AUCA Magazine February 2011 by AUCA

AUCA Magazine American University of Central Asia

February 2011

Hillary Clinton:

"It's Wonderful to Return!" Bermet Tursunkulova: Behind the Scenes

AUCA Fifteenth Annual Initiation and Inauguration Ceremony

Yulia Rutskaya'02: Music of True Love

ТЦ МОТО, 3 ЭТАЖ

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CONTENTS

12 Ecology of

Asian Games 2010: AUCA Students Get Fired Up in Guangzhou

Zahidullah Jalali’08: From Kabul with Love

Tongtong Tina Zhao’02: From the Middle Kingdom

AUCA Moving Forward with USAID

Kadyr Toktogulov’03: Reporting Live From...

AUCA Fifteenth Annual Initiation and Inauguration Ceremony

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

08 A Stepping Stone

A Gift to Anthropology

Spooky Halloween

And the Month's Award for Generosity Goes to:

Speak English

Alumni Coordinator's note and Publication Team

Welcome from the President

Secretary Clinton Holds Townterview with AUCA Students

06 07

Life

Bermet Tursunkulova: Behind the Scenes

Aziz Soltobaev’03: E-Business Pioneer

A Stepping Stone

09 IMF and AUCA 10

Free at Last?

Leading the Development Disscussion

Champions Cup

Alumni Homecoming

Homo Homini...

Beware: AUCA Students in Malaysia

19 Uulkan Kambaralieva: Dream Is the Engine of Life

Yulia Rutskaya’02: Music of True Love

AUCA

Alumni Coordinator's Note

Magazine American University of Central Asia, founded in 1997, is dedicated to improving the quality of education it offers by adding new curricula, new programs, and new services to equip its graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to this rapidly changing and developing region and the world beyond. Publication team Editor-in-Chief: Kemel Toktomushev Copy Editors: Sven Stafford Madina Sarkulova Contributors: Aliona Kim Gulnura Toralieva Kemel Toktomushev Lidiya Chikalova Madina Sarkulova Sven Stafford Svetlana Verchenko Suray Rejepova Pictures: Emil Akhmatbekov AUCA Archives Design and Layout: Emil Akhmatbekov

AUCA Magazine is published by the American University of Central Asia You may send your correspondence to: AUCA Magazine American University of Central Asia 205 Abdymomunov St., Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic 720040 Tel./Fax: (996 312) 66-45-64 E-mail: pubrel@mail.auca.kg www.auca.kg On the cover: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Dear Friends,

n 2011 AUCA will go through many changes, and we will look to our alumni for advice and wisdom as we move forward. The niversity has completed the purchase of land for the new campus and hopes to begin construction by August 1st, 2011. Furthermore, beginning this spring, we will be granting U.S. accredited diplomas through Bard College. Our partnership with Bard will continue to grow, as they will send the first group of American exchange students to study at AUCA starting in Fall 2011. Our commitment to our alumni will also strengthen in 2011. We plan to hold at least one alumni event every month, including events and activities available for our international alumni. In addition, this year we will celebrate the 5th and 10th year anniversaries of the graduating classes of 2006 and 2001 respectively. Please remember that alumni are always welcome at AUCA, and are invited to the open lectures and events being held at the university. This year more than ever before we look forward to increased alumni participation. We want to see you at the university not only for alumni events, but for career fairs, for mentoring undergraduates, and for recruiting the class of 2015. We also want you to speak with a louder voice, so that businesses, government, and the entire community in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and Central Asia know that an AUCA education should be valued above all others. The Alumni magazine, a powerful tool for informing the world about AUCA’s achievements, is also a resource for you to receive information and share your life – life after graduation. In the current issue you will learn about AUCA Glasnost Initiative, watch the progress of the new campus construction, and read the success stories of your fellow alumni. Reconnect with AUCA. Your story could be in the next issue!

Aliona Kim Alumni Coordinator

President’s Column

Welcome From the President Dear AUCA alumni, 2011 promises to be an exceptional year for AUCA. Perhaps most important, the new campus that has been discussed for so many years is finally becoming a reality. The university has acquired a parcel of land (almost 3 hectares) on the southeast side of Bishkek. We expect to hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the site during graduation weekend, and to begin serious construction in August. If all goes as planned, AUCA will move into its new home in time for the 2012-13 academic year. In the spring, look for a construction progress section on the AUCA website, which will provide details about how the campus will look, how we will live in it, and where we are in terms of financial support for the project. For alums, the new campus will provide an opportunity to show your appreciation for the education you received at AUCA. Buy a brick (or more than a brick) and help open the doors of an AUCA education to a new generation of students! In addition to the campus, starting this fall AUCA will provide dormitory space for approximately 150 students in a building near our current home. We believe that this experiment will be an attractive option for our students, especially those who come from foreign countries or outside Bishkek. Equally exciting, for the first time at the June commencement most of our graduates will receive a degree from Bard College in addition to a diploma from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Education. The Bard degree is an important sign that an AUCA education is equivalent to what students get at the most rigorous and imaginative undergraduate programs in the U. S. The Bard degree is concrete evidence for something we already know – that our students are among the best and brightest in the world – and it should make it easier for them to find their place in an ever more competitive global economy. We also hope that our ability to oﬀer an American degree will increase the desirability of an AUCA education and allow us to attract an even more diverse and interesting group of undergraduates, including, starting in the fall, a group of visiting students from the United States. Some crucial things will not change, however. As always, AUCA strives to provide an exhilarating and fun atmosphere in which students can live, learn, and grow, eventually joining our alums as leaders both in their own society and around the world. I trust that the articles in this issue of the AUCA Alumni magazine will remind you of your own days at AUCA and give you a vicarious sense of the ongoing excitement and challenges of AUCA.

Andrew B. Wachtel President

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

University Update

Please welcome, Secretary Clinton On December 2, 2010, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton came to Kyrgyzstan as part of her fourday tour of Central Asia. During her visit, she participated in a townterview hosted by KTR Studio in Bishkek. Students from the American University of Central Asia, other universities, and representatives of civil society organizations joined the discussion. “Well, first of all, I want to thank you for hosting this. And I want to thank, of course, our embassy and the American University of Central Asia, and the new chancellor,” began Secretary Clinton. “And it's very exciting to be back. As you say, I helped to inaugurate the university [AUCA] back in 1997. It's wonderful to return. The United States is proud to continue to support that university, and support many other important programs in Kyrgyzstan. And there could not be a better time than right now to be here, as you are forming a new government.” Secretary Clinton had previously visited Kyrgyzstan as the First Lady of the United States. At the time, the American University was establishing itself as an independent institution, and Secretary Clinton was present to inaugurate the endeavor. In a way, she can be viewed as the “godmother” of AUCA. AUCA students engaged in a lively discussion with Secretary Clinton, touching

on a wide range of local and global issues. Mariia Tsvetkova, a student in the Business Administration department, raised an interesting point, asking what Secretary Clinton thought the Kyrgyz people could be proud of. In her answer, Secretary Clinton admired the fact that the interim government pledged that it would immediately carry out elections and was able to do so despite other problems. Furthermore, she commended the Kyrgyz nation for being a “pioneer” in the Central Asian region, as Kyrgyzstan is the first country trying to establish a parliamentary system there. She also mentioned that "the strong character of the Kyrgyz people, the incredible resilience that [they] have shown since independence, but most importantly, the path of democracy that [they] have chosen" should all be a source of pride for the Kyrgyz nation. The meeting was more than a mere “Question and Answer” session with an important dignitary. The townterview was an engaging discussion in which both sides learned something about the other. Secretary Clinton was not only answering questions, but also asking them. In one instance, she wanted the students to share their thoughts about the benefit of Peace Corps volunteers in Kyrgyzstan. Students from other universities also participated in the townterview with Secretary Clinton. The variety of questions

was impressive, ranging from the use of American military force in the Korean conflict to how the new government of Kyrgyzstan should develop its domestic policy. Students were not reserved in their questions, and some even dared to ask whether Chelsea Clinton had any political ambitions. A series of less serious questions followed—the audience wanted to know what Secretary Clinton’s favorite movie is, what she reads during her long flights, and how many hours of sleep she gets each day. This friendly exchange contributed to the casual mood of the event. Impressed with the meeting, Eliza Damirbek kyzy, a junior in the European Studies department, said that, “Watching her on TV, you forget that she is the same human being as you and as everyone else you see everyday. Thus, to see her sitting right in front of you, laughing, speaking, and in general behaving as your friend was admirable. She was not Secretary Clinton from the TV screen, but rather a person who talks with you as an equal and serves as an example. I admire her very much! Even though I did not ask her any questions, I was really glad to hear her opinion on different inquiries of my colleagues. What is more admirable is that she didn’t hesitate at all while answering our "silly" questions, that shows that she was willing to share her own experiences." AUCA students were involved in all aspects of the townterview. In fact, an AUCA alumnus Kadyr Toktogulov moderated student questions, which he mentions in his interview featured in this issue. The townterview was characterized by a light and easy atmosphere, differentiating it from an official meeting. Students were so enthused about their conversation that they had many more questions left when the meeting came to a close. Secretary Clinton herself was eager to hear more suggestions from students about what she and the United States can do to help Kyrgyzstan build a prospering democracy. Secretary Clinton left to the loud applause of the students, who are ardently awaiting her next visit. By Madina Sarkulova

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

Secretary Clinton Holds Townterview with AUCA Students

University Update

AUCA Moving Forward With USAID On October 21, 2010, Tatiana C. Gfoeller, the U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, and Andrew B. Wachtel, President of the American University of Central Asia, oﬃcially signed the USAIDAUCA grant agreement. The United States, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has awarded AUCA a US$ 2.7 million grant to improve its learning environment through the creation of new programs for students, faculty development, and technology upgrades. With the help of the USAID-AUCA Moving Forward grant, the university will develop programs of academic excellence that will attract international attention and distinguish AUCA as the premier intellectual hub of Central Asia. One such initiative is the launch of the Institute for Central Asian Studies. This Institute will craft policy recommendations and drive research on topics relating to the political, social, economic, and cultural development of Central Asia. The research will be conducted in collaboration with local faculty familiar with the particular needs of Kyrgyzstan and the region in general. The programs supported by USAID will also make it possible for AUCA faculty members to acquire experience at institutions of higher education in the U.S. and elsewhere, and bring that knowledge and expertise back to Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, AUCA will upgrade its technology systems to more eﬃciently accommodate the needs of the students, faculty, and

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

staﬀ. The USAID grant will support the institutional development of AUCA over the next three years. “The generous support of USAID will allow AUCA to broaden our reach, raise the quality of our undergraduate education, and develop world-class research programs in areas of international need,” emphasized President Wachtel. While undergraduate liberal arts education will remain the primary focus of AUCA, the university will further enhance its broad-based continuing education program which oﬀers shorter, nondegree courses to the Kyrgyz community in practical fields such as entrepreneurship, accounting and foreign language. There are approximately 1200 students currently enrolled at AUCA representing 20 countries: Afghanistan, Belgium, China, Germany, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russian Federation, South Korea, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United States, and Uzbekistan. AUCA will continue to recruit a diverse student body while providing merit-based and need-based scholarships for students from Central Asia. “USAID is very pleased to support AUCA as an important institution of higher learning in Kyrgyzstan, and hopes this new grant will assist in making the university a center of excellence in higher education both for this country and elsewhere in the region,” remarked Carey N. Gordon, Acting Country Director of USAID in Kyrgyzstan.

