An evening full of stories, laughter, nostalgia, and emotions marked the recognition of 11 professors who’ve been part of the AUBG community and the building of the university for the last 25 years or more. The evening, very naturally, went through the theme of “I came for a semester”, as the professors who spoke up said, and shared that “AUBG found a way to grow into them” and so they stayed for much longer than expected.” The evening also served as a reminder of the uniqueness of the AUBG community.
The ceremony started with Provost Mininger, who shared his journey with the university and appreciation towards the faculty. “Dear colleagues, however many years and hours you’ve spent giving your time to this community and to this institution and to all of the students who are the reason for being here, Thank You. There’s no other word that we have. For it, it’s the simplest word for it. Thank you.”
The community expressed its appreciation to:
- Anna-Maria Ravnopolska-Dean, Department of Modern Languages and Arts
- Didar Erdinc, Department of Economics
“Why did I decide to come here? Initially it was the closeness, the proximity – to Istanbul, my family and my friends over there. But over time, I was totally won over by my colleagues and my students. Thank you so much for the adventure and these great many years together.” – Didar Erdinc
- Dimitar Christozov, Department of Computer Science
“I thought the dog would just share my old time. Impression was. That this is my last semester. Another another. Now it’s very difficult to count. Simply because I’m teaching students how to count. That’s right, I. Don’t need to know.” – Dimitar Christozov
- Evelina Kelbetcheva, Department of History
“The sense of freedom and the sense of understanding that I’ve got from both the administration and and some of my some of my colleagues makes me feel good. And I’m very sorry that I am leaving. Good luck to everyone.” – Evelina Kelbetcheva
- Hristo Krotev
- Ivelin Sardamov
- John Galletly
- Nedyalko Delchev, Department of Literature and Theater
“It must have been some misunderstanding. I arrived yesterday, this one sort of preserved. Working with students actually motivated me to stay here.” – Nedyalko Delchev
- Orlin Stoytchev, Department of Mathematics and Science
“You try to get that get the university out of your body and that’s seems to be very difficult. So for example, intellectually, I know that this is my last semester as a full-time professor, and so I will have to think about the new endeavors. And at the same time, emotionally, I’m still involved in thinking about what I should do next.” – Orlin Stoychev
- Robert Phillips, Department of Politics and European Studies
“When I came to AUBG I said OK, this is going to be fun for two or three years and it will be interesting to watch this sort of change and to see this society that’s going through something that never will ever happen again. And like everybody else three years turns into 32-33 years, or whatever it is now. And that is because it’s a very special place. It’s because the students, which we all love, and it is also because we have a community, and we have great colleagues. And it doesn’t mean it is a perfect place, but of course, we will continue the being a community and we’ll continue to do the best for students and for Bulgaria and the Balkans.” – Robert Phillips
- Tatyana Ivanova, Department of Mathematics and Science
“I was curious to go to AUBG and I have never been disappointed with my decision. I have also discovered that math is not the most important thing in the world, as many mathematicians would say, humans are more important.” – Tatiana Ivanova
The event concluded with a celebratory toast to the professors and their enduring contributions to AUBG’s legacy. Looking ahead, the AUBG community is certain that the spirit of dedication and passion for learning they embody will continue to inspire future generations of students and faculty.
Thank you, professors!
