Disclaimer: This essay was written as an application through months of work - writing drafts, getting feedback, and revising. At times, this essay might sound like I am trying to sell myself, because, well, I was. Feel free to mentally tone down the language as you read this essay!
I lived my whole life in Ukraine. Then, in Fall 2021, I transferred to MIT. It was my first time in America. Immediately, I started taking full advantage of opportunities MIT gave me to grow professionally and change the world: publishing research papers, flying around the world to intern, teach, and collaborate.
Just a few months later, Russia invaded Ukraine. A new era of havoc began.
My former classmates – bright, competent, fast-thinking Ukrainians – were suddenly only trying to survive. They faced risks and dangers from Russian attacks daily. The war robbed them of the kinds of opportunities I was enjoying.
Frankly, this disparity initiated a conflict inside me. It was unjust. I decided to take action.
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Brilliant Ukrainians must have the same opportunities to improve their country and the world as me. Since I was at MIT, I decided to bring MIT to Ukraine. This is how Ukraine Leadership & Technology Academy (ULTA) began.
I developed this program to activate students' creativity, create a north star of excellence for them to strive for, and empower them to rebuild Ukraine after the war.
Initially, ULTA seemed like another unrealistic dream. Despite having no resources or connections, no team, and no well-trodden path, I pushed forward, driven by the conviction that it was the right thing to do.
I submitted multiple rounds of proposals, inspired people to join my team, led endless zoom meetings, and a dedicated research project. I went from struggling over choosing the program name, to planning the logistics of a summer program abroad, to recruiting MIT students, and running a selection process in Ukraine with 720 applications for 20 places.
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On the first day of ULTA I was meeting my mentors and students at the Barcelona airport, thinking to myself, "Wow, they really all came here." MIT mentors trusted my work enough to fly halfway around the world for it; parents of the young students sent their kids so far away from home.
I quickly learned the weight of being a respected authority figure.
One student's parents called in the midst of uncertainty about how to ensure a bright future for the student, and shield their child from war. In a heartfelt letter, this student asked for help: circumstances forced him to pick between studying in the USA and representing Ukraine at the International Astronomy Olympiad.
When preparing for pivotal next steps in their lives, students relied on my recommendation letters. When making life-defining decisions, students and their parents seeked my guidance.
I saw this enormous added responsibility as an opportunity. It challenged me to embody the very principles I advocated: staying true to one's values without a fault, living courageously, and embracing risks. In the past, this was a mere aspiration. Now, a necessity: to lead by example.
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And this deal that I made with myself has carried me through the darkest moments of this program and my life.
In the second half of the program, our students initiated hands-on projects for rebuilding Ukraine. Naturally, they set the most ambitious goals. One team aimed to revolutionize Ukraine's hackathon culture by building an innovative platform and organizing its first in-person hackathon – all within only two months.
Our sponsors, a Ukrainian education company, were skeptical. They didn't believe that our students, high schoolers with no prior experience, could succeed. Breaking our contract, the executives decided to withdraw their support. They explicitly wrote to me that they saw no point in continuing to fund ULTA.
I thought back to why I started this program: to foster ambition and make a real difference in Ukraine. These kids were trying to do exactly that. Even without being certain of success, even as ULTA lost its sponsor, my values gave me the courage to support the students. I told them, "Keep going. Your ambition, your drive to help Ukraine – that's exactly what we're here for. Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible."
We succeeded. I negotiated a future for ULTA, and in the meantime, proudly attended the first hackathon organized by my students. A group of driven high school students accomplished what seemed impossible to seasoned professionals. Witnessing their success, our sponsors had a change of heart. They not only recognized the team's achievement but also provided a space for them to run the hackathon.
Thus I learned about the importance of integrity even in the face of doubt and adversity. Now, I know: the unyielding belief in doing what's right leads to remarkable outcomes, despite skepticism of others.