV-positive children. In July 2014, she officially joined the organization, where she rose from project manager to Head of the Program Department. Her work made a profound impact on the lives of people living with HIV in Kyiv and the region.
On September 7, 2025, Russian forces struck a residential building in Kyiv, destroying several floors. The missile hit directly into the nursery where Viktoria was resting with her infant son. Both lives were cut short in an act of violence that underscores the profound human cost of this war.
Eternal memory.
In March 2024, on the Pokrovsk front line, Kostiantyn Ponomarenko — a graduate of the History Department of NaUKMA — gave his life in the course of a combat mission.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Kostiantyn joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After serving in rear units, he chose to transfer to a combat brigade, and in early 2024 became part of the Separate Assault Battalion SKELIA 425. While deployed to the Pokrovsk front, contact with him was lost during an operation. For over a year, he was listed as missing in action, until DNA analysis confirmed his death.
Eternal memory.
News from the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America
On September 11, the Foundation, in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, hosted a special evening with writer Vasyl Makhno — one of Ukraine’s leading contemporary poetic voices, whose works have been translated into more than twenty languages. The discussion was moderated by Yohanan Petrovsky-Shtern, Foundation Board member and Professor at Northwestern University.
During the event, Makhno’s newest books were presented:
Skhyma — the most comprehensive collection of his selected poems, spanning 1993–2023.
Chickens Don’t Fly — a collection of essays (2002–2023) that blend memoir, autobiography, historical reflection, and travel writing. Some read like novellas woven into a larger whole, while others resemble a journey across places — and through life itself. The evening underscored the significance of Ukrainian literature created in the United States and celebrated voices that continue to shape its global literary landscape.
On September 13, the Foundation proudly supported the Ukrainian Women’s Association of America’s event, From Darkness to Light: Stories from the City of Goodness, featuring special guest Marta Levchenko, philanthropist and founder of the City of Goodness (Місто Добра) shelter in Chernivtsi. The UWAA provides care and support to children affected by war, trauma, and cancer, offering hope in times of profound need.
This year, UWAA also awarded a scholarship for the Leadership Trajectory program to children of war who will study at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in the 2025–26 academic year.
We are honored to stand together — supporting students, advancing education, and keeping the spirit of resilience alive. Together, we create change.
Thank you for helping Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation, USA continue its mission