From fear to future: student from Ukraine enrolls in University of Scranton
Aug. 24—SCRANTON — The early morning blasts jolted Serhii Kuzmin Jr. awake.
As Russian troops advanced toward Kharkiv, Ukraine, he feared for his country, family and future.
Kuzmin dreamed of attending college in the United States, earning admission and a merit scholarship to the University of Scranton months before.
"I felt like, since waking up and hearing loud noises, my life had taken another direction. And that direction was very dangerous," the 18-year-old said. "I didn't know how much time we had to flee to safety. We didn't know what we were going to do."
After sheltering in their home for three days when the Russian invasion began in February, Kuzmin and his parents packed two suitcases and drove to a village in central Ukraine. From there, the family made plans to flee to Germany.
The family heard reports and saw pictures of the damage in Kharkiv. Missiles destroyed schools, libraries and museums and killed civilians.
"It just feels like they have no mercy. It's an unimaginable level of cruelty," Kuzmin said. "I couldn't imagine my city being bombed. When I saw the damage the missiles caused, it was so painful. It was terrifying seeing your hometown bombed."
His dad, a construction manager, saw many of the buildings he had helped construct leveled by the Russians. The family found shelter in a one-room World War II bomb shelter in Germany.
From Scranton, Stacey Urgento followed the news. The senior assistant director for international admissions, who had already spoken to Kuzmin many times, wanted to know he was safe.
"I just kept thinking about him and worrying about him," she said.
When Kuzmin and his family found shelter, he contacted Urgento again. University staff members connected with Kuzmin regularly through Zoom, offering him a chance to share his story and to answer any questions.
After finishing formal schooling in Ukraine, Kuzmin took a year off to research schools in the United States. As an Orthodox Christian with an interest in philosophy, the mission of Jesuit schools appealed to him.
"I want to serve others," Kuzmin said. "The idea of the community here is the reason I chose the University of Scranton."
Kuzmin will study computer science, a passion he first found as a child curious how computers worked. He then developed a passion for using technology to create solutions for everyday problems.
For now, his parents remain in Germany. He hopes they can one day join him in the United States.
On Tuesday, the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day, Kuzmin arrived to campus for the first time. He met Urgento, who had ordered his bedding and other essentials for his residence hall room, and other international students. Urgento plans to introduce Kuzmin to the Ukrainian community in Scranton.
As the sun began to set and the streetlamps flickered on, Kuzmin stood in front of St. Thomas Hall. The university set the light panels on the side of the building to blue and yellow for Ukraine.
"We are trying to protect our nation, our independence, just to be a country," he said. "With this open-minded community, I thought I'd be the perfect fit."
Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9133; @hofiushallTT on Twitter.
