Meet VMU Alumni: How Liberal Arts Education Shapes Personal Growth

VDU

Curious about how your liberal arts education at VMU can contribute to your personal growth?

Join us at the event “Liberal Arts – Navigating Careers, Personal Growth, and the AI Era” to connect with VMU international alumni speakers and explore your most pressing questions with them and other participants.

The discussion will cover three key subtopics:

Now, let us introduce you to the three speakers for the second subtopic, “Liberal Arts and Personal Growth,” who will dive into all the details.

Maka Berulava from Sakartvelo, an alumna of the International Politics and Development BA program (2023), graduated from University College London with a Master’s in Russian and Post-Soviet Politics. She is now pursuing her second master’s at VMU in the Future Media and Journalism program. Currently, she is assisting at the Sakharov Center and working with her classmate on their own NGO project.

She has remained actively involved in VMU life even after graduation, contributing to student activities. For example, she shared her tips and insights on the topic "How to Get a Job Without Experience?" in April 2024. Additionally, Maka was a speaker at the Alumni Day 2023 discussion, "Resilience and Optimism of VMU Alumni around the World," where she presented on "Academic Career Path Insights".

Dmytro Zlenko is a third-year MEM/MBA student at the Nicholas School of the Environment and UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. Originally from Ukraine, Dmytro holds a B.A. in Environmental Science and Ecology from Vytautas Magnus University. His academic focus is guiding corporate and academic institutions through their low-carbon transitions, addressing the broader implications, including energy interdependence.

At Duke, he interned with the National Parks Conservation Association, examining how biodiversity credits can power conservation, while as an MBA intern at the Sustainable Duke Office, he contributed to establishing a climate and sustainability applied learning program in support of Duke Climate Commitment. 

Dmytro is continuing his work with the Duke Office of Climate and Sustainability as a Green Devil Fellow. Besides English and native Ukrainian, Dmytro speaks Spanish, Polish, and russian. He is the current president of the UNC Kenan-Flagler Net Impact Chapter, and in his free time, he likes to kayak around numerous scenic lakes and rivers in North Carolina. 

Ukrainians Tetiana Abramtsova, Kateryna Strutynska, and Valeriia Burlachenko, former VMU students with degrees in Political Science, share a passion for raising political awareness. They believe that science and art are the perfect combination for spreading ideas, knowledge, and activism. In March 2024, Tetiana launched the Utopia Club Podcast, and shortly after, Kateryna and Valeriia joined to promote political awareness and civic engagement.

Az-Zahra Helmi from Indonesia is a Public Health graduate with a focus on epidemiology. She is currently serving as a research assistant at the Institute of Tropical Disease. She is working on a One Health research project in the Gastroenteritis and Antimicrobial Resistant Laboratory. The project aims to identify E. coli and Vibrio cholerae, exploring key links between human, animal, and environmental health. Beyond her research, she is building PaperPeeps, a platform dedicated to empower students in sharpening their writing skills. 

As an IISMA alumna from Vytautas Magnus University, she has developed a profound interest in building networks across borders and disciplines. Az-Zahra is committed to advancing public health and fostering global collaboration through research, advocacy, and empowerment. 

Want to hear more?

Join the VMU international alumni discussion on November 8th, Friday, from 16:00 to 17:30, online via Microsoft Teams or in person at VMU Senate Hall, S. Daukanto g. 28, Kaunas. Register here!

And don’t miss the festive concert and career fair happening on the same day, November 8th!

View the full program in English here.