Office of International Student Services welcomes Fulbright scholar

Office of International Student Services welcomes Fulbright scholar

The UST Office of International Student Services recently was selected to host a Fulbright scholar as part of the Russian International Education Administrator's program. Viktoriya Zaripova, from Astrakhan State University in Russia, will conduct a four-week practicum experience in the OISS in March and April.

As part of her practicum, Zaripova will evaluate the services, programs and structure of the OISS and make comparisons with other institutions. In addition, she will give a presentation to the Division of Student Affairs about student services at Russian institutions and participate in other projects in the OISS.

Zaripova is the head of the International Projects Department at Astrakhan State University. Since 2000, the university has worked to develop long-term educational and scientific projects with a number of countries around the world, including the United States.

As a key facilitator of these projects, Zaripova has worked in a number of capacities to organize and implement international conferences, seminars and study exchanges between university administrators at Astrakhan State University and other universities in the United States and Europe.

Recently, a Russian-American Center was created to promote faculty and student exchanges, publish joint research, and provide managerial training to raise the competitiveness of the Astrakhan region. Also, Zaripova received a Tacis 2005 exchange grant for a study visit to Savonia University of Applied Science in Finland.

For more information, contact Deborah Knaust in the Office of International Student Services, (651) 962-6650.