THE EDMUND S. MUSKIE GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Celebrating  20 YEARS  of  Supporting  Eurasia’s  Emerging  Leaders

Nearly 5,000 Muskie alumni  

form close and influential networks in their home 

countries and across the former Soviet region. 

_______

They steer change in key development sectors  

and mentor new generations in their fields,  

with 75% of alumni  

in a professional leadership position. 

_______

They maintain ties to the United States,  

with nearly 90% of alumni remaining in  

contact or collaborating with Americans they  

met during the program.

_______

They impact small cities and rural areas  

that often lack access to the latest knowledge  

and best practices, with nearly 45% of fellows  

since 2005 hailing from outside their  

country’s capital city. 

20 YEARS OF IMPACT The Edmund S. Muskie Program 

1992-2012

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Established by the United States Congress following the dissolution of the

Soviet Union, the Muskie Program aims to promote mutual understanding,

build democracy, and foster the transition to market economies in Eurasia through

intensive academic study and professional training.

Over the past 20 years, the program has supported graduate students and

professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan,

Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine

and Uzbekistan.

In the last two decades, the Muskie Program has produced nearly 5,000 alumni

across the region. Today, these alumni are high-ranking diplomats and healthcare

reformers, anti-corruption activists and education advocates, business leaders and

well-known journalists. In their diverse career paths, these thousands of alumni

embody U.S. Senator Edmund S. Muskie’s legacy of public service, making key

contributions in sectors vital to their countries’ economic and democratic growth.

The Muskie Program targets practitioners who, through the fellowship, will

gain skills and knowledge in fields that are often not available in their home

countries, allowing them to make an immediate difference in the public, private and

non-governmental sectors upon their return. Eligible fields of study for the program

are business administration, economics, education, environmental management,

international affairs, journalism and mass communication, law, library and

information science, public administration, public health, and public policy.

During their training in the United States, Muskie fellows also complete

substantial community service in their American host communities. Service projects

have included providing skilled pro bono hours in mentoring local small businesses,

counseling homeowners on the brink of foreclosure, and developing partnerships

between American schools and counterparts abroad.

Upon completion of their first academic year, fellows complete an internship in

their professional field, thereby gaining American workplace experience and technical

skills, bringing an international perspective to the workplace, and allowing employers

to expand their global connections. Practical training experiences have provided

fellows with opportunities such as supporting financial forecasting for a Fortune

500 company, facilitating public-private partnerships for emergency management

preparedness, and working with legislators at both the state and federal level.

Following the program, Muskie alumni are eligible to apply for small grants

to conduct community service projects, organize conferences or trainings, or

collaborate with an American academic colleague to provide advising and training in

their home countries. Muskie fellows and alumni develop professional and personal

connections with Americans, strengthening relationships between individuals and

institutions in the United States and their home countries and facilitating lasting

sustainable collaboration.

BUILDING TRANSPARENCYCash can open the door to corruption, says Geniyat Issin, a Muskie

alumnus striving for greater transparency and accountability in Kazakhstan’s

financial sector. As a Country Manager at MasterCard, Issin works with

financial institutions, regulators and government officials to eliminate

reliance on cash transactions.

“Studies in different markets prove that the less cash we have in the country,

the more transparency it brings, and the wealthier the country is overall,”

said Issin. He is excited to be part of a team that improves people’s lives

by making payments “safe, simple and smart.”

Last year, Issin teamed up with other members of Kazakhstan’s Alumni

Leaders League, a local alumni-led organization, to raise awareness of

transparency issues on a broader level. The group produced two videos

illustrating the effects of corruption throughout society, winning awards in

a Soros Foundation social advertising competition. One of the videos shows

the impact of corruption on consumers as sellers are forced to incorporate

the cost of bribes in the price of food.

Issin says his experience with American academic culture changed his

perceptions of corruption. In the United States, “buying a higher education

diploma is something not heard of…while in our country we accept it as

normal,” he said. Issin wants Kazakhstan to develop higher ethical standards,

especially in education.