University Update

AUCA Fifteenth Annual Initiation and Inauguration Ceremony

Professor Aaron Brudny bestowing the symbols of power them luck. Continuing his address in both Russian and English, the President jokingly compared his inauguration to the introduction in Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, which takes place in the middle of the work. While the President’s address was brief, it contained an important message. He emphasized the essential role played by the students. “Students are the most crucial part of the University, and today is a day for students,” exclaimed the President. Thanking his colleagues, faculty, and parents, President Wachtel concluded his speech. Once the official part of the ceremony was finished, students showed their talents in a vivid display of performances. As friends and family proudly watched, students presented a variety of songs and dances, reflecting their own capabilities, as well as the incredible diversity of the university. A sophomore Journalism stu-

dent, Svetlana Verchenko commented on the incredible impression that the performance had left on her. “Last year, I participated in Initiation myself, and was not able to fully appreciate the uniqueness of this event. Watching this year’s merry performances, I realized the wonderful magic of Initiation. The atmosphere was simply captivating, because of the students’ playfulness and unity.” The event culminated in a dance celebrating the diversity of the student body. In a bright fusion of different cultures and traditions, the students beautifully represented their own unity and harmony. The curtains were drawn as the students sang the AUCA hymn.

By Madina Sarkulova

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

On November 10, a special event took place at the Kyrgyz National Opera and Ballet Theater in Bishkek. AUCA celebrated its Fifteenth Annual Initiation Ceremony, opening doors for 298 new students. The event was further marked by the Inauguration of the new President, Dr. Andrew B. Wachtel, who has been leading AUCA since August 2010. A number of distinguished guests attended the Initiation, among them Deputy Minister of Education Boris Kubaev, the U.S. Ambassador Tatiana C. Gfoeller, and the first president of AUCA John Clark. In his address, Deputy Minister Kubaev welcomed President Wachtel. He also commended the high level and quality of education provided at AUCA, calling the university a “diamond in the sky”. Following the Deputy Minister, Ambassador Gfoeller offered her greetings to the new President. She remarked that, “AUCA plays a particularly vital role in Kyrgyzstan and [the U.S.] is proud of the role it played in the dynamic evolution of this university.” Furthermore, she highlighted the opportunity that AUCA students have to foster freedom, democracy, and the development of civil society in Kyrgyzstan. Finishing her statement, she expressed hope for a long and fruitful partnership with AUCA. The event continued with the inauguration of President Wachtel. Ishenbai Abdurazakov, a member of the Board of Trustees, administered the presidential oath. Senior Faculty Member Aron Brudnyi granted President Wachtel the symbols of power. In a pleasant surprise, the newly inaugurated President Wachtel opened his speech in Kyrgyz. He welcomed all of the guests, congratulated the new students and wished

University Update

A Stepping Stone The architect of the new campus, Henry Myerburgh, was inspired by the mountains of Kyrgyzstan. Our university looks forward to opening the campus in Fall 2012.

It seems like forever and a day since AUCA announced its plans to build a new campus in Bishkek. The wait will soon be over. The holiday season brought many gifts to the AUCA community, none bigger than the signing of the land lease for the new campus. The lease agreement, a process spanning two years, two continents, two presidents and one revolution, was at last concluded on January 5th, 2011. Yes! The lease gives AUCA the right to the land for the next 42 years, which means that there is only one thing left to do: build on it. The three-hectare site is located behind the 12th micro-region, and gives the new campus a beautiful southern exposure. Construction of the main academic building will start in August, 2011. AUCA will start issuing tenders for construction in May, 2011, and plans for the academic building are currently being finalized. The construction of the academic building will take approximately one year, with dormitories and a sports complex to follow at a later date. Assuming next winter is not too hard, AUCA students should be taking their first classes in the new building starting in Fall 2012. The main academic building merges the density, compactness and energy that is characteristic of the current AUCA building, with the flexible community and classroom space that is necessary for the university to ful-

fill its liberal arts educational mission. The building will be almost twice as large as the current campus, and will allow AUCA to grow its student body from its present 1200 to approximately 1600 over the next five years. The academic building will consist of four floors, centered around a forum, an interior quad, that will serve as the main meeting place for the AUCA community. The overall design reflects the idea that in the 21st century, learning is a collaborative and interactive process, and the places where students and faculty meet, outside of the classroom, are just as important as the classrooms themselves. Every space in the building will work double and triple duty. A classroom in the morning can be a study room in the afternoon and a movie theater at night. Even the hallway spaces are multipurpose, and are easily converted into meeting areas. The campus will also feature a residence and a sports complex. The residences will be capable of housing over 200 students and international faculty. While AUCA currently has plans to open a student dormitory in the heart of Bishkek starting in Fall 2011, the new living space will allow AUCA to attract even more international full-time students from further afield, as well as expand its current exchange programs. The residences will be grouped in clusters of 3, with

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

each residence housing 25 scholars. Each residence will have a common living room, kitchenette and lounge area to create a sense of community within the larger campus. Although rumors of a pool have not been confirmed, there will be ample room for students to flex their muscles after class. The sports complex begins in the main academic building, where there will be an allpurpose gymnasium. The gym will be a space for football, basketball, volleyball and other sports, as well as another meeting place for the AUCA community. The outside field and track will also allow students to have access to the best outdoor facility in Bishkek. The turf field will be durable, allowing students and community members to use the field every day, and, if they are brave enough, in all weather conditions. The field can also be used to hold larger ceremonies, such as commencement and initiation. As the new campus will impact the entire AUCA community, input and support for the construction project are encouraged. By March, there will be a website dedicated to the new campus, where you will be able to check out drawings and plans, follow the tender and construction process, and make donations. One way alumni can support the campus project is to purchase an engraved brick to be placed outside of the main entrance. Alumni can engrave it with their name or personal message, and will be commemorated there forever. AUCA is building the campus of the future to educate the leaders of the future. We hope you will join AUCA in this eďŹ&#x20AC;ort. The doors open soon. By Sven StaďŹ&#x20AC;ord

University Update

Trick-or-Treat

Every year AUCA students celebrate Halloween by wearing costumes, trick-or-treating, carving jack-o'-lanterns, and visiting haunted rooms. This year students continued this tradition by dressing up as monsters, witches and other mystical creatures. Enveloped in black curtains, the main hall of AUCA resembled a scene from a scary movie. “Carving jack-o'-lanterns is an exciting and elaborate activity, and it demonstrated that we have some outstanding students who are particularly good at dealing with pumpkins,” joked Kseniya Minkova from the Student Affairs Office. The Halloween celebration continued with a scary costume performance and a showing of a horror movie.

Speak English During the month of October, AUCA and British Midland International (BMI) organized a Free Conversation Club. Eight club sessions were conducted, with the goal of helping people learn English in a fun and social way. The conversation club was free of charge and open to everyone. Each session lasted an hour and a half, and was moderated by Chris Rickleton from the International and Comparative Politics department. Commenting on the Conversation Club initiative, Venera Adigamova of BMI said, “As an airline we understand the importance of foreign languages and education, and are happy to support this educational initiative in Kyrgyzstan.”

Mr. Koba Gventadze

IMF and AUCA On November 26, 2010, Mr. Koba Gvenetadze, Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund in the Kyrgyz Republic, gave a public lecture on the topic "Regional Economic Outlook for the Middle East and Central Asian Region". Mr. Gvenetadze discussed the significant economic impact of the crisis on the Kyrgyz economy and a sharp balance-of-payments eﬀect. “Impact on revenues and expenditures will sharply increase the fiscal deficit and financing gap in 2010,” emphasized Mr. Gvenetadze. The Kyrgyz Republic became a member of the International Monetary Fund on May 8, 1992. In 1995, it accepted the obligations of Article VIII of the IMF Articles of Agreement. Within the constraints of this article, the Kyrgyz Republic undertakes to refrain from imposing exchange rate restrictions on the making of payments and transfers for current international transactions or from engaging in discriminatory currency arrangements or multiple currency practices without the IMF’s approval. The event was organized by Advising and Career Services.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

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Spooky Halloween

University Update

Dr. Nadia Diuk sharing her findings

Free at Last? On December 9, 2010, Dr. Nadia Diuk, Vice President of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), delivered a public lecture on the topic “The First Free Generation after the Collapse of USSR: Challenges and Opportunities”. Dr. Diuk serves as the Vice President of NED, a private nonprofit organization from the United States. She is currently writing a book on the role of youth and generational change in political transitions in the post-Soviet states. At AUCA, Dr. Diuk spoke briefly about the development of youth movements in Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Russia. She presented the results of a recent poll that was conducted amongst young people in the aforementioned countries. Also, she led a discussion on the role youth leaders and organizations have played in Kyrgyzstan's recent political developments. The event was organized by AUCA’s Social Research Centre, the Voice of Freedom Public Foundation, and the Youth Human Rights Group.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

Attentive participants of the forum

Leading the Development Disscussion On October 9, 2010, the Anthropology Department, in collaboration with the Social Research Center of the American University of Central Asia, hosted the Applied Anthropology Forum entitled “Two Decades of Experience: Have we Found a Proper Translation for the Word Development?” Representatives from a large number of local and international organizations participated in the forum. This gathering became a platform for all participants to evaluate the development experience and to discuss some major issues pertaining to developmental successes and failures in Kyrgyzstan and in Central Asia. AUCA students also became familiarized with the activity of the development sector and had an opportunity to network with potential employers.

