Dr. Marshall Christensen, president of the MCF, visited Ukraine for one month, arriving in Kyiv on April 8, and returning home on May 6.  The majority of his time was spent at Kyiv National Linguistic University, one of the MCF's international partner universities.

During his stay he taught a special humanities course, with the aim of helping students to integrate their thinking related to philosophy, Western civilization, literature, and science.  Ten students attended this course, which resulted in many excellent discussions.  In fact, these discussions overflowed into meetings with faculty members.  Dr. Christensen met separately with faculty as well, where they often discussed issues raised by the students during the humanities course.

Dr. Christensen also met with KNLU students currently enrolled in the MCF's servant leadership program.  These 5 students are now finishing their servant leadership research papers, which they have written with the help of e-mail mentors.  Dr. Christensen discussed their research with them and he helped them prepare for the Academy, the next step of the program, which will be held in Oregon in July.  As part of this, he delivered an official invitation from the MCF to the students so that they can get their US visas.

Dr. Christensen later attended "The Carpathian Summit," a leadership retreat for KNLU faculty, sponsored by the MCF.  The Summit was held in the beautiful Carpathian Mountains.  This kind of retreat is unusual for KNLU teachers.  The retreat environment was conducive to open discussion and visionary thinking.  Discussions at the Summit included the purpose and core values of the translation department, changing the culture of the University, teaching conditions, professional development, and upgrading the curriculum - an ambitious agenda to be sure!

A special event during Dr. Christensen's visit was when the acting Rector of KNLU invited the MCF to work with the university to develop a values program for student leaders and, ultimately, for all students at the University.  The Rector reported that students coming to the university no longer arrive with “traditional values.”  He has a passion to see that KNLU fill this vacuum.  That is a big dream for a university of 7,000 students.  The MCF has welcomed this opportunity to explore the development of a practical values-oriented program.  The consequences could, in time, impact students throughout the university system in Ukraine.

During his visit, Dr. Christensen also established contacts with two other Ukrainian universities, one in Kyiv and another in the western part of the country.  In each case, the rector of the university expressed his desire to communicate with the MCF about future collaboration.