Kyiv, December 15, 2015. SEED Grant program of the Western NIS Enterprise Fund (created by the USA government through the USAID) will provide opportunity for 40 Ukrainian and Moldavian students to study in the top-50 business schools in the USA. In 2016-2017, WNІSEF is going to invest into the program 4-5 million dollars. During two-year MBA program, students will be learning best practices of business management and gaining experience necessary to become successful businessmen, that will further contribute to the development of Ukraine’s economy and its integration into the global economy, announced Geoffrey Pyatt, Ambassador of the United States of America in Ukraine and WNІSEF representatives at the press-briefing in Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “Our SEED Grant program that provides scholarships for MBA studies in the US will enlarge the pool of business managers in Ukraine and Moldova,” said Jaroslawa Zelinsky Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF).
Candidates willing to apply for a program shall first pass all necessary tests and enter one of top-50 American universities. As soon as they are admitted, they may apply for SEED Grant program, providing a letter of admission from the university. «We will offer scholarships to students that are admitted to one of the top-50 schools in America, with a commitment that they return to Ukraine and Moldova (for at least 3 years – UCMC remark) and invest their talents in building both these countries,” said Ms. Zelinsky Johnson. “This year, we have funded 5 set scholarships and we have 5 students in 4 American universities,” she added.
Studying in the leading educational institutions of the USA, students will receive opportunity to learn best business practices and best experience of business administration, acquiring knowledge and skills that will enable them to successfully operate at the international level. Nowadays there are few Ukrainians studying in the US business schools, comparing to the number of students from Poland and other countries of the Eastern Europe. However, “80% of Ukrainians who have thought of doing MBA actually didn’t do it because they were facing financial restrictions”, explained Roman Tychkivskyi, director of WNІSEF program for economic leadership. SEED Grant program offers a real solution for such students, as they may receive scholarship covering up to 100% of tuition fee. At present, there are 10-15 Ukrainians studying in the best American business schools, but through this program their number may increase up to 40 until 2017. “We would like to say: there are money, just go and strive for your best, do it – and we will be happy to support you,” assured Mr. Tychkivskyi.
“This program is the manifestation of the US very strong commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine, to stand with the next generation of Ukrainians who will rebuild Ukraine into a modern, democratic state that Ukraine’s people deserve,” declared the US Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt. Investment into the education of the talented young people, he added, is one of the most efficient means to boost positive changes in Ukraine. “One of the things that I have come to believe firmly over my time in Ukraine is that this country’s greatest asset is its human capital. The talent, energy, vision of Ukraine’s young people is what makes me deeply optimistic about this country’s future, its future in Europe,” emphasized the Ambassador.