Tuesday, May 11, 1999
Foreign officials introduced to private American
college life at ACU
By LORETTA FULTON
Senior Staff Writer
If he could fit it on a plane, Anatoly Voichak would take a
little bit of West Texas friendliness and part of the Abilene
Christian University campus with him when he returns home to Kiev,
Ukraine.
Voichak was one of two visitors from the International University
visiting ACU Monday. After a tour, Voichak could almost close
his eyes and see the ACU campus transported to Kiev.
“It’s my dream,” Voichak said.
Voichak is vice president of the International University,
with a main campus in Vienna and a branch in Kiev. He was accompanied
on his tour of ACU by Dr. Wil C. Goodheer, president of the International
University and head of the Vienna campus.
The university, which was established in Vienna in 1979, is
affiliated with the Church of Christ. Goodheer taught at ACU from
1891-87. The Kiev branch opened in 1992.
Although Goodheer frequently returns to ACU, Monday’s
trip was a first for Voichak.
“I’m specifically introducing him to the private
American Christian university,” Goodheer said.
Voichak was particularly impressed with the atmosphere of the
campus, but he also wouldn’t mind taking home some of the
facilities as well, like a swimming pool and dormitories.
In Kiev, the International University rents space from the
Kiev National Economic University and is limited to enrolling
only 100 freshmen a year because of space limitations. Up to 900
people apply for admittance to the Kiev school each year.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have enough space,”
Voichak said.
 |
| David Fry, foreground, visits
with, from left, Anatoly Voichak, Ted Presley, and Wil Goodheer
during a tour Monday of Abilene Christian University.Photo by
Barton Cromeens/ Reporter-News |
Currently, 400 students are enrolled at the International University
in Kiev and 325 in Vienna. Since its beginning in 1979, the Vienna
campus has been home to students from 90 nations. Many of them
are the children of diplomats stationed in Vienna, including the
Iraqi ambassador’s daughter and the son and daughter of the
Palestinian ambassador.
The school has a mixture of religions, including 33 percent
Muslim and 39 percent Christian. Students of all religions are
required to take four Bible courses and attend daily chapel, which
no one seems to mind.
“It’s a time when we can have good communication,”
Voichak said.
Both campuses of the International University focus on business
degrees, although the Vienna campus also offers a master’s
degree in diplomatic and strategic studies. Many of the students
in Kiev are local people who graduated from American high schools
as foreign exchange students.
Goodheer said students attend both campuses for several reasons,
including the university’s high ethical standards, the American
academic approach, western business emphasis, and the use of English,
which is used almost extensively in the international business
and computer world.
“Today English is a major world language,” Goodheer
said.
While in Abilene, Voichak and Goodheer will meet with administrators
and faculty at ACU in preparation for a possible exchange of professors
and students in the future.
Loretta Fulton can be reached at 676-6778 or fultonl@abinews.com
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Copyright ©1999,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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