January 19, 1998

Middlebury College’s Geonomics Institute Joins

Vermont Non-Profits and Educators to Provide Professional Training:

Community Connections Winter Program

Adjusting to a society no longer supported by a communist

government, residents of the former Soviet Union are seeking more

than economic expertise from the West.

From Jan. 27 to Feb.12, 10 social service and education

professionals from the Rivne region in northeastern Ukraine will

intern with their Vermont counterparts in Burlington, Waterbury,

and Randolph as participants in the Community Connections winter

program, a project organized by the Geonomics Institute of Middlebury

College.

As interns, the Ukrainian professionals will learn

new methods of delivering educational and social services in their

own country, and gain day-to-day exposure to the democratic free-market

economy of the United States. The internships reflect the programís

goalóto support the development of democracy in the Ukraine

and other countries of the former Soviet Union.

Prior to the internships, Community Connections participants

will undergo intensive training at Middleburyís Geonomics

Institute. The program also will offer the Ukrainians the chance

to establish personal connections through homestays with Vermont

families, and opportunities to engage in local cultural and community

activities.

Vermont organizations providing internships during

the winter program include the Burlington-based Baird Center,

King Street Youth Center, Otter Creek Associates, Spectrum Youth

Services, and the University of Vermont School of Education.

In South Burlington, IDX Systems Corporation will take part.

The Agency of Human Services and the Vermont Institute of Science,

Math and Technology in Waterbury are also participants, along

with Vermont Technical College in Randolph.

Community Connections is a nationwide program sponsored

by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United

States Information Agency. Vermontís program receives additional

funding from the Geonomics Institute, The Snelling Center for

Government, Champlain College, Vermont businesses, private and

government organizations, and individuals.

The sponsors of the winter project are the Geonomics

Institute at Middlebury College, The Snelling Center for Government,

Champlain College, the Vermont/Karelia Rule of Law Project, the

Addison County Economic Development Corporation, and the Vermont

Chamber of Commerce

For more information on the Community Connections

program, please contact Chris Beattie, program coordinator, at

the Geonomics Institute at Middlebury College at 802-443-2300.