May 25, 2021 – Issue 573

Ukrainian Couple Finds Personal and Professional Fulfillment at MIU and Beyond

Eugene and Julia Rohozhnikov met while studying software engineering in Ukraine. Julia already had plans to apply to MIU, inspired by her cousin Kate, who attended the MS in Computer Science Program. Julia joined MIU after she graduated and Eugene soon followed.

The couple felt at home on the MIU campus and made lifelong friendships with classmates. “The MIU network is very strong, and we keep our bond all across the world,” said Eugene. “Whenever we travel, we visit dear MIU friends. They open their houses, prepare delicious traditional meals, and we spend hours chatting about life and reminiscing. One of my classmates, Boldkhuu Dandarvanchig from Mongolia, is officially part of our family now.”

At the MIU graduation with friend Boldkhuu Dandarvanchig

Both Eugene and Julia enjoy learning and challenging themselves, so they welcomed the variety of classes at MIU. “The courses are tightly related to real-world professional work requirements, and the professors are very knowledgeable and helpful,” said Julia. “We often worked in teams, sharing creative thought processes and getting great results.”

They found the Transcendental Meditation® program a valuable tool for maintaining a healthy body and state of mind. “TM helped us get the most out of our education and maintain a stable study-life balance,” said Julia.

Recently Julia and Eugene visited Julia’s cousin Kate near Seattle, Washington where Kate is currently a Senior Software Development Engineer at Microsoft. Kate is also a ComPro graduate and first inspired Julia to attend MIU.

Eugene and Julia graduated in 2017 and they now live in Baltimore, Maryland. Eugene started working as a junior developer and has now advanced to senior software engineer. His eagerness to stay up to date with the latest trends in technology has helped him advance at work and become a trusted adviser.

Julia works as lead quality assurance engineer and product owner and enjoys managing teams and working with customers. Since completing her degree at MIU, she has accumulated an impressive collection of certifications and additional graduate degrees in the fields of project management and IT.

Julia and Eugene love to travel and are planning to return to MIU for its 50th anniversary and the ComPro program’s 25th anniversary in September.