University Update

Once again, the alumni team won the annual AUCA mini-football tournament, which was held on October 16, 2010. Ten teams competed for the champion’s cup, representing the departments of Economics, Software Engineering, American Studies, International and Business Law, Anthropology, Business Administration, Psychology, Sociology, Alumni, and Faculty and Staﬀ. The excitement was most intense in the final match between the Alumni and the Economics department. The superb play by the alumni squad, along with the spectacular moves and stunning shots from its fearless leaders Talaibek Saidov`09 and Ilhom Umarahunov`10 made the alumni victory possible and memorable. “I am thrilled with the way our players performed. Although the student squads were strong and showed courage on the field, we played beautiful football and scored a lot. Even though our best players missed this tournament, we were still much stronger. We had new, promising players, and we are very experienced in these type of competitions!” exclaimed Talaibek.

Alumni Homecoming

A friendly game of Brain Ring

On October 15, 2010, all AUCA Alumni were warmly welcomed back to their alma mater at the AUCA Homecoming event. President Andrew Wachtel introduced himself to the alumni and shared his vision for the future of the university. Alumni also had a chance to meet the architect of the new campus, see his presentation and ask questions about the construction process. This was followed by a friendly Brain Ring competition between diﬀerent graduating classes. Over 20 alumni competed against current AUCA students. The guests enjoyed meeting each other and sharing fond memories of their days at AUCA.

The Central Asian Cup is an annual international debate tournament initiated by AUCA’s Kyrgyz language program and the AUCA Debate Club. The idea of the tournament is to broaden the functioning sphere of the Kyrgyz language, develop the socio-political and intellectual potential of young people, increase the level of knowledge about contemporary global issues, and strengthen the cooperation between debate clubs in Central Asia. The slogan of this year’s tournament was “Homo homini:…?”. Students from India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan took part in the event. Competing teams had the choice of competing in the English, Kyrgyz or Russian division. During the tournament the English and the Kyrgyz divisions each had 8 teams, while 16 teams competed in the Russian division. Twenty judges from various universities and with diﬀerent backgrounds were invited to score the tournament. Several AUCA instructors from the International and Comparative Politics department and the Russian language program were among the participating judges. Following two days of intense debating, the winners of the tournament were announced. The best speaker award in the Kyrgyz division was given to Azamat Dolotov from Kyrgyz National University (KNU). The Russian division winner was Aizada Marat kyzy, also from KNU, and Elena Vorobey, from AUCA, won the title in the English division. In the team competition, students from secondary school #61 won the first place title in the Kyrgyz division. Students from Manas University won the Russian division, and AUCA students were victorious in the English division. Askar Sydykov (AUCA) won the best judge nomination in the Kyrgyz division, Yakov Fedorov (Kazakhstan) in the Russian division, and Ranghuveer Nanduri (Kyrgyzstan International University) in the English division. All participants were awarded with certificates and tournament cups engraved with the AUCA logo. First places winners received traditional golden cups in addition to various prizes such as flash memory sticks, movie theater tickets and national Kyrgyz panels. While the Central Asian Cup 2010 provided clear evidence that AUCA students are the best at expressing their arguments in English, it also demonstrated the need to develop and promote Russian and Kyrgyz among AUCA students.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

Champions Cup Homo Homini...

University Update

Ecology of Life

AUCA supports the development of a contemporary art movement among youth

Eve Sussman and Simon Lee putting life in a frame

In October, AUCA invited students from Bishkek universities to attend a series of lectures led by prominent New York artists Simon Lee, Eve Sussman, Thomas Werner, and Eleanor Heartney. The four professionals in the field of contemporary conceptual photography and video art conducted interactive lectures and discussions on topics such as contemporary photography, fashion photography, installations, new forms of art, and video footage. Approximately 200 students had an opportunity to listen to the lectures and participate in master classes focused on ‘portrait lighting’ and ‘maneuvering filming,’ done with three Lada automobiles. Most of the students had limited knowledge of 12

contemporary art and how to understand it correctly, since there are no strict guidelines. “Personally for me, it was an absolutely new phenomenon. Some things were completely incomprehensible, but that is art—it has no standards and it does not work for everyone,” reflected Akylbek Baltabaev, an AUCA senior who participated in the lectures. In the past five years, contemporary art has grown in popularity among the youth of Kyrgyzstan. In order to promote it, “KuramaArt” invited contemporary artists to give lectures and master classes at AUCA. As part of the project, the artists and participants developed conceptual projects in a five-day training held at Kaji-Sai. Using photos and videos to express

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

their ideas, participants worked individually and in groups to create projects that demonstrated the reality of promised life and the myths surrounding us. On December 16, the young artists presented their ideas at the Koldo art center in an exhibition entitled ‘Ecology of Life.’ Visitors of the exhibition saw the young artists’ video and photo interpretations of ‘Time’ and ‘Myth.’ “The life of the poor, the dreams of the young, the promised life, the ideologies of times—all these concepts are interlaced and rendered through photographs and videos,” emphasized Lidiya Chikalova, a participant in the project and AUCA senior. Although contemporary art is in its developmental stage, the youth of Central Asia already understand its value and uniqueness. “It is a paradox. The artist tries to be closer to the viewer, but this attempt fails because contemporary art seems complicated and incomprehensible. Even though it is multidimensional, the Bishkek viewer sees only video art, installations, and performances,” explained a young artist, Talgat Berikov. The organizer of the project, Asel Akmatova, led the project with the help of AUCA and the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic. “We believe that the project was a success. Our New York guests were not only teachers to participants, but also friends, sharing their failures and rejoicing in their successes. At the same time, the participants themselves received valuable practical experience in the field of conceptual video and photography.” By Lidiya Chikalova

University Update

Capturing the moment in Malaysia

It should not be diﬃcult to picture Malaysia. Recall your childhood memories of a program called "Animal World,” or any show or movie that featured monkeys. That same show plays every day in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Monkeys are everywhere. They walk calmly across university roofs, and stroll quietly along the road. On road signs, there are warnings to drivers to look out for monkeys. However, what led a group of AUCA students to Malaysia was anything but monkey business, it was a debate tournament. On December 14, the Islamic University in Malaysia gathered international debate teams from Asia and Oceania. More then 30 teams were present at the event, including a team from Kyrgyzstan, made up of AUCA students. Among the participants were teams from Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Sudan and Uganda. The debut of this

international tournament, which will henceforth be held annually, was funded by the Organization of Islamic Conference, which unites the Muslim world. We pondered, discussed, assessed, and debated issues pertaining to various social, political, and religious themes. Examples from the tournament included the issue of smoking in public places, and the justification of the death penalty. The team from Bangladesh won the tournament and was awarded a $2,000 cash prize. Second place was given to an equally worthy team from Malaysia, and its participants received $1,000. The AUCA team finished 11th out of the 30 teams. While it was clearly not the best result, this experience was a huge success for the team. The organizers put on an extraordinary event, and the tournament was a success. Experienced judges gave the team helpful comments, which made us want to improve immediately, while debaters with excellent critical thinking skills and English fluency made us jealous.

Now we dream of holding a tournament in Kyrgyzstan and inviting foreign teams to AUCA to compete. "Everybody, from the major contributors to the students, knew their job and responsibility. We were also fortunate to meet the champions of Asia. This meeting encouraged us to think about more training in order to bring our debating skills to their level," said Maxim, a member of AUCA Debate Club, when talking about the things he enjoyed most. "It is impossible not to talk about the city where the tournament was held. Kuala Lumpur is a shred of globalization in the middle of a jungle. There are discounts everywhere. Your stay in Malaysia can be filled with both shopping and visiting insanely exotic locations such as the park of butterflies and birds. The best thing is that sleep doesn’t fit in that schedule, because Kuala Lumpur never sleeps!” enthusiastically noted Dina, recalling her time at the tournament. This trip left our team with pleasant memories, photos, new friends, surprises, and things, purchased at the Kuala Lumpur discount price. The end of 2010 was very productive, and we hope this year will also be marked with favorable debates. We are immeasurably grateful to the university, and particularly to Dr. Andrew Wachtel. This opportunity to participate in an international tournament and to learn from the best would not have been possible without the support of AUCA. By Suray Rejepova

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

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Beware: AUCA Students in Malaysia

Interview with Vice President for Academic AďŹ&#x20AC;airs

Dr. Bermet Tursunkulova:

Behind the Scenes Gulnura Toralieva (GT): Your birthday was a few days ago. Happy birthday! Birthdays are often a time for reflection so I have to ask: are you happy with what you have achieved so far? Bermet Tursunkulova (BT): Yes, absolutely. I am a very happy woman. Every birthday celebration, whether it is my 25th, 28th or 32nd birthday, I realize I am a happy person who has achieved certain goals. I am content with what I have. GT: Given that you are a happy person, would you change anything in your life? BT: I am one hundred percent certain that I would not change anything in my life. I suppose if the possibility existed, I would have liked to have been more engaged in sports during my childhood. GT: Many women in Kyrgyzstan, and around the world, would agree that your career path was a unique one. Given that it is still diďŹ&#x192;cult for a woman to have a career in Kyrgyzstan, your swift career rise is really impressive, especially considering that you are the mother of two boys. How do you find your work-life balance? BT: Thank you for the compliment. I think that it is common in Kyrgyzstan for women to become successful. In the post-Soviet period, women have achieved more than men. Given the opportunities and limitations each faced, women turned out to be stronger than men in those times. Therefore, my case

