What's New - Spring 2005

RACU Alumni Come Home to Visit

Held on March 19, RACU’s Alumni Homecoming was a great success. After enjoying snacks and fellowship, alumni received an update about RACU’s new facility and were encouraged to take pride in the fine education they received at RACU. Guests then participated in a party game geared to facilitate discussion about work experience, favorite memories from their years at RACU, and what role RACU has played in their life.

It is interesting to note that RACU graduates occupy a variety of professional positions, most of which are middle management in well-known international corporations such as Caterpillar, IKEA and Coca-Cola. Other alumni help to run businesses started by Christians, or work at social centers.

Favorite memories shared by alumni included the loving and caring atmosphere of RACU staff and faculty, as well as a cherished social life outside of the classroom, including parties and camping events that built a strong friendship among students. Most of the alumni have kept in touch with one or two classmates who became their lifelong friends.

Alumni of RACU’s first graduating class noted that it took years for them to realize the significance of RACU’s contribution to their lives and careers. On the other hand, last year’s graduates mentioned that the knowledge and skills they received at RACU are widely used at the workplace, making them excellent candidates for career growth. “I never regretted coming to RACU,” shared Andrey Shvagert (alum – 2004). “Having a diploma from RACU makes all the challenges of pursuing a degree worthwhile.” Overall, the alumni discussion reflected that the quality of RACU’s education has been improving over the years, and the rate of satisfaction growing as RACU follows its mission of developing leaders for Russia.

Alumni also made note of words of advice for current RACU students. Oksana Oleynic (2003) hopes students will discover themselves at RACU and hold fast to their dreams, while Peter Smirnov (2002) said his best insight would be to encourage students to “treat their studies as a ministry.”

All in all, the event was a great success, and those gathered expressed their support of continued alumni events. “It was a lot of fun to see my classmates and to hear exciting and encouraging stories about their lives and the workplace,” said Andrey Timofeev (2003). “I wish we could meet more often.” Participants supported a proposal to hold alumni meetings twice a year; the next meeting is scheduled for the last week of October 2005.