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In a message to the University community, Chancellor Steven H. Kaplan commended the faculty at the University who helped create this opportunity, and he lauded the dedication of Kateryna Fedirko as she arrives on campus to study international business.

January 12, 2023

Dear Members of the University Community,

I am pleased to share that Kateryna Fedirko, a transfer student from Odesa, Ukraine, has arrived in the United States and is now officially a member of our community. She was greeted in New York yesterday by Dr. Bradley Woodworth, who played an instrumental role in creating this opportunity, as well as by members of student affairs, marketing, and enrollment. She is settling into her new home on campus, looking forward to the start of classes next week.

As I outlined a few weeks ago, Kateryna is the first of what we hope will be several students who will join us from Ukraine. We have established a program in collaboration with EducationUSA Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukraine, to help students whose studies have been disrupted by the Russian invasion. Kateryna will receive directly from our University support for tuition, general fees, and University housing for the duration of her time as a student at the University. In addition, Follett has graciously agreed to contribute textbooks and related materials, and Sodexo will donate a meal plan for her.

We have also a created a fundraising effort to support our Ukrainian students with their travel and personal expenses. Those interested in contributing to this effort can . I thank those across our community who have already donated.

In her essay applying to be part of this program, Kateryna wrote about her passion for service and giving back as well as her involvement with Ukrainian Volunteer Service, which has a rich history of connecting activists across Ukraine. “Volunteering helped me to discover my strong skill – communication,” she wrote. “I discovered that I am flexible and open to finding a common language with people of different backgrounds and interests. Teamwork brings me joy and professional satisfaction.” I expect Kateryna and those from Ukraine who will follow in her footsteps will contribute greatly to our diverse and vibrant community.

Kateryna, her family and friends, and her home country, particularly her hometown of Odesa, have been profoundly impacted by the unprovoked and unjustified invasion that Russia launched against Ukraine. The indiscriminate attacks are an assault on democracy and a threat to the values we hold dear.

I am proud that as a community we are supporting Kateryna and other students from Ukraine as they overcome indescribable challenges and continue to pursue their most lofty goals.

With best wishes,

Steven H Kaplan, Ph.D.
Chancellor