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

is not so unique in Kyrgyzstan. With regard to balancing family and work, I do not make any special eďŹ&#x20AC;ort. I just do what I should. Obviously I do not spend as much time with my children as housewives do. It does not matter, however, considering that in any occupation, be it an accountant, a teacher, or a waitress, I would still be working from 9 am to 6 pm. After leaving work at 6 I do what I have to: help my older son with his homework, play with my little one, talk to my husband, have a family dinner, etc. GT: There is some information about your personal life on the Internet and in the social media. Could you please tell me about your children? BT: All the information you find on the Internet is probably related to my work. But in the social media I have published pictures of my husband and children. I have two sons, Daniyar and Eldiyar. Daniyar is in the third grade, and our nanny looks after our five-year old Eldiyar. She is my right hand. GT: Your job is mostly about management. Do you miss the times when you were more involved in research projects, teaching and academic development? BT: Yes, of course. That is why I try to teach at least one course per year. Unfortunately I cannot find time for research. Having a full-time job and a family precludes me from doing research. I will continue

www.auca.kg AUCA AUCAMagazine*November Magazine*February 2011 2010

Interview with Vice President for Academic Aﬀairs

trying to teach, but research is something that requires a lot of concentration, time for data collection, and of course inspiration. Research is very difficult to pursue with limited time. GT: Have you ever regretted your decision to work in this position? BT: No, I never regretted it. However, there were several times when I wanted to leave this job. GT: Why? BT: I do not remember exactly, but I was probably feeling tired or powerless. In addition, I was distressed because when I did something, it was seemingly always perceived and interpreted differently. I could not leave, though, because that would have been an admission of weakness. GT: So the drive to be strong made you stay here at AUCA? BT: No, not only this, of course. Like all staff members, I have a one-year contract, which can be terminated at any time, but I feel that I have a moral responsibility. If I begin something, I should deal with it, which is why I try to do the best I can. GT: What do you like most about your job? BT: First of all, I enjoy the fact that I am working at AUCA, which has the best faculty members, the brightest students, a wonderful atmosphere, and that unique spirit of AUCA. In addition, I like to see that what I am doing leads to concrete results. Also, it is nice to feel that you are a part of AUCA’s greatest successes, whether it is being accredited by a U.S. college, or building a new campus. The second pleasant thing is to see how your colleagues and students accomplish their life goals. GT: Continuing with this topic, could you please outline three of AUCA’s greatest achievements? BT: First and foremost are our students. We attract the most brilliant minds, the best souls, and the purest young people. Each AUCA student is unique and contributes to AUCA’s development. Our students make AUCA what it is now. Our second achievement is the fact

that during the last 13 years AUCA has managed to overcome all obstacles and trials, such as changes in the government or within the university itself. In spite of all of this, AUCA remains the best university in the region, free of the corruption endemic to other universities in Central Asia. You come across these problems everywhere outside of AUCA. Finally, it is the people that work here. Despite the fact that we do not pay our faculty and staff well enough, they continue to work here because they love this university and their jobs. GT: And what are the biggest challenges that AUCA faces? BT: One of our biggest challenges is student enrollment, especially considering the education standards in Kyrgyzstan and in neighboring countries. It is obvious that after Kyrgyz citizens our next target area for student recruitment is our neighboring Central Asian countries. The schools in these countries do not provide an adequate education, especially in English, for students to pass our admissions test. The other problem is that not many parents can afford to enroll their children in additional courses, or hire private tutors in order to help their children enroll at AUCA. We actually provide significant financial aid resources to make an AUCA education as affordable as possible, and we are currently redesigning our preparatory program to help students build the English, math and critical thinking skills they currently do not receive through the secondary education system. Another challenge I think we face is that neighboring countries look down on Kyrgyzstan. They do this because, on the one hand, we are poorer in resources, and on the other hand, we are too open with our expressions, such as the events of last year. Regional leaders pointed their fingers at us, claiming that something bad happened in our country. It is a well-known fact that what transpired here resulted in a negative image of Kyrgyzstan. As a result, it is difficult for the two people sitting in our Admissions Office to show Kyrgyzstan’s best side, but we are trying to do our best. The third challenge we face is retaining our most talented faculty. Their remuneration should be higher, and we are working on it now. I, and the President, do hope that in the near future we

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

will change this for the better. Finally, our relations with the Ministry of Education and the government itself present a constant challenge. We always have a headache when it comes to issues related to attestation, licensing, the current building, and our image. Everyone believes that we are promoting a Western style of life, preparing students to go abroad, and do not do anything to stop them from leaving the country. This view, however, is not consistent with truth and reality. GT: The idea that AUCA students are being prepared for export is nonsense. Would you agree? BT: It is nonsense, because nobody here prepares them to leave. Our students clearly understand that they have an opportunity to get additional education in foreign countries. However, many of those who study abroad return to Kyrgyzstan to build lives and careers here. The real issue is that our government does not do enough to retain talented people. GT: You have pointed out that AUCA has a unique student body. Can you elaborate on how they diﬀer from other students? BT: They are definitely more open and sincere, whether during class or outside of the university. Of course, they might enter AUCA being somewhat shy, but here they are forced to become more confident and open, because it is expected of them in class. We also have international students here, and one needs to be open in order to understand their worldview. GT: Speaking about student admission, is there a natural selection process? Do students with a certain mindset and set of skills go to AUCA while other students go, for example, to Kyrgyz-Russian Slavonic University? BT: I cannot say anything about Slavonic University, but I do know that children dream of being a student at AUCA, and start preparing themselves as early as fifth grade. I am not trying to oﬀend other universities, but I do not think that some fifth grader in Osh is preparing him or herself that hard for any other university. However, there are many students who only want to go to AUCA.

Interview with Vice President for Academic Aﬀairs

AUCA alumnus? What kind of student does AUCA produce? BT: On Commencement day, it is a person who has run out of creative energy after completing all of his or her final exams. This person is under the impression that his or her freedom will start right after the party. Two days later this alumnus begins to miss the university. This is the main diﬀerence between AUCA alumni and other graduates: they miss their alma mater very much. They might be leaving the country tomorrow to pursue a Master’s degree, but today, they are spending all of their time in “Bravo”.

GT: This means that what distinguishes AUCA is its educational approach, correct? BT: Yes.

GT: You have worked with three presidents… BT: Yes, when I was a faculty member I worked with David and later with Ellen. Today, I work with the new President.

GT: It is quite obvious that you love this university. Can you please share what makes you love AUCA? BT: I have recently heard the phrase, “If you can say why you love someone, it means you do not love that person in reality.” I cannot say why I love AUCA. I love it because it is AUCA. GT: What kind of person is an

GT: How is working with this President diﬀerent? BT: I have experienced two diﬀerent styles of management. I had only a short preparation period to get used to a new management style and to learn to work with Andrew. I am very grateful to Ellen for a number of things—for working with

me, for teaching me many useful skills, for giving me advice on how to build a good working atmosphere and establish relations with employees and colleagues, etc. I have had management positions in the past, but they cannot compare. Ellen helped me take almost all of the decisions. That was probably a benefit for me in the first two years of my current position. I am thankful for that because if I was given the freedom to do as I had wished, I would have made many wrong turns. As for Andrew, he gives me a lot of freedom. Andrew leaves all academic affairs to me, and I have freedom of action, but that means more responsibility. GT: Are you satisfied with such a division of labor? BT: Yes, this is the way it should be. The President should deal with the general managerial issues, such as fundraising, grants, etc. As for the Vice-President of Academic Affairs, he or she must manage the educational process. GT: Amongst your colleagues, there are two different opinions regarding your management style. Some people see you as a very democratic person, allowing employees to act freely. Others

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

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GT: You have studied at other local universities. Can you describe the diﬀerences between them and AUCA? BT: I studied at the International University of Kyrgyzstan (IUK) when it was first established in Kyrgyzstan. I think I caught the golden years of IUK. Many current AUCA faculty members previously worked at IUK, and that is why I think I got an excellent education there. Of course, while studying at IUK, I did not imagine that there could be events such as Orientation Week, Diversity week, Graduation, and Junior Ball. There were no seminars, readers, handouts, or syllabi.

Interview with Vice President for Academic Aﬀairs

Dr. Tursunkulova joining students in celebration of diversity perceive you rather differently. In your opinion, what kind of a leader are you? BT: That people consider me a very democratic person is news to me, but I can explain this too. I do not believe that a person should have to sit here from 9 to 6 and ask for permission to go to the bathroom. If you are dealing with your responsibilities, then it does not matter to me whether you are doing your job at 3 in the morning or afternoon. If your work brings concrete results, then no questions are asked. Of course we do have an appropriate working time within the contract and the labor legislation. If a person cannot perform his or her job well, I will try to talk to this person first. If he or she is still lacking in performance, then I will look for different solutions. In this case, I start from the beginning, checking and rechecking the facts. GT: How do you manage this huge educational machine? Do you have special time-management tools? BT: The most difficult part of my job is working with different kinds of people.

