Living in Ukraine: My Story of an Unbreakable Nation

The Public Policy Center is proud to support this lecture hosted by the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC).

While watching the news, you often hear about Ukraine, a country invaded by Russia on February 24, 2022. Despite being located in the eastern part of Europe, a thousand miles away from the United States, this country is fighting for the values we all share: democracy and freedom. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be Ukrainian? Have you ever been interested in learning about Ukraine's history and culture? 'Living in Ukraine: My Story of an Unbreakable Nation' is an invitation to join a conversation about the country and its people with a citizen and fellow Hawkeye. 

Born and raised in Ukraine, Oksana Hirchak landed for the first time in Chicago on August 24, 2021, also the Independence Day of her home country. She came to the United States to study, and August 2023 is the month Oksana graduates with a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Iowa. In Ukraine, she also obtained a bachelor's degree in History and a master's degree in American and European Studies.

​Oksana spent a year teaching English to adults in Beijing, China. Her background in History and Psychology and her experience living in three countries provides a unique opportunity to see the world from different perspectives. In October 2022, Oksana received a Global Democracy Ambassador Scholarship from the Institute of International Education for Ukrainian students. She also received the International Student Graduation Leadership Award from the University of Iowa.