Jessica M. Zychowicz PhD, University of Michigan; BA, University of California Berkeley

I am currently based in Warsawa and Kyiv. I continue to work across and within global contexts at the intersection of education, culture, gender, and peace & conflict studies.

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In my service to the profession of higher education, I am actively engaged in foundations and organizations both in and outside of academia where I can most effectively contribute my expertise, and contribute to the development of educational institutions, digital infrastructures, quality of information, and democracy. I regularly collaborate and consult with public foundations serving displaced populations, addressing the more general E.U. and global concern for human rights by providing skills, services, and institutional capacity to ensure access to education, as well as organizations partnering on a safe and equitable labor market for people of all backgrounds, genders, and nationalities. IIE (Institute of International Education) is at present one of the major organizations that is working directly to respond materially to assist students, support universities' programs integration of displaced students longer-term, and advise leaders both through supporting higher education across Eastern Europe and supporting the 4 million+ refugees of all nationalities displaced throughout the region.

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Through my work with scholars, administrators, and others I have helped to raise funds to support students, scholars, and artists impacted by the war. Efforts have focused on students inside Ukraine as well as many SRF scholarships for displaced students from Ukraine who are now continuing their studies from other countries. I also have worked on a large grant project that was started in 2018 and ran until 2023 which supported scholars from twelve universities that were displaced from the occupied territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, and Crimea beginning in 2016. 

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In September 2022 I was a key part of designing and leading a new study abroad program for third year undergraduates from Ukraine to study at U.S. universities. This program is also a leadership building program and aims for Ukrainian students and future scholars to connect with mentors and learn skills that will help to rebuild the country. The Global Democracy Ambassador Scholarship was co-led by IIE and three humanitarian leaders, including Gary Kasparov's RDI: Renew Democracy Initiative.

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Everyday I serve a diverse globally-engaged public in my role as Director of Fulbright Ukraine and IIE: Institute of International Institute, Kyiv Office. For a recent article about the history of IIE since 1919 in light of current events in Ukraine and elsewhere around the globe, see here.  This year the escalation of atrocities of Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine (which started in 2014) has impacted many universities and displaced over 10 million people throughout the country and abroad.

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