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Rocky Mount, N.C.—A group of 14 university students from Russia and several top Russian administrators and educators will find out what life is like at a small American liberal arts college when they visit North Carolina Wesleyan College on Friday, January 21. Their full-day stay at Wesleyan will be one of the highlights of a week-long visit to the United States that will begin with a tour of the Washington, D.C., area.

The college-age students are primarily from Oryol State Agrarian University, Oryol State University, and Oryol Technical University. They will be accompanied on their tour by the rector of Oryol State Agrarian University, two translators, and a photojournalist who served as official photographer to former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev.

The students’ visit to the United States is sponsored by the Frank Foundation—Child Assistance International, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides cultural, humanitarian, and educational assistance to children and youth throughout the world, particularly in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. The foundation has facilitated more than 10,000 international adoptions and has dramatically improved the lives of thousands of children throughout the world.

"The thing that’s interesting and special about these Russian students’ visit is that all the students have grown up in an orphanage and have been able to find their way into universities," said Gary Sherman, director of enrollment management at Wesleyan. "The Frank Foundation is sponsoring them with scholarships."

Sherman is largely responsible for adding the Wesleyan visit to the group’s agenda. Sherman has collaborated with the Frank Foundation before to help establish a scholarship for a Russian student to attend college in the United States. When Sherman learned of the Frank Foundation’s plans to sponsor a student trip to America, he helped to organize their visit to Rocky Mount.

At Wesleyan, the Russian students will sit in on several classes and participate in discussions through their translators. Students with a business interest will attend an environmental science class while those interested in business will visit a globalization class.

An open forum scheduled for 2 p.m. in Powers Recital Hall in Wesleyan’s Dunn Center will provide an opportunity for the Wesleyan community to meet with the students. A group of students from the Rocky Mount Preparatory School, located near the Wesleyan campus, will also attend the forum.

"The forum will enable our students to learn how the Russian students see us and how we see them, and how we all see the world," Sherman said. "This is a wonderful opportunity for the Russian students to learn more about the United States and for us to hear their perspectives."

During a luncheon in the Russian students’ honor at the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts, the guests will be recognized by Wesleyan administrators, Rocky Mount Mayor Fred Turnage, and other officials. Following a bus tour of Rocky Mount led by Eddie Baysden, executive director of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce, the group will have dinner at the home of Wesleyan President Ian Newbould and Carla Newbould.

"This visit to the United States is a chance of a lifetime for the Russian students," Sherman said. "They have never traveled out of Russia and have had a very challenging life. They could inspire our students and we could inspire them to strive for success—hopefully both will occur."

The Russian group’s agenda also will include a visit to the Frank Foundation’s partner agency in Raleigh and later a meeting with several American families who have adopted orphans from Russia.

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