Letter of Appreciation

Dr. Paul M. Hedeen, a Fulbright lecturer was at our university for the spring semester during which he offered courses and contributed to our student community. At the Foreign Language Institute he taught two courses in literature and an English language tutorial for Academic Olympiad students.

The literature classes involved lectures and weekly seminars. It was a special experience for our students. Dr. Hedeen guided his students through discussions of vital life issues prompted by their reading of American literary works. Students were taught to “read” every character and interpret a novel within its social and cultural background as well as in terms of its contemporary relevance. This gave them much to think over.

Also essential was Dr. Hedeen's desire to develop some parallels in American and Ukrainian cultures and literatures (for example, the poetical world of Willa Cather and Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi, land as possession for Americans and Ukrainians at the beginning of the 20th century). His classes were filled with a lively discourse and open to any questions or comments while his handouts proved invaluable for students.

The English tutorial for the Olympiad group focused on the basics of creative writing, often the toughest task for non-native speakers. Students also had a splendid opportunity to improve their reading skills. He also lectured in Foreign Language Institute classes on life and education in the United States, a topic of great interest to students.

On the urging of our fifth year students, he led film study groups at both the public library (Window on America) and at the university. These groups discussed such issues as film writing, technique, and interpretation. Our students gained quite a lot from these popular seminars. Dr. Hedeen showed them how to “read” a movie by analyzing editing, shooting, coloring. He examined Hollywood film style and differentiated it from European cinema. The group became so inspired and enthusiastic that several students gave presentations on Ukrainian and Armenian cinema. Their contributions, which included power point, collages, and film clips, capture the essence of a successful student-professor interaction.

During a special lecture on the film “Casablanca,” he combined in his interpretation the semiotic critics by U. Eco with a traditional point of view. In that way, he brought the movie closer to contemporary students and demonstrated he idea of multiple analyses of a classic.

This professor also found time to visit a weekly first-year practical English class. The students enjoyed very much having a native speaker among them. They had a great time during these classes, which also tapped into students' talents; classes were interspersed with such activities as singing, reciting poems, making presentations, etc. Dr. Hedeen's teaching experience and personal qualities inspired students to relax in the presence of a native speaker, a real challenge for first-year students.

In advising students who were applying for a Fulbright grant, the professor clarified different steps of the process and kept applicants working hard in improving their essays.

Dr. Hedeen was invited for the final event of the all-Ukrainian social project “Hromadianyn” [Citizen], in Kyiv in May. The presence of an English-speaking American guest inspired high school students from all over Ukraine to present their projects in English and to successfully communicate the significance of the concerns of their local community to an American citizen. Dr. Hedeen responded with genuine interest clearly felt by all there.

Three university students are grateful to Dr. Hedeen for inviting them to a performance of a piano duo with electronics (also Fulbrighters) in Kyiv. In addition to a wonderful musical performance, students met with Fulbright staff and grantees.

We thank Dr. Hedeen for enriching our university community and hope that he can return to visit us, lecture, and lead more seminars. We are grateful to the Fulbright Program for making his contributions possible.

Svitlana Chugu, Dean of Philology and Journalism
Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University