And academics are more diﬃcult than regular people. Every employee here considers him/herself an expert in his or her own sphere, and I do not argue. But there are moments when you have to consider the opinions of others as well. This does not concern only my opinions. The opinions of your students, colleagues, and the government and ministries are also important. Although this is not easy, you have to follow your intuition and consider your own experiences. GT: You have experience working for non-profit organizations. Does it help you today? BT: Yes it does. Because I held a management position related to the academic sphere. I was working with faculty members, department heads, and deans. Now I have people who can help me with recruitment in Kazakhstan, for example, or give a recommendation for a person in Tashkent. Today, all of the contacts I acquired there are useful. GT: Do you think AUCA competes with local universities or other universi-

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

ties in Central Asia? Who are AUCA’s main competitors? BT: It is a diﬃcult question. I think that in terms of quality of education AUCA has no competition. However there are many aspects to consider, and you never know which one is most important to people. I am not sure whether people living in far away villages have enough information about AUCA. Most of them know of the Kyrgyz National University. In terms of Central Asia, it depends on the country. There are KIMEP and Nazarbaev’s new university in Kazakhstan, there are good universities in Uzbekistan too… GT: So the last question. What makes people successful? What advice can you give students? BT: Nothing in my life happened to me by luck. I just had concrete goals and tried to achieve them. I have something of an internal compass that does not let me relax. I believe that you can create such a compass in yourself too. By Gulnura Toralieva

Featured Profile

Uulkan Kambaralieva:

Uulkan Kambaralieva The image of success in life is usually associated with a leadership position, but what is it that motivates people who can succeed at anything? Underlying that drive to advance oneself and strive for perfection is a dream. Kambaralieva Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna, Head of the Kyrgyz Language department at AUCA, is the kind of person who is driven by her dreams. From childhood, Uulkan was an independent girl, always knowing what she wanted to be in life, a teacher of Russian language and literature. She was brought up in a multicultural environment, where Uulkan learned to speak fluent Russian and Kyrgyz. More importantly, she was accustomed to being tolerant. These habits helped Uulkan to get accepted to the community of foreign students in Tver. Thus, at the age of sixteen, she left her native Kyrgyz land and headed for Russia. Five years later, she returned to Kyrgyzstan, having received her Master’s degree in Russian Language and Literature. In 1984, Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna entered the professional world. She worked as a Russian language instructor at the Teachers' Training Institute, Bishkek Humanitarian University, and Manas University. In 2005, after a career of success, she became the head of the Kyrgyz Language department at AUCA. Why the Kyrgyz department

and not the Russian department? This position was oﬀered by the university, and a friend of Uulkan encouraged her to try something new. “I am very thankful to her. Otherwise, I would never have dared to work with the Kyrgyz language, even though it is my native language, and despite the fact that I defended my thesis comparing Kyrgyz with Russian,” confesses Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna. AUCA students and faculty should share this gratitude because the Kyrgyz Language department blossomed when Uulkan arrived. After starting at AUCA, Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna immediately founded a new tradition, a celebration of Kyrgyz Language Day. Moreover, she decided to conduct an Olympiad in Kyrgyz language among our students, which she plans to carry to the national level this year. In 2008, with the help of her student, Gulnaz Naamatova, Uulkan established the Eloquent Crew Debate Club. Since then, the club has organized three competitions: “My Kyrgyzstan” (2008), “O tempora, o morales” (2009), and “Homo Homini?..” (2010). Another achievement of Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna and her working team is the opening of a resource room for students studying Kyrgyz (room 220). There are educational supplies and textbooks which help to teach AUCA students in accordance with the highest academic standards. Moreover, Uulkan published

a small edition of Kyrgyz legends adapted to Russian. She then donated the books to Kyrgyz speaking schools. Uulkan believes that foreign languages are easily perceived when studied through the prism of culture, ever present in a country’s legends. This way, it is possible for students to learn the basics of Russian in approximately two or three lessons. Now, she is working on a textbook to help people learn Kyrgyz. Numerous meetings with well-known people, cultural trips to historical places, conferences, and presentations devoted to Kyrgyz language were conducted thanks to the efforts of Uulkan. “I appreciate that the administration supports me in all my beginnings and helps to develop the programs I am currently running,” Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna says. Recently, the University allocated Uulkan a grant for publishing workbooks. As she explains, they will focus more on practice rather than theory, because students usually encounter the problem of limited vocabulary and, thus, cannot speak Kyrgyz fluently. In 2010, Uulkan was invited to the international congress of Turkic culture. In a speech she prepared for the program, she successfully delivered a report on the mentalities of different nations and how they perceive time. “Perseverance definitely wins. I am never tired of dreaming and bringing my plans to life,” claims Uulkan Djoldoshbekovna. Sharing small wisdoms such as this, she teaches her students how to be successful. In 2007, she was awarded The Best Head of Kyrgyz Language Program Diploma by the President’s Official Language Committee. A year later her department received a similar diploma – The Best Kyrgyz Language Department among Bishkek universities. On The Best Professor cup, presented to Uulkan, students describe her as “an inventive person with a Komsomol ardor who is always ready to do something new and interesting, and is always willing to help.” This is probably the most valuable award for a teacher who dreamt of making a difference in students’ lives when she was just a girl. By Svetlana Verchenko

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

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Dream Is the Engine of Life

Students in Action "After six years of diligent preparations, the city of Guangzhou, in the People's Republic of China, is about to show us the fruit of all of their hard work and eﬀort in the form of the 16th Asian Games, the biggest sports event in Asia," said Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), opening the games.

AUCA Students

p U d e r i F t e G in Guangzhou

Making local friends

his year the Asian Games gathered nearly 9,704 athletes representing all 45 members of the OCA. The record-breaking Guangzhou games bestowed 476 gold medals in 42 sporting events, including the newly added cricket, dancesport, wushu and dragon boat racing. AUCA did not stand on the sidelines of this major sport celebration. AUCA’s very own students Aisuluu Kurmanbek Kyzy, Business Administration ’14, and Valeria and Victoria Kachalko, Psychology ’12, represented Kyrgyzstan in this prestigious competition. The names of twins Valeria and Victoria are well recognized within the beau monde of dancesport. The Kachalko sisters have already earned

Proudly representing Kyrgyzstan the title of Master of Sports on the International Level. They are the fivetime Champions of Kyrgyzstan, Champions of Asia 2008, Bronze Winners of the Asian Games in Vietnam 2009, Finalists of the Asian Championship in Macao 2010, Winners of the Youth Open Championship in Shanghai 2008, and many more. Dancesport is a form of dance between a man and a woman, which combines technique together with floorcraft and artistic interpretation to produce a highly disciplined dance performance. Couples are judged on their performances in a number of areas: timing and basic rhythm, body lines, movement, rhythmic interpretation, footwork, and floorcraft. This year dancesport was oﬃcially recognized as an international sport dis-

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

cipline, and for the first time it was represented at the Asian Games in Guangzhou. “The Asian Games happen only once every four years, and this is why we chose to go to the Asian Games instead of attending the World Cup in New York. In general, these games were very adventurous for us. Due to an unknown error, we were signed up in the wrong dancing categories. To add to this, we almost missed our performance, because the bus, which was supposed to pick us up, did not come to the sports village. However, not even faulty transportation could hold us back, because we went to Guangzhou to win medals, maybe not gold, but certainly silver and bronze. We were confident going into the games because of our previous suc-

Students in Action

cess against the same competitors at the Asian Championship in Macao. However, we finished fifth in three disciplines, and it was very disappointing for us,” lamented Valeria. “The problem with dancesport is the system of judging. The main scoring criteria in these games was ‘like’ or ‘dislike’. Every pair has a distinctive dancing technique, appearance, charisma, and choreography. This evaluation was extremely subjective. It is not like in boxing, for instance, where it is quite clear who the winner is,” continued Victoria. “But still, we are not throwing in the towel and giving up. These are just fleeting moments of weakness and anger, because dancing is our life. Dancesport is all about celebration, a special atmosphere, and the sporting spirit. As someone said, when you are on the dance floor, you understand that it is an art; when you are oﬀ the dance floor and can’t breathe, you understand it is a sport.” When Valeria and Victoria were 6 years old, their mother brought them to the dancefloor. She and their aunt, and first trainer Valentina Doronina, deserve the credit for raising the twin champions. Actually, dancing runs the Kachalko family blood. Valeria and Victoria’s cousin also used to be a serious dance competitor. “Our Mom dreamed of dancing, and her dream became ours. We always wanted to be the best, and our trainers encouraged us to become the best.

Currently, we are under the tutelage of Aleksey Silde and Anna Firstova, current doubles World Champions and Champions of Europe. We train daily for 3 hours, and before competitions for 9-10 hours. Of course, it is diﬃcult to balance both dancesport and education. Unfortunately, not many professors understand our commitment. At the same time, we understand the importance of education. This is actually why we chose AUCA, because it is the best university in Kyrgyzstan. At AUCA we became more disciplined having to meet all those deadlines, though sometimes we still leave everything until the last day. We also learned how to work with the audience, since we do a lot of presentations for classes. Our major is psychology, and we chose this discipline to understand human nature. We were always interested in the way people think and even tried to understand the psychology of our dance partners.” Upon their return from China, Valeria and Victoria, along with the entire sports team, were invited to the Presidential Residence. “The President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Roza Otunbayeva, expressed a great interest in dancesport and asked us to prepare a proposal of what the government can do to support its development in Kyrgyzstan. Indeed, there are substantial issues to be resolved. First of all, dance athletes have to support themselves, since no one else is interested in sup-

porting them. The lack of good coaching is also a major problem. There are good youth coaches in Kyrgyzstan. However, if you are older than 15, it is diﬃcult to find a person who will work with you further. Of course, the most serious problem is the lack of solid funding. We have very talented youth, but there is no financial support. We do not even have our own federation. For instance, to train and improve we often have to go abroad. A decent dancesport seminar consists of 10 45-minute training sessions, with one session costing 80 euro.” Even to attend the Asian Games and represent Kyrgyzstan, the State Sport Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic covered only the expenses of Victoria and her partner, while Valeria had to cover her own expenses. “At the moment we are working on earning more titles, particularly in Asia, where we are already well recognized. In addition, we are preparing for the games in Astana and Moscow, the Asian Championship in Singapore, seminars in Germany, and tournaments in Taipei and Beĳing. As for our future plans, we want to try our luck in Moscow, because Russia is the leader in dancesport. Our dream, though, is to become World Champions. We have the opportunity, since most competitors peak around 26-28 years old, and the retirement standard in this sport is 30. We are waiting for the old chaps to leave,” laughed the champions.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

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Kachalko Sisters dancing with their partners and displaying enchanting grace at the Winter Asian Games 2010 in Guangzhou Valeria (left) Victoria (right)