“I see corruption as the main impediment to development of our country,”

he said. “I was glad that I could do something valuable in sending a

message on the necessity of curing ourselves from this ailment.”

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMICS

Muskie alumni in the Business Administration and Economics fields bolster the transition to free-market systems and steer economic reforms in their countries. In Ministries of Finance, Fortune 500 companies, and small businesses across the former Soviet Union, Muskie alumni are working to ensure citizens at all levels benefit from economic growth.

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‘‘The less cash in the country,    the more transparency [and] wealthier the country is overall.”

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    If you can read, you can  function just like a sighted person.”‘‘

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EDUCATION AND LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

Muskie alumni in the Education and Library and Information Science fields are broadening access to information, expanding opportunities and improving instruction for people with special needs, bringing new perspectives on diversity into the classroom, and reforming national education policy.

PROMOTING INTEGRATIONElectricity shortages provided an unlikely beginning to Elnura Emilkanova’s

career as an educator for the blind. Experiencing the challenges of functioning

in the dark turned her into a passionate advocate for blind and visually impaired

people in Kyrgyzstan, many of whom lack the training needed to read, travel

and independently perform other everyday tasks.

As an Education fellow, Emilkanova learned about adaptations and integration

for the blind. She also fostered connections between educators and advocacy

groups in the United States and her home country. With help from her U.S. host

university community, she facilitated a trip for the principal of a Kyrgyz school

for blind and visually impaired children to visit learning centers in Louisiana

and to attend a conference sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind.

“I wanted to bring her and show her how the cane and Braille give an opportunity

to be equal,” Emilkanova said. “If you can read, you can function just like a

sighted person.”

Emilkanova’s colleague returned to Kyrgyzstan with 100 new canes, slates and

styluses for the students at her school. While the donated equipment may someday

be replaced with newer technology, the knowledge and relationship Emilkanova

developed as a Muskie fellow will benefit the blind in Kyrgyzstan long after the

equipment is no longer in use.

Emilkanova remains dedicated to bringing other educators from Kyrgyzstan to

the United States for courses at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. “I want to

help people from my country to get training,” she said. “We just need a handful

of people who are passionate about integration.”

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REPORTING INDEPENDENTLYAfter 10 years of working for Armenia’s state media institutions, Artak Aleksanyan’s journalism career might have continued in a similar vein until

retirement. Everything changed though when a Muskie fellowship gave him

the skills and the drive to start his own media business. Today, Aleksanyan

runs a successful independent production company that has broken the

mold of topics covered by Armenian television.

One of Aleksanyan’s most successful programs is Witness: Real Stories,

a reality show featuring young Armenians and the incidences of corruption

they encounter day to day. Witness has become one of the most popular

youth television programs in the country and has expanded to cover youth

unemployment, healthy lifestyles, and youth participation in public life.

Aleksanyan is equal parts citizen advocate and savvy businessman. “My decision

[to cover these topics] was based on our chances to be successful—to do something

that nobody does and be good at it,” he said. “There is a huge gap in, and public

demand for, ‘smart’ programs [with] social content.”

Aleksanyan’s company, Banadzev, also produces Briefing: Straight Question,

a government accountability talk show featuring public officials, as well as

Armenia’s only investigative journalism program, the most-watched Saturday

show on television.

As Banadzev grows, Aleksanyan dreams of moving into a new, bigger studio,

but his goals extend beyond his own company. He sees his role in building

a more tolerant and transparent Armenia and training a new generation

of journalists to carry on public dialogue.

JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS, LAW, AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Muskie alumni in the Journalism and Mass Communications, Law, and International Affairs fields strengthen the media, influence political and legal processes, and advance diplomatic infrastructure and international relations required for democracy. Alumni are running independent media outlets, reforming legal frameworks to safeguard human rights, and leading international organizations and institutions.

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  There is a huge gap in, and public demand for, ‘smart’    programs [with] social content.”

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When we demand accountability          from people in power, we  are fighting for a prosperous,          safe, and honest life.”

