St Petersburg University students paint a picture as a 300th anniversary present to their University

As part of the opening ceremony for the new anniversary academic year, St Petersburg University, in addition to traditional events, organised various interactive events related to creativity. Painting a picture was one of such events. Many University students could express their individuality using brushes and paints, the identity colours of St Petersburg University.

Valeriia Dereschuk, a second-year master’s student in the Social Work programme at St Petersburg University, was one of the volunteers who helped the students in choosing a palette and applying colours to the canvas. According to Valeriia, such a project enabled them to transfer their thoughts and impressions from the festivity onto the canvas and thus feel like part of a creative community. She also noted that the main building of St Petersburg University depicted in the picture was a symbol of a new path for yesterday’s schoolchildren.

This is a good opportunity to express your respect and love for the University using bright, harmonious colours that blend perfectly with each other. For example, green is a symbol of calmness and balance, which is so necessary for students, while red is the colour of life, the new facets of which everyone will discover here.

Valeriia Dereschuk, a second-year master’s student in the Social Work programme at St Petersburg University, one of the volunteers who helped the students in choosing a palette and applying colours to the canvas

Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, also applied his unique touch to the canvas. He demonstrated the importance of creative activity, the spirit of cooperation, unity and a particular spiritual connection that is established between students and teachers of the University.

The significant role of art as a unifying factor was also mentioned by Stepan Maiorov, a first-year student in the Mathematics and Computer Sciences academic programme. ‘Our University is, first of all, a community of teachers and students. The picture personifies the idea that St Petersburg University is the people creating it. They create its academic community,’ concluded the future mathematician.

The process of painting became an event that united students of different fields of study, both Russian and international ones. Thus, Cao Yongjie, a first-year student in the Economics bachelor’s programme, who came from China to study in Russia and be issued a Russian diploma, spoke about the good prospects that open up for St Petersburg University students. ‘St Petersburg University is the oldest university in Russia, and the education here is truly brilliant. I am planning to become a successful businessman and work for a large company in the local or international market. It seems to me that St Petersburg University will help me meet my goals,’ said Cao Yongjie.

Stepan Maiorov, a first-year student in the Mathematics and Computer Sciences academic programme, said that he had had no doubt in choosing an educational institution. St Petersburg University is an alma mater for the most outstanding mathematicians. It creates a comfortable environment for the implementation of talented students’ ideas. ‘I would like to try the role of a scientific expert and build a career in this field. The Mathematics and Computer Sciences programme gives such an opportunity to its students. There are interesting subjects, strong teachers, and good equipment,’ noted the first-year student. 

He also emphasised that St Petersburg University offered many extracurricular activities. According to the future mathematician, in order to maintain productivity and achieve professional success, it is important to stay healthy, so he is interested in choosing sports clubs. Some of them such as hockey and rowing were presented at the Student Fair. 

As part of First-Year Student’s Day, stands of various student and research organisations of St Petersburg University were organised, from the M Gorky Scientific Library to student groups and creative teams. Kristina Mizitova, a student in the "Russian Philology (Russian Language and Literature)" programme, shared her impressions of the event. ‘As an active person, I was interested in learning about the debate club, the scientific society, and the organisation of a volunteer centre. I also tried to paint St Petersburg University and felt incredible pride that I would study here,’ noted Kristina Mizitova.

We are painting St Petersburg University and are already making our contribution. We are creating the University, and with a stroke of the brush we are taking the first step into our professional future and the future of our University.

Kristina Mizitova, a first-year bachelor’s student in the ’Russian Philology (Russian Language and Literature) programme

In addition to the first-year students, their parents, teachers and University graduates also took part in the creation of the painting. The project, organised by VKontakte on the eve of the anniversary year of St Petersburg University, demonstrated that students strived not only to gain knowledge, but also to create something original and inspiring together. Thus, they were making their contribution to the history of their University.