COLUMBIA, Ky. – Lindsey Wilson College student Anatoliy Voloshyn said he was overcome by a “feeling of darkness” when his native Ukraine was invaded by Russian military forces more than three years ago.
On Thursday night, Voloshyn found inspiration by the support he received from members of the Lindsey Wilson and Columbia-Adair County communities.
Voloshyn, a business administration senior from Cherkasy, Ukraine, kicked off the inaugural meeting of the Lindsey Wilson Ukraine Club, which attracted more than 50 people from the college and local community to the college’s Dr. Robert and Carol Goodin Nursing & Counseling Center.
“Since day one, the support I have received from the Lindsey Wilson community has been unbelievable,” said Voloshyn, who is from central Ukraine. “That’s why I say this is my second home. It is not just beautiful words – it’s about the community, it’s about the people here. I’m just so grateful for everyone who has supported us during these difficult and terrible times.”
One of the purposes of the college’s Ukraine Club is to “show a little bit of spirit and culture” of the Eastern European nation to area residents, said Bohdan Dovbush, a business administration sophomore from Lviv, Ukraine.
Dovbush, who was in high school when Russian military forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, said “you could feel the fear in the air” in his city, which is in western Ukraine near Poland.
“This club lets us show our respect for Ukraine, for the soldiers who protect our country, to show a little bit of our spirit and culture,” he said.
The audience watched a recorded message from Voloshyn’s fitness coach, Maksym Dolzhenko, who was honored for his bravery in the war and now is director of Tors Rehabilitation Center in Ukraine. Dolzhenko told audience members what they could do to aid his efforts to serve military veterans.
“He is the most positive guy I’ve ever met in my life,” said Voloshyn. “I don’t know how strong you must be to go through all of this and not give up your faith.”
The club also aims to share other Ukrainians’ stories with the community.
“We all share the same experience but different stories,” said Anastasiia Ivanchenko, a business administration senior from Chernivtsi, which is located in the southwest area of Ukraine. “We would like to share our stories and culture with all of you.”
Some of those stories include Ukrainians who have given their lives in the war, such as Voloshyn’s former tennis coach, who died in battle.
“We asked him, ‘Why are you going?’ He had the option to escape to another country and lead a normal life,” said Voloshyn. “The reason he gave was that he was fighting for his family. He was fighting for the choice to live in a beautiful, peaceful and free country with democratic values. … That’s why he’s always going to remain as our hero and my personal role model.”
Anastasiia Vorobiova told the gathering that her family has an uncle who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the bombs that have fallen near his home.
“The war is heartbreaking, so this club means a lot to me because it helps me stay connected to my roots, share our stories, share our culture and show that Ukrainians are strong,” said Vorobiova, a business administration senior from the port city of Odesa.
The strong level of support that turned out for Thursday night’s inaugural meeting was yet another reminder to Voloshyn about the power of friendship.
“The Ukrainian people will always be grateful to our biggest friend and our biggest ally, which is the U.S.,” he said. “We will never, ever going to forget it, and we are thankful for everything you have done for us.”
PHOTO – Members of the Lindsey Wilson College Ukrainian Club were greeted by more than 50 Lindsey Wilson students, faculty, staff and area residents at Thursday night’s meeting in the college’s Dr. Robert and Carol Goodin Nursing & Counseling Center. From left: Anastasiia Vorobiova ’25 from Odesa, Ukraine; Anastasiia Ivanchenko ’25 from Chernivtsi, Ukraine; Bohdan Dovbush ’27 from Lviv, Ukraine; and Anatoliy Voloshyn ’25 from Cherkasy, Ukraine.
PHOTO – Anatoliy Voloshyn ’25 from Cherkasy, Ukraine, far right, speaks at the inaugural meeting of the Lindsey Wilson College Ukrainian Club on Thursday night in the college’s Dr. Robert and Carol Goodin Nursing & Counseling Center. Looking on, from left, are:
Bohdan Dovbush ’27 from Lviv, Ukraine; Anastasiia Ivanchenko ’25 from Chernivtsi, Ukraine; and Anastasiia Vorobiova ’25 from Odesa, Ukraine.
PHOTO – Members of the Lindsey Wilson College Ukrainian Club are joined by club adviser J.C. Phelps, a faculty member in the college’s school of business and communication. From left: Anastasiia Ivanchenko ’25 from Chernivtsi, Ukraine; Anastasiia Vorobiova ’25 from Odesa, Ukraine; Phelps; Bohdan Dovbush ’27 from Lviv, Ukraine; and Anatoliy Voloshyn ’25 from Cherkasy, Ukraine.
(Duane Bonifer – Lindsey Wilson College)