We hear from Alumni Association Liaison Officer at Pechersk School International (PSI) Nikita Vasyliev, who shares how the PSI school community creates opportunities for connection, advice and collaboration with students, alumni and educators.
By Nikita Vasyliev 
“This was a great opportunity for our high schoolers to learn more about the transition period after graduation”
At Pechersk School International (PSI), our school motto (‘A place where we belong’) indicates our commitment to developing warm, caring relationships in an environment where all community members feel secure, appreciated and motivated to learn. It also strongly reflects the idea of continued collaboration with our alumni, graduates and staff members as well.
This year, we organized a series of alumni reunions to reconnect with our IB graduates that had moved across the globe. Fortunately for our community, these were scheduled for prior to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. In January, we held our annual alumni reunion in London, England. Shortly afterwards, we hosted our first-ever alumni reunion dinner in New York, New York in the United States, which was also a huge success. PSI School Director Rachel Caldwell travelled to meet former PSI graduates, who shared their stories and recent successes in both their professional and personal lives. It was a great opportunity for classmates to reconnect and reminisce about their days writing extended essay drafts and practicing theory of knowledge (TOK) presentations.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis and limitations, we have had to redesign our reunion scheduled in Kyiv, Ukraine and recently held a virtual session with our alumni. It was a fun-filled experience that offered our community to be together without compromising their safety. Apart from our former students, we enjoyed the company of our former teachers as we all told stories and shared memories from our time at PSI.
We are keen to support our IB alumni community since warmth and compassion have never been more important than they are now. By continuing this aspect of networking, we will offer opportunities for the class of 2020 to join the ranks of the IB alumni in our network as they move on to their next adventures!
Previously, with our secondary school team (that included the counselor and principal), we organized events for our IB Diploma Programme (DP) students to speak with our alumni called ‘Life After PSI’. This was a great opportunity for our high schoolers to learn more about the transition period after graduation, how to successfully apply for tertiary education as well as learn more about career paths they may not have heard of before.
The best advice we wanted to share is to make sure you can find the right fit. Some people’s work is their passion, some people work to support their hobby (which is their passion). There is no one right way or method. What we believe is that the most important consideration is the lifestyle that you want to live.
Our aim is to guide and support our students through their journey of becoming independent adults.
PSI is grateful for the many alumni that stay in touch with us and support our school.
Nikita Vasyliev is the personal assistant to the director & alumni association liaison officer at Pechersk School International (PSI). He was born in Donetsk, Ukraine and has more than five years of experience working in the field of education. He has a bachelor’s degree in the management field and a passion to help and support others. He values PSI for its diverse and open-minded community which makes the school truly a place where everyone belongs.
Pechersk School International (PSI) has been an IB World School Since 2000 and is located in Kyiv, Ukraine. A hallmark of PSI is its strong professional culture. PSI benefits from exceptional, well-qualified and experienced faculty members who work collaboratively to offer students a first-class educational experience. PSI is committed to providing an authentic, well-rounded education and takes pride in the opportunities provided in the classroom and beyond.
To hear more from Diploma Programme (DP) graduates check out these IB programme stories. If you are an IB grad and want to share your story, write to us at alumni.relations@ibo.org. We appreciate your support in sharing IB stories and invite you to connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter Instagram and YouTube!
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