Public Affairs Section > Cultural Events and Programs > Speakers

Events | Speakers | Music | Exhibits

Consular officer talks to Ukrainian students about American holiday traditions
Consular Officer visited secondary school No. 196 in Kyiv to discuss Christmas traditions in the U.S. The audience was broad, ranging from 12- to 16-year old students, but the interest generated by the Consular Officer was equally high. Students were curious about Christmas and other holidays traditions, and they shared their knowledge about Ukrainian traditions, including two recipes for Ukrainian Christmas dishes. The visitor's engaging manner put the audience at ease, and the children were not shy to ask about his personal experiences celebrating holidays or communicating with other cultures. Their questions were not limited to holidays but varied depending on student age and knowledge about the U.S. The American guest explained the term "melting pot" in relationship to U.S. ethnic diversity, and touched upon regional differences. The students also expressed interest in American Latinos and the history of U.S. immigration. The presentation ended with a traditional Christmas carol and warm wishes to the students for a happy New Year.

U.S. system of education for the disabled discussed at university in Kyiv
On May 30th, 2008, Diane Ryndak, IIP speaker, gave a presentation on U.S. efforts to mainstream disabled students at the Ukraine International University for Human Development. The audience of Ukrainian professors, NGO representatives and students received a wealth of information about U.S. best practices, introducing many of them to the concept of inclusive education for handicapped individuals for the first time.

Prof. Linden discusses European Integration processes with NGO leaders in Sumy
On May 20th, 2008, a group of Sumy NGO leaders gathered at the city's press center to discuss on-going international and domestic political activities with IIP speaker Dr. Ronald Linden. Participants agreed that more information about NATO and an analysis of membership advantages and disadvantages needed to be provided in order for people to make an informed choice during the referendum.

Prof. Linden Moderates NATO Roundtable; Speaks to Press
On May 19, Dr. Ronald Linden, a Professor from the Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh, moderated a roundtable discussion with representatives from Ukrainian NGOs and members of the Ukraine-NATO Civic League. During the next few days, Linden also gave interviews to "People's Army," e-newspaper "Glavred" and "Segodnya". Prof. Linden is a political scientist who specializes in post-Soviet political processes in Eastern Europe; he visited Ukraine under the auspices of the IIP speakers program.

US Fulbright Scholar Promotes American Studies in Luhansk
On February 21-27, English Language Fellow Ross Stenseth assigned his American Studies students at Luhansk National Pedagogical University the task of doing research on each state in the United States and giving a report about their findings in class. After each student presented a report on their state, Stenseth followed the presentation with personal anecdotes regarding visits he had made to that particular state. While the majority of information these students receive about the United States comes from Russian media sources, this project exposed them to alternative sources of information about the U.S. The project also informed them about possible summer job opportunities in the United States, including the Work and Travel program.

U.S. Fulbright Fellow Explains U.S. Presidential Election System to Ukrainian Students
Student Hans Stege visited Wisconsin International University in Kyiv to talk about the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. During his presentation, Hans described the U.S. electoral and legislative processes, contrasting them with other systems around the world. He explained various stages, differences, advantages and disadvantages of the American and Ukrainian election systems, talked about major political parties in the United States, and provided an overview of historical voting tendencies of different parts of the country. The students expressed interest in the outcome of the U.S. Presidential campaign and asked numerous questions about the candidates and who a possible winner of the U.S. presidential race might be.

Information Systems Officer Shares Experience Working In A Multicultural Environment
On March 15, the Alumni Resource Center and the Educational Advising Center provided training on "Your Path to Professional Success." Students, recent graduates, young professionals and experts gathered to discuss resume writing, interviewing, how to conduct a job search and shared work experiences. Laura Leinow, Information Systems Officer from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, provided an articulate presentation to the group on working in multicultural environments and understanding different cultures. Laura stressed that while multicultural differences may sometimes be frustrating, learning and understanding foreign cultures provides a valuable opportunity for self enrichment. Laura described her personal impressions of working with Ukrainians, and some of the differences between Ukrainian and American cultures.

Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Speaks on U.S. Woman's Suffrage Movement
In recognition of Women's History Month, on March 18 and April 8 Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Karen Robblee met with teachers and students at the Embassy-supported English Teaching Resource Center to view and discuss the film "One Woman, One Vote" about the American women's suffrage movement. The film illustrates principles of American federalism, as well as civic activism, and the growing inclusiveness and democratization of political processes in the United States. During the discussion Karen pointed out how many of the events depicted in 1848-1920 relate to events today, particularly to the current presidential primary process, where the Democratic Party is on track to choose either a woman or an African American as its national nominee. She also commented on changes in political regional trends, and continuing discussions about immigration policy, as well as attempts to pass an Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s. At the end of the presentation, one student remarked that she had no idea how difficult the suffrage movement had been; all those present agreed that today Americans and Ukrainians alike take much progress for granted. One instructor commented that as a result of the presentation she had decided to develop a course on American Studies designed for students of all disciplines.

Ambassador's Wife Screens American Film
On March 21, Dr. Deborah Taylor presented the film "Far from Heaven" at the American Library in Kyiv-Mohyla Academy as part of the Public Affairs Section's "Friday Film Night" series. Thirty people came for the showing and subsequent discussion. Dr. Taylor drew attention to the issues of tolerance and differences in American society in the 1960's, as depicted in the movie, and answered questions about tolerance in modern America.

Deputy Counselor for Economic Affairs Speaks On U.S. Elections To Students Of Slavonic University In Kyiv
On March 13, Deputy Counselor for Economic Affairs William Klein met with a group of undergraduate International Relations students at Slavonic University to discuss the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections. The complicated system of U.S. elections is often puzzling to non-Americans; therefore the students were interested in discussing the overall process and platforms of the candidates. Klein discussed voters' attitudes towards the war in Iraq, economic development, ethnic and gender issues in the election, and social issues that will be crucial in the election.

"What It Takes to Get into and Survive at a U.S. University," a Presentation by Embassy Econ Officer
On February 6, Econ Officer Christian Yarnell met with a group of 11 Ukrainians at the "Osvita" Education USA Advising Center in Lviv to discuss the challenges of succeeding at U.S. universities. During his lecture, Mr. Yarnell shared his personal experience of studying in the United States, and explained the differences between the American and Ukrainian educational systems. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session touching on the testing process, the financial aid process, admissions to MBA programs, the relationship between international and American students, qualities that foreign students should possess in order to get admitted to U.S. universities and winning techniques for the application process.

"If you want to Study Law in the United States" - A Presentation to Potential Applicants from Ukraine
On Feb 5, the Regional Educational Advising Coordinator (REAC) Bram Caplan met with students at the Odessa Law Academy to discuss the possibility of studying law in the United States. During his presentation, he provided an overview of legal education in the United States, international law programs leading to an LLM degree; and career opportunities for law school graduates. REAC also discussed the challenges of the admissions process and financial aide opportunities for domestic and foreign students. Bram answered a number of questions on the LSAT exam, reference letters and essays.

From Film Noir to Summer Blockbusters: Management Officer Discusses History of U.S. Films
On January, 22, Embassy Kyiv's Assistant Management Officer Shawn Kobb gave a presentation at Kyiv School #80 on the History of U.S. Films. Mr. Kobb gave an overview of the development of U.S. cinema, covering the silent and sound eras, the growth of studios and Hollywood movies, film noir, independent cinema and ended with present day American movies. He also discussed the most popular and profitable movie studios operating both in the U.S. and abroad. Students enthusiastically took part in the discussion, eagerly sharing opinions and posing questions about well-known American actors and actresses and their favorite movies. The presentation and ensuing conversation gave these young Ukrainians the opportunity to learn more the subject and to discuss how culture and iconic images transcend national boundaries.