Bringing Innovation to Moldova Seminar:
IREX-Moldova welcomes the new MUSKIE and UGRAD alumni
Bringing innovation to Moldova is one of the main responsibilities of an active alumni. On the 5th of June, at the “Odiseu” resort at Vadul lui Voda, 15 freshly returned UGRAD and MUSKIE alumni gathered to share their most successful stories, their best practices in community development projects and simply enjoy a marvelous weekend by the Nistru river.
Connecting US democratic practices to the local communities and facilitating the transition to a more developed, modern society might be a rather challenging task, but UGRAD and MUSKIE alumni proved that enthusiasm and professionalism are the most powerful tools in their continuous struggle to bring innovation back home. Daniela Munca (MUSKIE 2006) also President of the US Alumni Board and University Lecturer at ASEM, was the moderator of a two-day interactive seminar aiming to welcome the new alumni back to Moldova and initiate them in the secrets of a successful innovator. The alumni discussed the importance of being innovative, they learned about innovative competences and how to connect innovation ideas acquired in US and implement them in the Moldovan academic and professional world. The participants learned about the fundamentals of creative thinking and ways to enhance it.
On Sunday morning, June the 6th, the experienced alumni shared their most remarkable alumni success stories, among which Olga Bogdan’s Model United Nation project in Moldova. While studying in the U.S.A., Olga (UGRAD) took the Model U.N. class, was member of the Johnson County Community College Model U.N. team and participated at the Mid-West Model U.N. Conference in St. Louis, American Model U.N. Conference in Chicago, National Model U.N. Conference in New York (Outstanding Delegation Award and Outstanding Position Paper Award) and organized and chaired Kansas City Metropolitan Area Model U.N. Conference for high-school students. Olga shared this experience with her colleagues from Moldova by organizing the Model UN Conference in Chisinau, which took the shape of an authentic simulation of the United Nations system and benefited over 30 Moldovan young leaders February through April 2010 (Check the Model UN blog for more information:http://munmd.wordpress.com/ ).
The participants also enjoyed the virtual company of three special guests, who joined the team through Skype. Cristina Poleacovschi (UGRAD), honored as State Alumni Member of the Month in April 2010 by US Department of State, talked about the third edition of Business for Youth, one of the most successful projects implemented by the alumni community in Moldova (Check the Business for Youth blog for more information: http://bfy2010.wordpress.com/)
We hope that the new UGRADs and MUSKIEs will successfully join our alumni community and will implement new, innovative community development projects. We wish them all the best of luck in their alumni carrier back home in Moldova.
US Alumni Board 2009-2010