Students in Action

While Valeria and Victoria are already quite experienced in the sport, a new, less-experienced star rose on the Kyrgyz team at the Asian Games 2010. Aisuluu Kurmanbek kyzy, a freshman of Business Administration, took part in the shooting event, competing with Asia's best athletes. “From early childhood I was interested in many diﬀerent things. I tried dancing, drawing, karate and even fencing. But once I saw competitive shooting on TV I liked it so much that I found a shooting club in Bishkek and signed up. It has been almost 5 years since I became serious about this sport,” reminisces Aisuluu. “Everyone was astonished at first,

since shooting is not a typical girl’s sport, but my family fully supported me. At first I took up shooting for myself, but when results began to appear, I wanted to go further. Unfortunately, competitive shooting is not very developed in our country, but we have a stable team. Nonetheless, to be successful in this discipline, one needs to train hard, and this requires a significant financial input. For example, good rifles are made only in Germany, and are very expensive. The prospects for this sport’s development in Kyrgyzstan are hopeful. The oldest shooter on our team is only 25 years old, and Kyrgyzstan has a chance to produce real champions. In the 1980’s there was a Kyrgyz Olympic

The pressure is on

Champion, Aleksandr Melentiev, whose records remain unbeaten to this day.” The goal of shooting is to place a series of shots inside the center ring of the target. At the Asian Games, the shooting competition was divided into two major events: air rifle and pistol competitions at increasing distances of 10, 25 and 50 meters. “For me it was important to compete with world-class champions, because to achieve world class status you need to compete with the best. I participated in the Youth Asian Games in Singapore in 2009, and these games strongly influenced my thirst for the sport,” continued Aisuluu. “At the Asian Games, pressure was my biggest enemy. When you know a world champion is beside you, it is diﬃcult to fight the pressure. Nevertheless, I was able to overcome it and had a good result. A funny incident occurred in Guangzhou. When I was returning my rifle to storage, a very tall Chinese man was standing next to me. He was surrounded by people who wanted to take pictures with him, so I jokingly said, ‘You are like a superstar here!’ Little did I know that he actually was a shooting superstar – he was the winner of the Asian Games and an Olympic Champion!” Despite her love for the sport, Aisuluu still gives first priority to her education. “I chose AUCA because this university provides the best education in Kyrgyzstan. I love studying here and it is a nice break from the pressure of competitions. I use my skills as a professional shooter such as patience, discretion, and concentration, to do well in my studies. Whereas during high school people did not understand my passion, here, my classmates and my department fully support and encourage me.” In terms of her future ambitions, Aisuluu plans to “get a Master’s degree in a country with a shooting federation, so that [she] can continue improving in both sport and education.” As for the near future, she is preparing for the World Cup in Korea. We congratulate our bright stars Valeria, Victoria and Aisuluu, and wish them success in all their endeavors. Make your country proud! By Kemel Toktomushev

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

Alumni Spotlight

Zahidullah Jalali’08:

From Kabul With Love ZAHIDULLAH JALALI GRADUATED FROM AUCA IN 2008, MAJORING IN INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE POLITICS. CURRENTLY ZAHIDULLAH WORKS AS AN ASSISTANT TO THE DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN AFGHANISTAN. ZAHIDULLAH MANAGED TO FIND SOME TIME FOR US IN HIS BUSY SCHEDULE TO SHARE HIS THOUGHTS AND REMINISCE ABOUT AUCA.

Was it difficult to leave Afghanistan? Not particularly. Perhaps it was a little more difficult in the beginning, since it was my first experience away from my family and home. We have many Afghan students, especially women, studying here at AUCA… This is true, and I would like to say that the Afghan scholarship fund is a major investment and contribution to the education of Afghanis. It is very generous of AUCA and the scholarship fund to invite Afghan students, particularly women, to study at AUCA. On behalf of my government and my people, I would like to express gratitude to all involved parties, including the Kyrgyz government, for facilitating this process. I hope this project will continue, and the next generation will be able to benefit from an AUCA education. What difficulties did you face when you first came to Bishkek? While it was a new country with a new environment it was not strange.

The only problem we faced was the language barrier, and it was indeed challenging in the beginning. We did not have an opportunity to learn Russian or Kyrgyz in Afghanistan, so it took us a while to overcome this obstacle. Imagine your landlady coming to your flat, she does not speak English, you do not understand Russian, and there is a guy on the phone translating what we want to say to each other. This sounds comical, but we actually had this experience. Why did you decide to return to Afghanistan instead of living in a more peaceful country? That is an interesting question. I should make it clear that I dearly love my country and want to stay here, especially in these difficult times. I was educated for this purpose, and it was my wish to return to my country to serve it with all that I could. It is true that there are challenging problems here, but fleeing is not the solution. I am not a person who is only concerned with my own wellbeing. I feel a huge responsibility to my country and its people. Now, you are with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs… Initially it was challenging, since I found myself in a new environment, but now I enjoy my job. Though we have a tough working schedule and long working hours, it is a good experience and I am happy with it. Moreover, I have been interested in foreign affairs for a long time, and my family and friends have always supported me.

How does AUCA’s liberal arts education help you in achieving your goals? I think AUCA is a place where a student not only attends lectures, but also learns from its free and friendly environment and multicultural atmosphere. I benefited greatly from the knowledge AUCA imparted on me, such as freedom of speech, critical thinking, time management skills, tolerance, and respect for others. What are your fondest memories of AUCA? Recalling my days at AUCA, many memories stand out in my mind. However, due to space limitations, I will refrain from recollecting all of them. Perhaps the fondest memory of all is when the Afghan team won first place in several competitions during diversity week. What do you see as the role of alumni in supporting and promoting AUCA? I believe alumni play a significant role. It is our responsibility to support AUCA, and to show our dedication to the institution where we were trained. Is there anyone you would like to thank who has influenced you? I would like to thank my parents for their constant support, my instructors for teaching and encouraging me, and my friends for their moral support.

By Kemel Toktomushev

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

Zahid, why did you choose AUCA? A scholarship made it possible for me to enroll in one of the programs at AUCA. The liberal arts education, experienced instructors, and friendly and free environment contributed to my decision to attend the university. By the way, I am really happy I made this choice, because I was able to accomplish what I wanted.

Alumni Spotlight

Tongtong Tina Zhao’02:

e e l h d t d i m o M r

m o d g in

TONGTONG TINA ZHAO, AN AUCA GRADU-ATE FROM CHINA, BA, CUM LAUDE, BUSINESS S ADMINISTRATION 2002, IS ALSO THE COORDI-NATOR OF THE AUCA BEĲING CHAPTER. TINA A KINDLY AGREED TO GIVE AN INTERVIEW TO O AUCA MAGAZINE..

As an AUCA graduate, please share how you discovered AUCA and your reasons for choosing it? I was attending the preparatory course at Bishkek Humanitarian University, and Vladimir Liu, the AUK Chinese teacher and Professor at the Humanitarian University, recommended this bi-lingual university to me. After a conversation with AUK’s President John Clark, I decided to choose AUCA as my undergraduate university, which proved to be a very good decision. As an international student, what did you find most unusual? Were there any cultural shocks? Kyrgyzstan is a religious country. I tried to learn more about Islam and Christianity during my first few years, but after a couple years it just became normal. AUCA is a diverse university. I studied Japanese as a second language with a Japanese professor, Fukuchi Yoichiro, took a legal training course with an Australian lecturer, Daniel O’Connell, visited the Israeli and Dutch embassies in Almaty with an American professor, and had Korean, Chinese, and African-American classmates. I have fond memories of Kyrgyzstan. Since my graduation I have visited Kyrgyzstan several times and will do so again in the future. What is your professional experience? I joined Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP’s Beĳing oﬃce in 2008, and before that I worked for O'Melveny &Myers LLP. I also earned a Juris Master’s degree from the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE).

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I like logical thinking, and the business professional life suits me. What was most diﬃcult for you in academic life? The language barrier was the most difficult part for me, especially during my freshman year when I had diﬃculties with courses taught in Russian, such as Kyrgyz history. I bought a tape recorder in “ZUM”, and used it to record the lectures, which I would then go over after class. However, I am very thankful for the excellent presentation skills and the solid English and Russian language skills I gained during my study at AUCA. What makes AUCA a special place? AUCA is the keeper of my fondest memories and very special moments. Thank you to all those people who helped make my 5 years of living in Kyrgyzstan some of the most wonderful years of my life. I enjoyed my student life at AUCA, it was unique. I remember the Initiation party, the Halloween room we planned, Thanksgiving dinners, “angels” on Valentine’s Day, our visits to orphan homes… it’s impossible to list everything. How do you see the role of alumni in supporting and promoting AUCA? There are many outstanding AUCA alumni dispersed throughout the world every year. They make this magic place well-known, and I believe some of our alumni will lead Kyrgyzstan to success in the near future. By Aliona Kim

Alumni Spotlight

Kadyr Toktogulov’03: K

Reporting

Live From...

HIS HOBBY IS READING THE NEW YORK TIMES AND KOMMERSANT. HE LIKES U2. HIS FAVORITE MOVIE IS “DAY WATCH” BY TIMUR BEKMAMBETOV. THE FIRST THING HE DOES IN THE MORNING IS TURN ON HIS LAPTOP, THEN HE MAKES SOME COFFEE. WHAT HE HATES MOST IS BOREDOM. FRIENDS CALL HIM “KADYYYYYR”. INTRODUCING KADYR TOKTOGULOV, A PRODUCT OF THE JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT ’03. CURRENTLY, KADYR WORKS AS A CORRESPONDENT FOR THE DOW JONES NEWSWIRES IN ALMATY, AND ALSO WRITES STORIES FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

Mr. Chesterton once said that journalism consists largely of saying "Lord Jones is dead" to the people who never knew Lord Jones was alive. What is journalism for you? Journalism is really about getting the truth to your readers. It is not about pleasing the people you write about. The public deserves to know the truth about their governments, leaders, public officials and things affecting their lives and future. Even Napoleon Bonaparte believed that hostile newspapers are to be feared more than a thousand bayonets… News needs to shape the future. Freedom of speech is what will help a society, including ours, tackle challenges and find solutions to the problems it is facing. It is a fundamental part of any prosperous society. The path of a journalist in Central Asia is a not an easy one. I think “per aspera ad astra” best reflects what it means to be a real journalist in this region. Do you agree? I agree, because in this region, journalism has often been used by politicians and government officials for their own benefit, without consideration of the long term implications of a society lacking freedom of speech. Working for a foreign news organi-

zation provides protection from big risks, although presently, journalists’ impact on events of this region is quite small.

random. It was a great experience to be part of the townterview. She is an impressive leader.

