May, 2008 - Kazakhstan student has grant extended at Northwest Nazarene University.  Lena Muravlyova, a student of the Kazakh-American Free University, was awarded a special grant last year by Northwest Nazarene University to study business administration as an undergraduate student.  At that time, Lena was told that the grant was for one year only.  However, Lena's performance at NNU has been so outstanding, that NNU extended her grant for another year.  This extension should allow Lena to finish her Bachelor's degree at NNU.


May, 2008 - International students finish second phase of servant leadership program.  Twelve students in Kazakhstan and Ukraine are finishing the 2nd phase of the MCF's servant leadership program as they complete research papers on servant leadership in their country.  They carried out their research in partnership with mentor-advisors who worked with them over e-mail.  These students will now attend the third step of the program - the Academy.  The Academy will be held from July 14-30 in and around Portland, Oregon.  At the Academy, these students will join with American students to experience communities of servant leadership in business, non-profits and government.


May, 2008 - First servant leadership course held in the Philippines.  The MCF helped to organize, for the first time in the Philippines, a servant leadership course at a small college on the Philippine island of Mindoro.  26 Filipino students and faculty members attended the course.  Cheryl Broetje and Glenn Cross from the Center for Sharing (Pasco, Washington) led the course and Daniel Ballast and Bob Christensen from the MCF participated as mentors to the Filipino participants.  This 4-week course had a tremendous impact on the students, as they grew in their understanding of community, service, empowering others and understanding their own mission and call in life.  For a full report, visit: www.themcf.org/mbcreport.html
 

May, 2008 - MCF President, Marshall Christensen, returns from one month in Ukraine.  Dr. Christensen returned from a full month of activities in Ukraine.  During his visit, he spent most of his time at Kyiv National Linguistic University, where he taught a humanities course and met with students and faculty, including students currently enrolled in the MCF's servant leadership program.  He also participated in the Carpathian Summit, a leadership summit sponsored by the MCF, for faculty from KNLU.  For a full report, visit: www.themcf.org/knlureport.html


April, 2008 - Student leaders in Kazakhstan reach out to a local orphanage.  A group of students in Kazakhstan recently completed their servant leadership demonstration project - the final step in the servant leadership program.  In their project they created a program to help and encourage university students and teachers to teach and play with orphanage children in their city.


March, 2008 - As part of the MCF's "Visiting International Professor" program, four teachers from Kiev National Linguistic University visited Concordia University (Portland, Oregon) and George Fox University (Portland, Oregon) for one month to learn more about American teaching methods and language programs.  During the program, these teachers had the opportunity to learn extensively from their peers about the latest teaching methods and educational technologies.  They also enjoyed the opportunity to develop new friendships with colleagues at these universities and with their American host families.  One of the teachers commented, "This program must continue for other teachers from our university.  It is extremely beneficial and useful."


February, 2008 - MCF Vice President, Dan Ballast, spent one month at the Kazakh-American Free University (Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan), where he taught Economics seminars and worked with the students enrolled in the MCF's International Servant Leadership Program.


January, 2008 - As part of the MCF's "Visiting International Professor" program, Ms. Galina Konopyanova, the dean of the business school from the Kazakh-American Free University, arrived for a one-month program at George Fox University (Portland, Oregon).  Ms. Konopyanova is learning more about American higher education and business programs as she dialogues with her peers, visits classes and participates in administrative meetings.  She commented, "This visit is making a tremendous impression on me.  Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly."