Lafayette College history professor Dr. Joshua Sanborn and two Lafayette students, Anastasiia and Reni, presented on the war in Ukraine.

On Wednesday, March 16, students and faculty on the Merle-Smith Campus gathered in Dyer Auditorium for a special presentation on the crisis. Dr. Sanborn, an expert on the history of Russia and Eastern Europe, provided historical and geopolitical context on the situation. 

Then, he turned over the microphone to Anastasiia, a Lafayette senior, and Reni, a first-year Lafayette student. Both grew up in Russia. The pair shared their unique perspective as students living abroad as the war unfolds. 

"There are no winners in war," Anastasiia told the packed auditorium. "The consequences have been devastating even for my Russian friends and people who live there. And that's not even a fraction of what Ukranian people have experienced."

Reni, who traveled to the United States only weeks before the war began, remembers waking up to hundreds of text messages from friends and family on the night of the invasion, including one that read, I heard the bomb.

"I thought of my life for several minutes," she said. "The war just divided my life: What was before that and what was after."

After graciously sharing their experiences and expertise, all three guests answered thoughtful questions from students and faculty. Everyone was surprised by the bell that signals the end of the school day; they were so immersed in the personal stories and their deeper understanding of the crisis.

Moravian Academy is so thankful to Dr. Sanborn, Anastasiia, and Reni for what was an incredible learning experience for students.