“An educated nation means a strong one”
Khrystyna Buryhina is one of the first two recipients of the Ruslan Chopyuk Memorial Scholarship. She is a third-year undergraduate student at KSE University, majoring in Business Economics.
According to Khrystyna, receiving the Ruslan Chopyuk Memorial Scholarship was not only a great honor for her but also a powerful motivation to keep moving forward, to continue developing herself in order to use her knowledge and skills for the advancement of her country.
“Ruslan Chopyuk’s example inspires me every day to strive to be as useful as possible to my society and my country during these difficult times. I put maximum effort into my studies because I believe that teenagers and students are the driving force that will play a key role in the reconstruction and development of Ukraine. Our knowledge, ideas, and initiatives will become the foundation for building a strong and independent state, protected by the best of us,” Khrystyna says.
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“The beginning of my studies at KSE coincided with the full-scale invasion, and that time became a turning point”
Despite the challenges of the war, including being forced to relocate in the first months, Khrystyna found great motivation to gain new skills and knowledge.
At KSE, Khrystyna chose to major in Business Economics, as she had always shown an aptitude for exact sciences and a strong interest in deeply understanding economics—its mechanisms, interconnections between different sectors and markets, and especially the impact of global processes on local business initiatives.
“KSE showed me how useful and engaging learning can be. Over the past academic year, I demonstrated strong academic performance. My GPA continued to improve. This progress reflects my persistence, ability to self-organize, systematic approach to studies, and constant drive for self-development,” Khrystyna says.
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“In almost three years of studying at the Kyiv School of Economics, I’ve gained truly enriching Ukrainian and international professional experience”
Khrystyna took part in an exchange program with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was invited to CIVICA European Week in Paris, and participated in the international CFA Institute Research Challenge investment competition.
During her studies, she also had the opportunity to intern at the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, work as a sales manager at KSE, serve as an assistant at KSE Graduation Business School, and was part of the localization team for the Khan Academy online platform.
Beyond professional opportunities, Khrystyna also joined a number of social initiatives during her time at KSE.
“At the University of Massachusetts Amherst and at Sciences Po in Paris during the CIVICA European Week, the girls and I gave presentations about Ukrainian traditions and the consequences of the full-scale Russian invasion,” Khrystyna shares.
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“You have one life—don’t waste it wishing to live it differently”
Today, Khrystyna is a third-year undergraduate student at KSE University, majoring in Business Economics. After graduation, she plans to pursue a master’s degree and continue her education further.
Currently, Khrystyna works as a financial analyst at the product IT company appflame, which is showing the world just how impressive Ukrainian products can be. At the same time, she is preparing for an English proficiency exam required to apply for a dual degree program with the University of Houston. Additionally, she is preparing to take the international ACCA certification exam in Financial Accounting.
“I am incredibly grateful to our defenders—both women and men—who are sacrificing their lives and health to give us the opportunity to live, study, and work in a free country,” says Khrystyna.