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DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITYStamps of secrecy have been placed on nearly every single city plan in Ukraine

since Soviet times, leaving citizens in the dark. Without knowing what might be

built next door, or if the government plans to take over their property for public

use, families are afraid to invest in improving their homes. Without city plans,

Ukrainians also struggle to hold their leaders accountable to international

standards for providing public parks and green space.

Muskie alumnus and citizen rights activist Volodymyr Shcherbachenko is fighting

to change that. The local NGO he founded, the East Ukrainian Center for Civic

Initiatives, is working to gain public access to city plans in more than 20 cases

throughout the country. Shcherbachenko’s group recently scored a major victory

when city plans were declassified in Luhansk.

Public knowledge is a powerful tool for action. For example, in Odessa, when citizens

obtained a draft city plan, they learned that officials planned to reconstruct one of

the city’s oldest districts and move its residents to an area situated on a contaminated

former water treatment site. The residents were able to begin protesting the plan

and to engage officials in civic dialogue.

Interning at the city council and attending public hearings on land issues

as a public policy fellow in Kansas helped Shcherbachenko realize openness

is possible in local government. A passionate transparency advocate, he is

now teaching other organizations and individuals throughout Ukraine how to

utilize new legislation to advocate for their housing rights.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICY

Muskie alumni in the Public Administration and Public Policy fields lead in the management, decision-making and policy formation in both government and public sectors, developing alternative approaches to tackle current societal challenges. Many alumni have gone on to high-ranking government positions, including President of the Republic of Georgia, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the United States, and Vice Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. Others are working to promote good governance at the local level through non-governmental organizations.

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IMPROVING CARETo receive chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer, Lidia M. faced a four-hour

journey every month from her village to the Oncology Institute in Moldova’s capital,

Chisinau. While her body responded well to the drugs, Lidia, 62, soon quit treatment,

citing the long trip and related costs. The cancer spread, and while Lidia has since

resumed chemotherapy, her doctors fear she gave up vital ground in her fight.

Sadly, Lidia’s case isn’t unique, but Muskie alumna Svetlana Cotelea is working to

change that. As the head of the Planning and Regionalization of Integrated Health

Services Department in the Ministry of Health, Cotelea leads a project to decentralize

oncology treatment. The initiative will establish two regional chemotherapy centers

to serve Moldovans like Lidia who live outside of the capital, cutting down travel time

and providing access to potentially life-saving care. Cotelea is also developing public-

private partnerships to increase access to quality health care. The Ministry is currently

implementing its first national public-private partnership for diagnostic imaging

services, and plans to select a private company to build a new radiotherapy center.

Networking with health professionals from other countries helped Cotelea envision

reform for Moldova and “develop a strong sense of conviction in what I do,”

she said. “Participating in the Muskie program gave me a unique opportunity to

become familiar with democratic models of healthcare management and population-

based interventions in the healthcare sector,” she said, noting that many of these

approaches are being incorporated in Moldova’s national health policy.

Cotelea received support from an Alumni Careers in Public Service (CAPS) grant,

which provides stipends to alumni working in the public sector. “I am motivated by

a strong commitment to public service as well as a belief in social responsibility,”

she said. “I am finally in a position where I can make a solid and long-lasting

contribution to an important and much-needed change in our society.”

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH

Muskie alumni in the Environmental Management and Public Health fields are broadening access to services and leading policy reforms that impact the health and quality of life for citizens in their countries.

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  I am motivated by a strong commitment to public service.”

12PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover: Artur Roscolenco; page 3: Timothy Gibson; page 4: Elnura Emilkanova; page 7: Jason Vuong Do; page 8: Elizabeth Knight; page 11: Artur Roscolenco; design: m-Art

MUSKIE’S IMPACT

Business Administration and Economics

Total Business Administration Fellows: 913Total Economics Fellows: 569

K E Y A L U M N I

Vache Gabrielyan, Economics, Minister of Finance, Armenia

Elmaddin Dadashov, Business Administration, Chief of Department, Downstream Projects Management at SOCAR, Azerbaijan

Roman Assilbekov, Business Administration, Private Sector Head of Asset Management Division, Halyk Finance, Kazakhstan

Janybek Omorov, Economics, International Consultant on Energy/External Adviser to Minister of Energy, Kyrgyzstan

Rustam Bekmuradov, Business Administration, Private Sector Development Specialist, Deloitte Consulting LLP, Turkmenistan

“I learned more about the U.S. financial system in my internship with Merrill Lynch during my

fellowship. I draw on concrete examples and cases about the U.S. financial system in my lectures.”

