Ilyas Kanybek: "I spent four transformative years at AUCA"

October 6, 2023

My name is Ilyas Kanybek, and I am AUCA’s Anthropology class of 2022. I spent four transformative years at AUCA, and looking back, I feel grateful and privileged for having met remarkable people, some of whom have become close friends of mine. One advantage of AUCA that I cannot stress enough is that it’s a liberal arts institution. In a post-communist country like Kyrgyzstan, it is ever more critical to cultivate liberal values and democratic principles among the young, emerging generations. At Auca, I became acquainted with and immersed myself in liberal ideals, and I wish more people would learn. After graduating, I continued my studies at the graduate level at the University of British Columbia, majoring in transboundary river governance. I also hold two positions as a teaching and research assistant at UBC.

My advice to all AUCA students would be to strive for quality, be honest with yourself, and realize that only with the acceptance of our own ignorance are we able to learn and grow.