You covered major news events in Kyrgyzstan, including the parliamentary and presidential elections, and the Tulip Revolution. You reported on the bird flu outbreak in southeast Turkey, enlightened us about the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, followed the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan, described the uprising in Andĳan, and informed us of the launch of the Soyuz TMA-8 from Baikonour. It all sounds very exciting… My editors and I choose what issues and events to cover. Anything that is interesting to the world and has the potential to shape the future needs to be covered. All of the assignments you mentioned helped me grow as a journalist, taught me a lot, and gave me confidence in my ability. Covering the launch of the Soyuz TMA-8 from Baikonour was by far the best assignment. It gave me an opportunity to look back at my childhood dreams, one of which was to become a cosmonaut. During those four days at the spaceport, I felt a child-like happiness seeing the astronauts and the launch pad.

So how did you choose this path? I was curious about journalism and it was my curiosity that led me to it. When I started high school, I met a couple of guys running a radio station in my hometown of Osh. I got involved in a few radio programs there. That was enough for me to choose journalism as a career after school.

You recently participated in the townterview with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and AUCA students. What was your role there? My role was to help the audience ask their questions to Secretary Clinton. I also had to make sure that I would not be accused of favoritism by giving the microphone to the people I know, so I chose questions at

What qualities should a person have to become a good journalist? Curiosity, commitment to the truth, and above all else, independent thinking. So how do you look back on your time at AUCA? Critical thinking and academic freedom are what I loved most about AUCA. The whole atmosphere of the university was always fun and unrestrictive. It is the freest university in the region. Being able to meet great friends and just hang out in the cafeteria between classes is very special. I always tell people that I am an AUCA alumnus and that it is the best place to get an undergraduate degree. I would like to donate more than I have in the past, and I will try to arrange that soon. Kadyr, what's next? I am coming back to Kyrgyzstan. I have lived in Kazakhstan for almost 5 years and it is time to start heading home. By Kemel Toktomushev

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

Kadyr, in journalism, there has always been a tension between getting the story first and getting it right. What do you value the most? Getting it right is the most important. Though if you get it first and right at the same time, you are doing your job correctly.

Alumni Spotlight

Yuliya Rutskaya’02:

Music of

True Love

YULIYA RUTSKAYA, A FAMOUS SINGER IN KYRGYZSTAN AND BEYOND, KNOWN FOR HER TALENT AND SINCERE LOVE OF HER COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE, IS ALSO AN ALUMNA OF THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ASIA. YULIA WAS NICE ENOUGH TO STOP BY AUCA AFTER SHE RETURNED FROM A PERFORMANCE IN MINSK. Yulia, how long has it been since you last visited AUCA? It has been about a year. There is something very special about this place, because every time I visit, I see smiling, friendly faces. AUCA creates a certain atmosphere and spirit. I studied at another university in Bishkek, and I saw clear diﬀerences between its approach to life, knowledge, and education, and AUCA’s. AUCA’s high standards of academic honesty made it hard for me to accept some of the practices of the other university, and I decided to leave. Please tell us about your academic and career choices, which seem so unusual. You are an ICP graduate, right? Yes, I graduated from AUCA in 2002 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations (IR, now International and Comparative Politics). I grew up in a family of diplomats, and in my early years I was surrounded by intelligent people and interesting guests who discussed politics, international relations, and history. I remember wanting to be like them and promote peace around the world. At the age of 13 I decided to study politics. I graduated from high school, went on an exchange program to Denmark, and upon my return had a choice to either study at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations or AUCA. I decided to stay in Bishkek and enroll in the IR program at AUCA.

And what about singing? I graduated from the Music School, and when I was a freshman here, I was fortunate to meet the person who would influence the rest of my life. Muhtarov Husein Muhtarovich is an Honored Artist of the Soviet Union, professional singer, and the perfect teacher. He was passing by the classroom where I was practicing a song for Initiation with three other girls. We wanted to create a girls’ version of the Backstreet Boys, a very popular band at that time. He heard me singing and suggested that I attend his vocal classes. I agreed, and what started out as a hobby or extra-curricular activity became the beginning of my singing career. By the end of my first year at AUCA I already had fans among our faculty and students. I started to participate in various contests, first as an amateur, then as a professional. What does it take to be a professional singer? I always prefer to sing live and it is a requirement in any international contest or show. Many of our local singers do not follow this principle and prefer to use prepared studio versions of their songs. But in order to be a professional, one should be ready to sing live at any time, which requires hard work, of course. Another important thing is that I never sing in a language I do not understand. I refuse to merely memorize words. I do not want to be dishonest with my audience.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

How many languages do you know? I speak and sing in Kyrgyz, Russian, Turkish, Spanish, English and Belorussian. Very often, people are surprised to find out that I sing in Kyrgyz. Once, I heard a song in Kyrgyz and loved it so much that I had to sing it. I did everything possible to find the author and ask for his permission to perform the song. Furthermore, I genuinely love Kyrgyzstan, and I consider it an honor to represent my country internationally. Recently, I returned from a music festival in Italy where I received an award. I was the first to sing at the concert. Usually it is very diﬃcult to open a show. However, I decided to sing a Kyrgyz song and sing from the heart. At the end of the festival, I was stunned to hear my name announced as one of the winners. A jury member from France, Anne-Marie David, said that even though she did not understand a single word, she enjoyed the song immensely and decided to give me the award. That’s great! Congratulations! Going back to your time at AUCA – how did you do? It was not easy, but I managed to finish my academic tasks by myself and on time. My professors did not display any preferential treatment toward me. In fact, very often, I had to prove to them

Alumni Spotlight

What do you do in your free time, if you have any? I like photography, and plan to attend a seminar to gain some professional skills. Also, I enjoy traveling and exploring new countries and cultures. I find great inspiration in listening to other country’s folk music. Now, for example, I have a CD with modern Georgian national music, and I listen to it for hours on end. Yuliya, what is happiness to you? Happiness is when you do not ponder whether you are happy or not. Singing her heart out

Of course, it includes the wellbeing of your family and those close to you. Finally, happiness is enjoying the work you do and having the freedom to make your own choices. What is the most precious piece of wisdom ever given to you? Nothing in life is accidental. Any event that occurs, any person that you meet, has a purpose. Every encounter carries a lesson, and our task is to learn what those lessons are. Who are the people who have influenced your life the most? My mother and father, Husein Muhtarovich, and the professors at AUCA have had the biggest impact on me. Looking back, I understand the importance of the education that I received at AUCA. Usually, the career of a singer suggests a very narrow path, but I have had an opportunity to fully realize my potential as a singer, and apply my skills in other fields. I am very thankful for that. Earlier you mentioned that you had a choice between Moscow State Institute and AUCA. If you had the chance, would you change your mind and study in Moscow? No! I have never regretted my choice and I would not change anything. I am never ashamed to say that I am an AUCA graduate, and will always be thankful to my alma mater. What do you think the role of AUCA alumni in the local and international community is? There is something diﬀerent about AUCA alumni. We are special in that we carry on the principles and attitudes we received here in our lives, and in society. I think it is very important for us to be united and to combine our strengths in order to change this world for the better. Many of my close friends are AUCA graduates, and at this dramatic stage of our country’s history, I believe we can do much to help.

By Aliona Kim

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

that I knew the subject. For a long time after graduation, I was combining my professional singing career with a job in my field. I worked as an international relations specialist in places such as the Embassy of Belarus in Kyrgyzstan, DFID, TV and radio. I was even a member of a political party, and, a few years ago, I became a Goodwill Ambassador against HIV in Kyrgyzstan. Combining two careers is always challenging, but to be honest, I enjoy it because it suits my inner being and my character. I demand a lot of myself.

Alumni Spotlight

Aziz Soltobaev’03:

Business Pioneer GRADUATE OF 2003, WITH A MAJOR IN ECONOMICS AND A MINOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AZIZ SOLTOBAEV IS NOW A PROUD OWNER AND FOUNDER OF AN INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL E-BUSINESS COMPANY IN KYRGYZSTAN. HIS EXPERIENCE AND SECRETS OF SURVIVING IN THE MODERN WORLD OF BUSINESS IS A REAL CASE-STUDY FOR THOSE WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES ENTREPRENEURS.

Do you think that entrepreneurship can be learned? In my case, I guess it is in my blood. At the age of seven, I was gathering apples and apricots in my grandmother’s garden and selling them at the market. When I was 9, I borrowed from my father a truck full of cattle feed, which I then sold to farmers in Sokuluk region during the summer break. One summer, I was selling soft drinks on the railway route from Bishkek to Balykchi. Later on, I sold a newspaper on the weekends. What does money mean to you? It is just a means of realizing dreams and plans. Money does not aﬀect the way I live, wear or do things. One of my dreams is to build an astronomical observatory and restore the planetarium in Kyrgyzstan. I would like to be involved in more educational projects. What was your path to entrepreneurship? Can you say you are enjoying it? During my university years I was involved with SIFE, working on the Kyrgyz Business News (KBN) Project with a BA student Mirhat Alymkulov. We gathered

business and economic news, compiled a digest in English, and disseminated it among our subscribers worldwide. In 2001, together with Zulfia Abdullaeva, we founded the “Intelligent Translation Service” as part of the “Intelligent Club”. We collected translation requests and distributed them among 30 students. Essentially, we were helping students pay for their tuition. In spring of 2002, I prepared a business proposal for the foodprocessing industry and won the National Business Plan tournament. It was recognized as the best project in agriculture-related field out of 100 applications. That summer, I had an internship in Moscow as an operations manager, read Robert Kiyosaki books and decided to try myself in business. When I returned to Bishkek, my friend Konstantin Bondarev and I launched a pancake business and called it “Bifast”. It was supposed to become a fast food chain like the Russian “Teremok – Russkie bliny”. Our kiosk was on the Sovietskaya-Kievskaya bus station. We were in business for one year, after which our project failed, because local people preferred to eat samsy and hamburgers rather than pancakes. I

