Goritsky Monastery
The New York Times in 1990 reported that Yale and Columbia were the first universities in the United States to enroll full time Soviet undergraduates. (The USSR began allowing its nationals to study in the US for a year at a time in 1987.) Depending upon actual dates this may or may not be correct. Hartwick College and the State University of New York at Oneonta in the same year had each enrolled a full time Soviet undergraduate. This was the beginning of a short term competition to get Soviet students onto American college campuses.
I had been invited to do some teaching and consulting in Soviet Russia in 1989. It occurred to me that with a proper scholarship offer I should be able to bring a Russian student back to Hartwick. The President of the College, Philip S. Wilder liked the idea and charged me with drafting the scholarship offer. Later that week jogging in the hills around Oneonta, the President of SUNY Oneonta Allen Donovan caught up with me on a descending road. I shared with him my plans and he responded "Bring one back for us". He then forged ahead on the ascending slope.
Armed now with two scholarships either of which might have pleased a Big Ten quarterback I arrived in Pereslval-Zalessky. It was not clear to me how the five candidates I met were selected but I subjected each to my English language competency test - they all passed. In this group Alexey stood out - 17 years old, intelligent, energetic, adequate English skills and clearly he wanted the opportunity. He became my first choice. I mulled over the remaining candidates.and another interview was arranged - with Jon, 25 years old, adequate English, mature and already a graduate of a Soviet fixed wing training program. Jon came in second. Alexey at Hartwick majored in Computer Science. (To improve his English language skills we immediately enrolled him in calculus and physics courses - strengths of the Soviet educational system. He could probably have taught the courses.) Jon went to SUNY Oneonta and both graduated four years later. Alexey is now a software expert living in Massachusetts and married to a beautiful Boston Irish girl - they have two handsome, blue eyed, brush cut.sons. Jon had some difficulty detaching from college life and about him I know little more.
The following year I returned to Pereslval and interviewed several candidates. I offered a scholarship to Marina, a student at School #7. Marina's English was quite good and her intellectual brilliance was attested to by practically every teacher and administrator I encountered. They were not exaggerating. Marina came to Hartwick, majored in computer science, graduated with excellent grades (including one from me) and secured her MBA from MIT. Initially she worked in Boston for an organization concerned with cyber security issues. She has risen through the ranks and is now a Vice President at the investment bank Brown Brothers Harriman.
The following year Elena arrived, another Computer Science major and the year after Andre who chose Economics. Their connection with the College was now the work of the Hartwick International Programs Office and my role faded away. They both graduated and disappeared from my radar. I did try to establish an exchange program with the small University of Pereslval-Zalessky - two students came for a term but the program sputtered out - problems associated with costs and language proficiency on both sides were insurmountable. But for a few more years students from the former USSR arrived via other international programs to grace and enrich the Hartwick environment. A few I remember well.
Aidana a young lady from Uzbekistan mixed oriental beauty with Soviet naivete. When I began a seminar with "Remember - what other people tell you is interesting - what I tell you is truth!" Aidana was the only one who did not laugh. I worried about that but quickly discovered she had encyclopedic knowledge. From time to time as I would prattle on with a professorial soliloquy, I might lack (read "forget") a name, date or event. At such a moment I would point and say " Ms. (Aidana) what is the date my memory refuses to provide?" She would immediately provide the essential information - never with a smile. As the term progressed my questions to her became more complex. "Ms. (Adiana), what did I really mean by that last piece of convoluted analysis?" Gohar was from Armenia and also possessed a wonderful mind packed with information. As with Adiana she filled in the blanks in my information when asked - frequently with a smile. They were both a tremendous pleasure to have in class.
Turana's home was Baku, Azerbaijan and she came to my office for advice. She was seeking an internship and had picked one out. What did I think of it? Her choice was a fine idea - a worthy organization. We chatted for a few minutes and I asked her to try something else. She went back to the Internship Office and completed an application for the New York City Police Department.
A week later I received a telephone call from 1 Police Plaza. "Do you know Ms. (Turana) ?"
I replied "She's from Azerbaijan, speaks four languages plus flawless English."
She thoroughly enjoyed the internship and I trust learned much. Perhaps someday I shall discover what impact interning with NYPD had on her life in Azerbaijan - if any.
Rodica came to Hartwick from Moldova. Intelligent, confident and dynamic describes her properly. In class she enjoyed challenging the professor's (my!) ideas. Rodica was also a vigorous proponent of Human Rights. This young Moldovan woman secured an international internship to travel to Armenia and assist in establishing a women's rights organization. She completed the internship (safely) returned to the United States, graduated from college and married. I can not but believe that social ripples from Rodica's visit must continue to waft across that small nation.
