The Washington Group sponsors summer intern at Embassy of Ukraine (08/20/06)

The Washington Group sponsors summer intern at Embassy of Ukraine

WASHINGTON - After reviewing several highly qualified candidates, the Ukrainian Embassy announced recently that Bohdan Bondarenko has filled its prestigious internship position for 2006.

Every summer, The Washington Group's Fellowship Fund sponsors an intern at the Embassy of Ukraine in Washington. This year's TWG Embassy Internship program attracted a number of highly qualified applicants.

Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Mr. Bondarenko received a degree in international relations from the Institute for Oriental Studies and International Relations. After graduation, Mr. Bondarenko worked for two years in the Parliament of Ukraine - the Verkhovna Rada - as an assistant to the head of the Special Control Commission on Privatization in Ukraine.

Mr. Bondarenko moved to Germany, where he learned German and eventually enrolled at Humboldt University in Berlin, where he studied computer science. Currently, Mr. Bondarenko is a graduate student at the Berlin School of Economics in Germany. He expects to graduate this fall with a master of arts degree in international economics. In Berlin, Mr. Bondarenko is actively involved in student activities, having co-founded the Berlin branch of the Union of Ukrainian Students in Germany, which organizes and coordinates student activities in the German capital.

Mr. Bondarenko recently completed an internship in the German Parliament on the Committee on Foreign Affairs. The field of international relations is a high priority in Mr. Bondarenko's career planning. Having absorbed the finest traditions of European and, in particular, German foreign policy making practices, he is thankful to have been an asset at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.

"We really appreciate cooperation with The Washington Group," said Nataliia Holub, second secretary in the Cultural, Information and Press Office of the Embassy of Ukraine. "The benefit from the Summer Internship Program for the Embassy is significant. Although the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington is one of the biggest Ukrainian representations abroad, we could always use a helping hand, especially considering the high level of educational and professional background demonstrated by TWG interns."

Mr. Bondarenko said, "I came to the Embassy with the goal to make some important decisions as to the future of my professional career. This particular internship fulfilled all of my expectations. I highly recommend the internship for any student seeking a chance to look behind the scenes of foreign policy making. I do hope future interns will share my enthusiasm towards the summer internship program of TWG."

Mr. Bondarenko's enthusiasm was demonstrated by seeking out the internship while in Germany, contacting the Ukrainian Embassy there for a networking interview, and being strongly motivated to come to Washington, on his own dime, if needed, for this internship. All of this contributed to his selection.

Since 1996, the Washington Group's Fellowship Fund has sponsored 11 interns at the Embassy of Ukraine at a cost of $16,500. Since its inception in 1987, the TWG Fellowship Fund has awarded over $45,000 in grants for 33 distinct projects. From 1987 to 1990, grants were awarded exclusively to Ukrainian Americans or Canadians to conduct educational or work projects to further Ukrainian American interests, and take advantage of Washington's unique resources. In 1990, with the new opportunities presented by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the TWG Fellowship Committee opened its fellowship program to candidates in Ukraine and abroad.

The Fellowship Fund relies exclusively on contributions. For more information or to contribute, contact: [email protected] or write to: Fellowship Fund Director, The Washington Group, P.O. Box 11248, Washington, DC 20008.

The Washington Group is an association of Ukrainian American professionals based in Washington and founded in 1984. More information about TWG may be found at www.TheWashingtonGroup.org.

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