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We already knew Long Beach State was a world-class institution. But this Spring, Dr. Linda-Marie Sundstrom – one of the Beach\u2019s distinguished faculty – will be taking that award-winning education to Kharkiv, Ukraine, thanks to a grant awarded by the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.<\/p>\n
Dr. Sundstrom, a product of the CSU system herself \u2013 with a bachelor’s from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s from CSU San Bernardino \u2013 is one of 1,100 faculty and professionals selected to participate in the U.S. Department of State-sponsored program and the second faculty from Long Beach State\u2019s Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration in as many years.<\/p>\n
Professor Sundstrom will be teaching at the National Academy of Public Administration attached to the Office of the President of Ukraine at the Kharkiv Regional Institute of Public Administration. She will be teaching an introductory course in program development for first-year Masters in Public Administration (MPA) students, another course on program development, evaluation and funding for advanced MPA students and a project-oriented course on the same topic for students pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics.<\/p>\n
\u201cOverall,\u201d Sundstrom told the lbpost.com, \u201cthe courses are intended to help students identify community problems, develop innovative solutions, develop partners, staffing and evaluation systems, along with identifying possible funding sources to implement the program.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Sundstrom will not be spending the entire time in the classroom. As part of her visit, Dr. Sundstrom will also be meeting with government agencies and community groups throughout the country. This is part of the Institute\u2019s goal to build strong alliances between Ukraine and the United States. \u201cWe are planning to discuss favorable outcomes that would be mutually beneficial for both countries and universities,\u201d Sundstrom explained. Recognizing that an opportunity like this doesn\u2019t come very often, I asked Dr. Sundstrom what she seeks to accomplish on her visit. In response, she shared the following goals:<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope to leave the students with a better understanding of public administration in the United States, and provide them with tools that they can utilize and customize for their needs within the framework of the Ukrainian government system. I also hope to leave them with a better understanding of our government agencies and how our political system and government agencies are connected, and how they are separate. I would also like to illustrate how public opinion can drive our government agencies, and how our agencies are responsive to citizens while maintaining stability and consistent services.\u201d<\/p>\n
As she looks forward to the opportunities that await her, Dr. Sundstrom also recognizes the potential challenges that await her. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe language is a bit challenging, although many of the younger students have a good grasp of English, and the Institute is providing me with a number of interpreters,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
In addition to the language barrier, Sundstrom expects to contend with differences in culture, expectations and government infrastructure. Citing one example, she noted that students in Ukraine are accustomed to having to wait up to several weeks for a professor\u2019s response to an email message. On the contrary, students in American institutions expect faculty to respond to their messages within days, if not hours. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis cultural difference of immediacy impacts how government agencies provide services, conduct outreach, and determine levels of appropriate customer service,\u201d Sundstrom said. At the same time, she explained: \u201cWe need to understand these differences before we can begin a meaningful discussion about theories of public administration.\u201d<\/p>\n
The timing of her visit (she leaves this month) could not have been more opportune. Just last week, Ukraine elected a new president. Her experience in the Ukraine will undoubtedly enhance the learning experience of her students once she returns to Long Beach. In recognition of this, I felt compelled to ask Professor Sundstrom how she plans to use her experience upon her return to CSULB. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy goal is that both the faculty and students at Cal State Long Beach have a better idea of how much our two countries are intertwined,\u201d she said. She offered the following example: President-elect Viktor Yanukovych\u2019s campaign was managed by the same consultants who ran Senator John McCain\u2019s 2008 presidential campaign and his opponent’s (Yulia Tymoshenko) campaign was run by a consulting agency founded by David Axelrod, considered the architect of President Barack Obama\u2019s historic campaign. <\/p>\n
Citing another example, Dr. Sundstrom pointed out how Ukrainians were unable to access money from their own bank accounts when the collapse of Lehman Brothers shocked America\u2019s financial markets. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe world is so interrelated,\u201d she said, \u201cand I would like to be able to explain and demonstrate that when I return.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once again, amid the State\u2019s budget woes and the impact these continue to have on the CSU system, there is a bright spot in Long Beach \u2013 a Fulbright, that is!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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