When Viktoriia Savchuk Kennet Ph.D. ‘25 crossed the stage at commencement this May, she carried not only a doctoral degree, but a mission—to return home and use her research on communication and resilience to help rebuild her country.
“I love Ukraine. It is a beautiful country,” Viktoriia says. “I cherish every opportunity to be here with my family, friends, and my people, and to contribute in any way I can to positive change and good memories despite everything.”
Her decision to bring her Maryland experience back to Ukraine reflects quiet bravery and unshakable purpose—an example of how international education shapes leaders who carry what they’ve learned across borders in service of the common good.
After earning her master’s degree in Media Arts & Studies from Ohio University as a Fulbright grantee, Viktoriia sought a doctoral program that aligned with her passion for strategic communication and public relations.
“After extensive research, I realized that the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland offers one of the best programs in Public Relations and Strategic Communication in the United States, and likely in the world,” she recalls. “It was also the only program in the country where I found a professor who had conducted research involving my home country, Ukraine.”
That professor, Dr. Erich J. Sommerfeldt, became her first academic advisor and a guiding influence early in her program. She later worked closely with her dissertation advisor, Dr. Ganga S. Dhanesh, whose mentorship and international perspective helped shape Viktoriia’s research and worldview.
While her doctoral studies were rigorous and rewarding, the defining moments of her Maryland experience came through community. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my time at UMD was connecting with people from around the world and across the United States,” she says.
Her department fostered a global learning environment where peers and professors brought diverse perspectives from their own international experiences. That sense of belonging proved invaluable in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Many people reached out, contributed to my volunteering efforts, left kind notes, brought cookies to class, and found countless ways to show they cared and wanted to help,” Viktoriia remembers. “Every gesture meant so much and helped me keep going.”
Today, Viktoriia is transforming knowledge into impact. She works with the Raphael Lemkin Society, a Ukrainian nonprofit advocating for the protection of culture in times of war. Her organization draws inspiration from Raphael Lemkin, the Polish-Jewish legal scholar who later worked in the U.S. and argued that the destruction of culture is an integral part of genocide. She first discovered Lemkin’s ideas her first semester at UMD—a connection that has come full circle.
In addition, Viktoriia serves as a communication consultant for the World Bank’s project, contributing to Ukraine’s sustainability, infrastructure, and postwar reconstruction efforts. Her bilingual communication skills—sharpened while researching and writing her dissertation on Ukraine’s wartime nation branding—help her navigate complex, cross-cultural work environments every day.
Returning to Ukraine has not been easy. Her home country now endures constant air raids, attacks on civilian areas, particularly critical power infrastructure, and recurring power outages, and the loss of loved ones and colleagues weighs heavily. Yet Viktoriia remains undeterred. “The past few years have brought many difficult lessons,” she reflects. “They taught me to cherish every moment and to create memories not defined solely by nights spent hiding with my family from the missiles and drones Russia launches at our civilian homes.”
Despite loss and hardship, she holds fast to hope. “I believe, as Ambassador Oksana Markarova once said, that light will ultimately overcome darkness and evil.”
For Viktoriia, the power of international education lies not only in knowledge, but in connection. “Studying abroad isn’t just about earning a degree,” she says. “It’s about connecting with yourself and the world. Every conversation becomes a bridge, every friendship a new lens.”
Her journey—rooted in love for Ukraine, shaped by Maryland, and guided by a vision of service—shows how learning across cultures can spark empathy, purpose, and lasting global impact. During International Education Week, Nov. 17-21, 2025, we celebrate stories like Viktoriia’s that show how education can bridge nations, nurture understanding, and serve the common good.