—2003 Fellow

Education and Library and Information Sciences

Total Education Fellows: 518Total Library and Information Sciences Fellows: 376

K E Y A L U M N I

Vahagn Marabyan, Library and Information Sciences, Executive Director, Cafesjian Museum Foundation Armenia

Aliya Sarsembinova, Library and Information Sciences, Director at Nazarbayev University Library, Kazakhstan

Artem Pozdniakov, Education, Administrative Director, Kyiv Economics Institute, Ukraine

Gulnur Esenalieva, Education, Director of Financial Aid Office, American University in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan

“It gave me an experience and knowledge in my field and I am happy to apply it here. I conduct

comparative research and make policies which later to be presented to governmental institutions

and Ministry of Education.” —1992 Fellow

“ Being a Muskie fellow means being a locomotive full of fresh energy, ever-growing potential, unconventional ideas, multiple approaches to challenges of today and tomorrow, and unfading optimism well-grounded in reality.” —2007 Fellow

Public Health and Environmental Management

Total Public Health Fellows: 252Total Environmental Management Fellows: 160

K E Y A L U M N I

Khatuna Gogaladze, Environmental Management, Minister of Environmental Protection, Georgia

Bermet Sydygalieva, Public Health, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Health, Kyrgyzstan

Nikolay Matveev, Public Health, Professor, Russian National Research Medical University, Russia

“The skills to analyze and present evidence based, scientific arguments helped to be convincing

and draw attention of decision makers from Ministry of health to important issues in primary care.”

—2008 Fellow

Journalism and Mass Communications, Law and International Affairs

Total Journalism and Mass Communications Fellows: 265Total Law Fellows: 479Total International Affairs Fellows: 313

K E Y A L U M N I

Mikhail Saakashvili, Law, President of Georgia

Talant Sultanov, International Affairs, Vice-President at American University in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan

Giorgi Papuashvili, Law, President of the Constitutional Court, Georgia

Vitalie Diaconu, International Affairs, First Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova

Marina Zinovieva, Law, Managing Director and Founder, LegaLife LLC, Russia

“Having gone through my studies in the U.S., I feel now more attached to the ideas of promoting,

respecting, and fulfilling human rights in the world. It increased my capacity to deal with the

most important human rights issues relevant to my country’s local context and significantly

strengthened my background on the issues of human development” —2009 Fellow

Public Administration and Public Policy

Total Public Administration Fellows: 880Total Public Policy Fellows: 94

K E Y A L U M N I

Ainur Nurtay, Public Administration, Chief Executive Officer, Central Asian Center for Civil Society Research and Development (RDC), Kazakhstan

Yerbol Orynbaev, Public Administration, Vice Prime Minister, Kazakhstan

Elin Suleymanov, Public Administration, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the United States

Marina Ayvazyan, Public Administration, Manager, Patient Advocacy, Johnson & Johnson, Russia

Favzia Nazarova, Public Administration, Deputy Director, Public Foundation Nota Bene, Tajikistan

Juma Akiyev, Public Policy, Country Representative, Exxon Mobile, Turkmenistan

Volodymyr Shcherbachenko, Public Policy, Head of Board, East-Ukrainian Center for Civic Initiatives, Ukraine

“I have learned to identify and value the opportunities for personal and professional development,

as well as opportunities for community and economic development that exist in my home country.

I have come to understand the importance of citizen participation in public policy, especially

through grassroots efforts.” —2007 Fellow

The Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program is a program

of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States

Department of State, and implemented by IREX.

www.irex.org/programs/muskie