Headline November2,2012/

''AUBG'' -

The Best Of Balkan Bargain 

Here is a University worth a great praise. The American University in Bulgaria, generally and lovingly referred to as AUBG, is building a new generation that can lead Eastern Europe into a new Century.
The University is building some great Agents of Change!


Established in 1991, with the goal of introducing democratic values, free market economics, and liberal arts education, AUBG has over 1000 students.The majority are Bulgarians, the rest come from over a dozen former Communist countries  -some from as far away as Kyrgyztan and Kazakistan - and now there are many American students..


The students are among the best within their respective countries, it is normal for a class to have an average SAT scores of over 1300. ''They could be at Brown or Columbia,'' said Jonathan FairBanks, an English Literature Professor who has taught here for five years.


AUBG is located, with splendid irony, in the imposing former regional headquarters of the Bulgarian Communist Party in Blagovgrad, a two hour drive from Sofia. More than half the faculty is American, and all classes are in English. Students in Jeans and T shirts swar through the halls that were once the preserve of Comunist Apparatchiks, chattering in Bulgarian, Albanian, Romanian, Hungarian, Russian and cocophony of many many other languages.
Over the grand central staircase hang the flags of the states from which the U.S, students have come.


''My Political Science Professor made us question things we took for granted,'' says AUBG Graduate Elvin Guri. He kept asking,''Why...why.....why.....'' We never thought there were two sides to political questions!! The more I listened the more I became tolerant of other points of view!!''


AUBG's classical art curriculum to foster independent thought and a problem solving spirit in students who were afraid asserting themselves or of asking questions  -habits that were treated as virtual crimes in the past, Marxist Era.


This great University has become an island of Peace that has started to exert its influence in rebuilding Balkans after the unending genocidal wars that have torn this region and the humans to shards and shreds. Perhaps as more more and AUBG students get into main streams of life, influence and power, they will find unique ways to overcome their ancient ethnic rivalries.
Jonathan FairBanks, sums up best a lesson for the entire world,'' We are trying to teach these young people a fresh point of view, and we are teaching them not to tolerate THE INTOLERABLE!''


Many thanks to !WOW! 

Good Night & God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless