Tuesday, March 19, 2024

City of Southlake Hosts Intern from Irkutsk State University in Russia

RuslanThe City of Southlake has had the pleasure of hosting Ruslan Kazakov, a student from Irkutsk State University in Russia during the month of July. Ruslan is working on his Bachelor of Business Management degree and is part of Irkutsk State’s Watch and Learn Internship Program for Business Students.

This volunteer internship is a cooperative program between the Rotary Club International and the Baikal International Business School at University of Irkutsk. The Southlake Rotary Club works with international Rotary Clubs and has placed almost 30 students in internships in Dallas and Tarrant County—with two of those being at the City of Southlake. The goal of the program is to familiarize business students with ethical business practices in the free market economy, to immerse them in American culture and language, and to expose them to Rotary clubs and their volunteer activities.

During his month with the City, Ruslan has spent time with almost every department. He attended Stars & Stripes, an air evacuation drill, assisted with Teen Court, attended CERT training classes, and much more. He says that enjoyed learning how the City is run, but his favorite days were those spent with the Planning and Development Services Department learning about the development process and going into the field conducting inspections.

“The City is proud to partner with the Southlake Rotary Club to give Ruslan this experience,” says HR Director Stacey Black. “We designed a schedule for him to be able to communicate with every department and immerse him in the daily operations of an American city.”

Upon finishing school next year, Ruslan will pursue a master’s degree to become a project manager. During his time here he has been staying with a host family in Southlake and visited several area attractions, including a visit to the Bush Presidential Library and a Texas Rangers game at Globe Life Park. The family also took a trip to Austin; Ruslan says that was his favorite destination. Ruslan is an avid hockey fan and enjoys watching movies in his spare time.

An image of a family bowling and dining

Photo of a solar eclipse