What's New - Spring 2005

RACU’S Fifth Graduation Ceremony Features “Profile in Courage" Speaker

On May 28th, RACU’s fifth graduating class received their diplomas, in a ceremony held on a beautiful sunny day in Moscow. Twenty-six RACU seniors received undergraduate degrees in business and economics, social work, English language, and literature, in a ceremony filled with great celebration as well as deep reflection.

RACU President Dr. John A. Bernbaum gave the welcome and greetings to the students, faculty, and guests who had gathered for this momentous day. After an opening prayer by RACU Trustee Ekaterina Smyslova, the mission and goals of RACU were shared with the audience as a preface to the commencement address.

Dean Koldenhoven, the recipient of John F. Kennedy’s “Profile in Courage” award, was this year’s commencement speaker. Koldenhoven was invited to Moscow by the U.S. Embassy to participate in a ceremony commemorating the Russian translation of President Kennedy’s book. During his graduation address, he spoke about the decision he made that won him the award "Profile in Courage." Koldenhoven had defended the rights of Muslims who were trying to buy a vacant church building in Palos Heights, Illinois, where he was Mayor. The city council was trying to block the purchase, because they did not want Muslim’s worshipping there. Koldenhoven vetoed their blocking motion and was subsequently defeated for re-election. Though he took the right position, it was a very unpopular one. He spoke to the graduation audience about the true, active meaning of "loving your neighbor," which includes giving everyone the right to freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. After telling his inspiring story, Koldenhoven concluded his address with a challenge to the graduates: Be willing to make the "right choice," even if it is unpopular.

Another guest speaker at the graduation ceremony was Margarita Sergeevna Krupnova, a Russian Ministry of Education official who worked with RACU during the accreditation process. As one of the three officials who had to approve RACU’s application, she became a key friend to the university during the lengthy and arduous accreditation process. Her remarks and support for RACU were particularly significant, given her initial concerns about the university. “To be honest, I was a bit puzzled at first and a little uneasy about the duality of the nature of this university,” she said. But all of these reservations soon vanished for Krupnova. “As I worked with the leaders of this fine university,” she concluded, “all of my cautiousness vanished; I may say, in fact, that I feel like a Godmother for this school now.”

Professor Oleg Shevkun, last year’s winner of the ”Professor of the Year” award at RACU, gave the ceremony’s "Challenge to the Graduates.” His heartfelt address centered on the theme of remembering RACU – what it stands for, what they learned, and who they are as a result of being a graduate of RACU. “Here in Russia,” he said, “when a young college graduate gets his or her first job, the boss will often tell them ‘Forget everything you’ve learned at school. Things are very different in real life.’ Obviously, there is some truth in this remark … yet there is one thing I wish to impress on you today, on your last day at RACU: Please keep remembering! No matter what happens to you, no matter what your employer or your friends or society may wish to lead you to believe, no matter where you find yourself—remember the basic values we tried to teach you here at RACU.”

Shevkun detailed those things he feels are the most important for graduates to remember about RACU. First, he discussed the bilingual nature of the university, not only in terms of faculty and coursework, but in the sense that RACU truly teaches students to embrace the importance and values of the two cultures it represents – not to judge one or the other as better, but to recognize the depth and breadth of Russian and American culture. Next, he discussed what it means to have graduated from a Christian university, and urged the students to “become the best professional, the best specialist you may be. … We want to be the best, because it is our heart’s desire to serve the Lord and gladly obey His will. Your colleagues may have a hard time understanding this. And even though some may strive for excellence in pursuit of a brilliant career or a bunch of money, I wish to urge you time and again: Do not forget that your alma mater is a Christian school, and remember that this fact tells a lot about who you are and why you do things.”

He concluded by defining what it means to be well educated, and what it means, specifically for RACU graduates. “A well-educated person is not led astray by crafty demagogs or skillful persuaders,” he explained. “He or she will not be easily manipulated, but will instead have a strong foundation on which to build his life—both academically and spiritually. He or she is always willing to learn, is never stagnant, and is always open to broadening his or her own horizon. My prayer is that these statements will always describe you, our dear class of 2005.”

The class of 2005 had a very special graduation day, indeed.

Congratulations, RACU Class of 2005!

For the full text of Margarita Sergeevna Krupnova’s comments, click here.
For the full text of Oleg Shevkun’s “Challenge to the Graduates,” click here.