A Ukrainian Student’s Global Pursuit Unfolds in Richmond
Written by: Sofiia Mikadze, '24
Kris Atamanyuk comes from Kolomyia in western Ukraine. Surrounded by scenic beauty of the Carpathian Mountains, Atamanyuk’s upbringing instilled in her a sense of curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. Since she was very little, she knew she wanted to explore different parts of the world and immerse herself in a rigorous academic setting. Today she is a rising junior at the University of Richmond, who brings her unique perspective to the Spider community and fulfils her curiosity on campus and beyond.
She believes that life is a chain of small things that lead you to a big one, and hers is unfolding.
From a young age, Atamanyuk had a keen interest in economics and business, but also explored various avenues of self-expression, spending time in dance,theater,debates, and student government. "It was the start of everything and learning about new opportunities," she said, reminiscing about her time in the debate club in Kolomiya, where she traveled around Ukraine and became a finalist in the all-Ukrainian national debate Olympiad.
Atamanyuk’s journey took a decisive turn when she participated in the School of Success program, organized by the Klitschko Foundation. This 10-day educational program for socially active teens taught them about business, social, and community projects. "I realized I wanted to be academically successful and emotionally intelligent," she said.
Soon afterwards, she decided to establish a branch of the School of Success in her hometown and invited successful Ukrainian business leaders to educate and inspire Atamanyuk’s peers. That same year, she participated in a program organized by CACTUS, a non-profit NGO that educates Ukrainian youths on project design, human rights, civil responsibility, and communication. The program allowed Atamanyuk to experience community projects aimed at implementing positive social change.
It was Atamanyuk’s transformative experience at the United World College (UWC) in Armenia that served as a turning point in her journey. "Armenia became my second home," she said. As a student there, she met people from all over the world in a bustling high-school setting that allowed her to further develop her involvement in meaningful community projects.
Attending UR offered her new opportunities for growth and exploration. “I would never think that, coming from a small town in Ukraine, I would go to college on a whole different continent,” she said. Smaller class sizes, a beautiful campus, and an academically driven student body were key reasons for choosing Richmond.
Fascinated by opportunities on campus and beyond, Atamanyuk decided to join a Semester at Sea program in her sophomore year, which her academic advisor considered a very rebellious thing to do. While there, she lived on a floating campus like a world citizen. “One day you wake up in Thailand and the next day you wake up in Europe,” she said. She felt safe and secure even in rough waters. Most importantly, she explored unfamiliar parts of the world and formed lifelong friendships.