Graduation of the International Program Students

For more, click here.

Russian Adventures

One full month on Russian soil and I feel like I'll never have enough time to see the whole city!  St. Petersburg is fantastic, and the university has given us the tools to explore it as much as we want.  We've seen churches, a mosque, the Peter and Paul Fortress, parks, museums, theaters, Novgorod, Peterhof, and Russian Disneyland, to name just a few.  We're planning more excursions to theaters, concerts, sports games, museums, Volgograd, Vyborg, Moscow, and maybe Kiev or Finland!

Ivan and Tyler in Disneyland

The classes are opening up a whole new world of Russian history, language, literature, and art.  We have the rare opportunity of learning Russian history from its very beginning.  Our language teacher, Lyuba, wrote her own curriculum, and I wish I'd had it when I was studying on my own in the States.  She's designed it for natural immersion, with games, writing, reading, and speech in every class.  The literature class is excellent--ancient Russian literature, especially translated into English, is not always interesting...but Mr. Schmidt, being an Old Testament scholar, can delve into any text (including Harry Potter) and make it exciting or meaningful.  Art history is overwhelming, but fantastic.  Elena Savinova is an endless fountain of knowledge about visual and performing arts, and she's always happy to let us pick her brain.

Alexei, Grisha, Leonid, Brian, and Tyler at the Novgorod Kremlin

The dorms are cozy, and the students are all ages, from all places (though mostly Siberia, from what I've gathered), and no one is boring.  They all have fascinating stories--we have an older gentleman who's sailed the world as a fishboat captain and a girl from Turkministan who spent 10 hours in jail for going to a Christian conference.  Most speak more English than I do Russian, and we all help each other learn what we can.  Svetlana and I are learning German together, I'm teaching English to a family from Uzbek once a week, and doing English/Russian homework together in the kitchen with tea, chocolate, and fried chicken at midnight is a bonding experience I'll never get in the States. 
~Kira

Visit to California Baptist University

For more, see http://spbcu.ru/en/pr/posts/638

Fall Semester 2010

With joy in our hearts we would like to inform you that we expect a group of 5 students from Briercrest College for the next Fall Semester.  Amy, Caleb, Greg (back row), Tyler and Brian (front row) have made the decision to come to SPbCU to become our International Students to study Russian Language, History, Arts, and Literature. Kira Mayo, an individual student from the University of Missouri-Kanzas City, will also join our Fall Semester 2010. They will spend here 4 months of intensive studies to learn more about Russian culture dwelling in a Christian environment. 

SPbCU Students Traveled to Germany

This spring (2010), we were invited to the Student Conference in Lebenszentrum Adelshofen. The conference was held by ESYA - European Student Youth Association. This movement goes back to the 1950s, when students of European theological schools came together in prayer for missionary service. The visit to the conference turned out to be very fruitful for us. We've got new acquaintances, new experiences, and new horizons in serving God. We are encouraged by the fact that students from different European countries share the same idea: to proclaim the gospel all over the world. We wish to express our gratitude to SPbCU administration for letting us attend the conference and to all those who made this conference possible. "

Guests from Norway

On April 26th, guests from Norway visited SPbCU. This was the first "trial" visit of the Norwegian students of Music School. 

Read more here: http://www.spbcu.ru/en/posts/593

Forum of Christian Education in Atlanta, USA

The International Forum on Christian Education was held in Atlanta, USA, on February 23-26. The discussion included 1123 representatives of 123 institutions from 25 countries.

Amongst the speakers of the Forum was Richard Stearns, President of World Vision Inc., Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institute of Public Health, which is known for its innovative work in the project of human genome, Dr. Wendy Kopp, founder of the national teaching corps "Teach for America", and Dr. John M. Perkins, American civil rights activist.

The conference included many sessions on the questions of administering educational institutions, new approaches in education, and international partnerships in Christian education.

Dr. Alexander Negrov, Rector of SPbCU, held several meetings with current and future partners of SPbCU like Wes Olmsted, Dean of Briercrest College, and Steven R. Cramer, President of Bethel College. Both of these schools are partners of SPbCU. Dr. Negrov also held other meetings with leaders of schools located in the North America and Asia. 
 
On the Forum, Negrov made the presentation of SPbCU for leaders of other educational institutions.

A Visit to the Horrors of Petersburg Attraction

Right before the departure, within the Raskolnikov tour our students dared to visit the Horrors of Petersburg Attraction - the most frightful place in the city, where famous urban legends are represented with the use of modern technologies and contradictory literary heroes still dwell, played by actors.

Moscow Trip, Nov.13-14, 2009

On November 13-14, 2009, the International Program Students traveled to Moscow, having visited the Red Square - the heart of Russia - and the Kremlin. Justin (on the picture) who admires  Carl Marx' economical ideas, was glad to see Lenin - the person who tried to bring those ideas into practice in Russia and whose body is being still kept in the Mausoleum behind.  

International student writes about her experience at SPbCU

Please read a report titled "Of cathedrals, canals, and constructivism" authored by Johannah Bird, a Briercrest College and Seminary student. See - http://www.briercrest.ca/alumni/news-article.asp?id=855

In her report Johannah writes - "Living in a land with a different Christian heritage has presented a unique opportunity to learn more about the Russian church and the issues it faces.

We live in dorm with the Russian students at the university, and most of us have Russian roommates. We're expected to immerse ourselves in student life, so we attend chapels, eat in the cafeteria, clean the dorm, and participate in events and activities (even when they demand a Canadian rendition of Russian traditional dance). I am continually amazed by the hospitality we receive from staff, faculty, and students alike. Our friends have shown us generosity from the first days of our arrival. This generosity extends to graciousness as we all learn to understand one another and find ways to communicate. Having said this, we have all had to make some adjustments to life in a new city and country. Communication has been a big learning curve, but we have been reveling in the opportunities to learn new words and help other students learn English."

See - http://www.briercrest.ca/alumni/news-article.asp?id=855

Photo Album made by our students