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

had a lot of fun working on all of these projects. What role did AUCA play in your life? AUCA changed my life and I am grateful to my alma mater. It was a great transformation from an ordinary high school graduate to a proactive, goal-oriented person. I met most of my best friends at this university. AUCA defined my way of life. Do you miss the good old times at AUCA? University life was one of the brightest times in my life—sleepless nights preparing class projects, the small Kitchenette, lines at the computer labs, troubles with university server during computerized final exams, and talking in the library. I remember when, together with John Atwood and Co, we were repairing benches next to Marx and Engels. It was fun. Please tell us about your current business project, i.e. Svetofor. I worked as an investment analyst after graduation and completed several business projects. Nevertheless, my brother and I

Alumni Spotlight

What do you do in your free time? Periodically, I take a vacation and go to China to study its language, culture, and economy. I really like this county, and I believe we can learn an important quality from them– these guys know how to work! I greatly admire their

work ethic. I also like to meet and talk to interesting people over a meal. If any of the readers propose something interesting, I would like to meet and share a meal. If we could introduce you to anyone, who would it be and why? George Soros. I am very thankful to this person and his activities in Kyrgyzstan. I have been actively participating in Soros Foundation programs such as the Debate Program, the English language resource center, where I myself learned English, the library of School of Future Elite, and the Economic Club where we played diﬀerent economic games. What is the best advice you have ever received? I am a fan of Warren Buﬀet

and from his essays “Lessons for Corporate America”, I follow his advice to top managers. He asks, “how would you run company if you knew it would be your only source of income for the next 100 years?” And what does it mean? It changes your perspective of how you should run a business. Do you plan new business projects? We plan to expand the existing business and revive some of our previous projects. Additionally, my team and I are looking for a business project that would interest investors from the Silicon Valley. And what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? Taking business to new heights

www.auca.kg

decided to find out an optimal business model that would be compatible with our background. After an in-depth market research that took us six months, we decided to launch the online store Svetofor, which was unveiled on August 31, 2004. Originally, we were selling books. For the next few years, we dedicated 90 hours a week to this project. Today, it is the leading e-commerce company in Kyrgyzstan. We also engage in some trading activities with Hong Kong.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

Alumni Spotlight

Enjoying the great views

Never give up! Believe in yourself and others will follow you. Is there anyone you would like to thank who has influenced you greatly? My groupmates: Akmal Malaev, Erik Mambetakunov, Umed Temurshoev, Rustam Khalikov, Ruslan Karabukaev, Olga Rusina and everyone who participated in group projects with me. I greatly enjoyed class debates with other students and teachers, joint class projects, and case discussions. I am much obliged to my leadership skills mentor Natalia Slastnikova, my Organizational Behaviour teacher Camilla Sharshekeeva, my lifelong teacher Aleksey Kolpakov. Also, I would like to thank Munara Myrzabaeva for knowledge in macroeconomics, Bruce Wilson for strategy formulation lessons, Jamilya Sopukeeva for Investment Analysis, Raymond Linsen-

mayer for Corporate Finance, and AUCA’s financial committee for scholarships. I could not imagine myself today without their great contribution to my life. What challenges did you face as an entrepreneur? When we did business in Kyrgyzstan, we had no ties, connections, or a good uncle in the lawenforcement. We were amongst the many AUCA graduates with Western business thinking and no understanding of business in Kyrgyzstan. In the past seven years we have experienced hostile takeover attempts, several criminal cases, numerous lawsuits, unjustified and non-sanctioned “inspections”, arrests of goods in customs, attacks on private property, and once, there was an attempt on the life of my closest partner in Kazakhstan. This latest event was one of the reasons why we temporarily sus-

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

pended business activity. Do you have a slogan which keeps you moving in the most stressful situations? Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” is the book I live by. My slogan is his expression, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” What would you say to the current AUCA students if you were to address them in a speech? Do not think on the scale of “Begemot”, but let it be something more global. You are capable of much more than you think, and you can develop your potential in a great way.

by Kemel Toktomushev

University Outreach

What Do You Want to Be When You

AUCA’s Continuing Education Center, in partnership with the EdNet Association, conducted seminars for trainers entitled “My Career Choice”. This outreach event was aimed at student volunteers from ten universities to prepare them as career guides for high school students of Bishkek. During the entire training week students actively learned how to teach and what to teach. Experienced teachers trained all participants to guide and help high school students identify their interests, develop selfunderstanding, and learn about the world of employment. Indira Kydyralieva, a student of the Kyrgyz State University, happily shared her impressions, “Each training day was different, and every day was filled with new, interesting and unusual material. There was a theoretical component, but mostly the trainings were practical, and conducted in an interactive format: discussions and exercises to bring out our creative abilities. The training was interesting, exciting and tremendously informative!” “Now I have quite an extensive stock of knowledge about a wide range of occupations and career paths. This project is of vital importance for high schools, because

many high school students are lost and do not know how to choose an occupation. Now, we can help them to avoid mistakes in choosing “what is right” for each of them!” The Continuing Education Center also conducted trainings for representatives of more than 25 universities from different regions in Kyrgyzstan. At this training, participants discussed new approaches to organizing internships, and other opportunities to help students grow professionally. The participants shared their experiences with colleagues regarding internship programs, and jointly explored new approaches in developing relations with companies and students. “I acquired numerous interesting ideas on how to develop professional contacts and new projects. The training was extremely intensive and valuable for us. It inspired us to think “out of the box,” and look for new ways to broaden the professional development of our students,” emphasized Nurgul Zhaparova, Head of the Tourism Department of the Academy of Tourism. All trainings were conducted within the framework of the program “Credits for Education,” supported by USAID and the Eurasia Foundation.

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

www.auca.kg

Grow Up?

Giving to the University

A Gift

to Anthropology

Several alumni of the Anthropology Department (Aisuluu Tynalieva, Aizat Aisararakunova, Gulmira Aldakeeva, Alena Faletskaya, Damira Umetbaeva, Eliza Isabaeva, Aksana Ismailbekova, Baktigul Tulebaeva) established a scholarship, in honor of Professor Mary Schweitzer, to commemorate her significant contribution to the Anthropology program at AUCA, and her ongoing commitment to the future of her students. Mary Schweitzer taught Anthropology at AUCA during the 2002 and 2004 academic years, and is a great example and inspiration to her followers. The scholarship is unique and special for the university because it is entirely initiated by AUCA alumni. This means that the university is achieving its goal to prepare and equip responsible leaders who take serious actions not only for personal gain, but for the benefit of those around them, and society in general. Aizat Aisarakunova, a graduate of Cultural Anthropology in 2005, has shared how the scholarship idea was born. “Soon after the June events in the South our close group of mates and I were discussing what we could do to help. After talking over several options, we decided to focus our eﬀorts and resources on helping students who study Anthropology. In doing this, we want to promote and invest in the next generation of young professionals who will have a worldview based on human values and will never allow anything similar to what we saw in June to happen again.” The scholarship is granted annually, and next year the founders hope to see more applications. Students with superior academic achievement entering their second, third or fourth year and majoring in Anthropology are invited to apply. Two finalists are chosen based on academic excellence, and a demonstrated commitment to anthropology. The 2010-11 finalists were Dastan Derbishev and Mukhabat Beknazarova, both, juniors at AUCA. AUCA is proud of its alumni for this generous initiative, and thank them for their contribution to the development of the Anthropology program. Digging up the past

And the Month's Award for Generosity Goes to: AUCA Acceptance of Gifts and Grants August 2009-December 2010 Friends of AUCA Alan Niazi Rotary Club London Bishkek Malcev Indiana University (Emita Hill) DAAD Board of Trustees Karpovich S Sarbanov U OSI Faculty & Staﬀ Adjibekova A Kuznetcov V Lugma I Maniasov B Mendibaev N Nazirbaeva Z Ohrimenko T Petrova L Ruzin E Stekolnikova L Turdieva E Tynyeva A Tscvetova N Sharon Baily Shulgin N Ellen Hurwitz Shekinova A Mamatova M Sasykova A Niazova E Kurochkin S Chynybaeva A Shkliarov A Kombarova E Khairullin R Eremeev E Alumni Kasymova A Alymkulov K

AUCA Magazine*February 2011

Open Doors for the Next Genereation of Leadres AUCA is the best university in Central Asia for a reason. We only want to educate students who want to change the world they are living in. AUCA provides students with the ability to think critically, act globally, and solve the problems of tomorrow. AUCA alumni now serve as leaders in their communities, in Central Asia, and around the world.

Join AUCA by opening doors for a future leader in your community.

I came to AUCA from Turkmenistan in 2005. A scholarship provided me with an opportunity to study International and Comparative Politics at AUCA. After graduating in 2009, I continued my academic career at the OSCE Academy. Now I work at AUCA as an Administrative Assistant to Bermet Tursunkulova, Vice President for Academic Aﬀairs. Apart from studying, my time in Kyrgyzstan is enhanced by meeting friends from all over the world, and I love to travel and visit them. My next step will be to continue my academic career by pursuing another degree. The opportunity to get my degree at AUCA will help me give back to my country in the future. I would not have been able to study at AUCA without the scholarship I was awarded. I am thankful always for the investment somebody made in me. The life I have now is possible because of it.

Financial gifts to AUCA transform the lives of Central Asia’s most promising students. To learn how you can contribute, please go to: www.auca.kg/en/giving or email Sven Staﬀord at: staﬀord_s@mail.auca.kg American Univeristy of Central Asia is a not-for-profit univeristy, and all donations are tax deductible in the United States

BUILD YOUR

FUTURE Dear Alumni,

Advising and Career Services, room 128 American University of Central Asia 205, Abdumomunov Str., Bishkek, 720040 Kyrgyzstan (996-312) 663309 # 295

SERVICES

The doors of the Advising and Career Services office are always open to you. Whether you are intersted in employment opportunities, graduate school information, or would just like to drop by, we will gladly provide you with all the necessary information. For potential employers AUCA Advising and Career Services can serve as a vital resource for the recruitment of new full- and part-time employees and talented interns. Take advantage of the opportunity to collaborate with the Advising and Career Services and participate in numerous events organized by the Center, promote your company/organization, and find your future employees among the best and brightest in Central Asia!

AND CAREER

ADVISING