Queen Anne News Reports on Russian Banking Group Program

Global education often involves a wide network of people and decades of relationship development.  One of the Group Programs which A.C.E. administered this summer, 2012 Russian Banking Summer School, is an excellent illustration of this point.  A.C.E.’s Senior Advisor for Russia and Ukraine, Dr. Tatyana Tsyrlina-Spady, utilized her lifetime of educational experience in Russia and the U.S. to establish a relationship with colleagues in Moscow associated with the Central Bank’s new study abroad outreach.  She and A.C.E. President David Woodward visited Russia in March 2012 to sign an agreement leading to this program’s implementation.

Banking students raise their arms to a day of shadowing, posing for the Queen Anne News.   Photo by Gwen Davis.

While in the Pacific Northwest, the group of 18 trainees lead by Prof. Polina Palekhova, met a range of senior experts in banking, finance, and higher education including several A.C.E. board members and associates.  This article appearing in the Queen Anne News describes a site visit to the Home Street Bank on Queen Anne, managed by Mr. Hossein Soleymani.  Mr. Soleymani and President Woodward have been friends since they met in university 30 years ago, an example of how important international relationships grow and blossom over a lifetime.  The Russian trainees represent the first ever program of its kind in the U.S. funded by Russia’s Central Bank.  We look forward to following the careers of these 18 future leaders of Russia, knowing that bridges of friendship between Russia and the U.S. will strengthen because of their experiences with us.