Other people`s opinions about me

In this section you can find different opinions about me. These opinions were expressed by the most respected people of St. Petesrburg.

In 1998 I decided to go to the USA on Undergraduate Program. I had to get many references about me by the most respected lecturers of the Faculty of International Relations. Moreover, that references had to be written in English.

So, I had unique opportunity to find out what my professors and lecturers thought about me. I put that references on this section on my site. The most curious parts are marked red...

1. Khudoley K.K, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, p.H.D, professor

As his dean, I recommend Alexander S. Konstantinov with great pleasure. I have known Alexander for about two years, first just as a student and for the last year as a talented and disciplined researcher with outstanding professional abilities.

Alexander is a very good student with amazing and fascinating abilities and this research was one of the best presented in 1998. I can appreciate Alexander`s research as excellent. I suppose that Alexander made very interesting conclusion when he defined the position of nations in 1910-30 as "the first phase of development of realizing the problem of restitution in the world". I am sure that American experience in this field can give Alexander a great chance to make further research on this field of specialization. That is why the education in the USA will be very useful for Alexander in his political research. He is sure of himself, independent, very inventive and he has extensive knowledge of his field of specialization and great motivation to participate in "FREEDOM Support Act Undergraduate Program".

Alexander`s interest in the subject and ability to grasp the most complicated issues put him among the first students in the School of International Relations. Alexander stands out as a promising young researcher who has planned his research for years ahead. I am sure he is capable of coping with any difficulties that he is going to face. Alexander`s research and the presentation based upon it, which he gave at a student`s conference in June, demonstrated that he can concentrate on the goals that are attainable at the moment, and to make the best use of the resources that are within his search. I am confident that he would use the opportunity of studying in the US in the most effective manner.

I strongly recommend Alexander for this exchange program as a motivated and disciplined student, who can work independently, organize his time efficiently and complete all his assignments accurately and in time. I suppose that he is in 5 percent of the best students of our faculty. I can appreciate him in a such way: intellectual abilities- excellent, ability to express his ideas- excellent, potential for research- excellent, knowledge in the field of specialization- excellent, emotional stability- good and motivation- perfect.

K.K. Khudoley 12 October 1998

2. Morozov V.E., Senior Lecturer, head of European Studies Documentation Centre

Alexander Konstantinov has asked me to write a letter of recommendation for him which I do with great pleasure. I know Alexander for about two years. It is rare occasion that a teacher who comes to give one or two lectures at the Preparatory Department of our School of International Relations can remember any of the listeners who at that stage have not even become University undergraduates. This was the case with Alexander, who really impressed me with his questions (very up to the point) and desire to learn more about everything. I know from Professor Shirayev, who reviewed Alexander`s graduate essay at the Preparatory Department, that the paper was one of the best presented that year.

When I was teaching Introduction into European Studies last year I was happy to have among the audience such students as Alexander. His interest in the subject and ability to grasp the most complicated issues put him among the first students in the group. His performance at the exam was outstanding, and I had no doubt giving him an excellent mark. I supervised Alexander`s introductory practice and therefore can recommend him as an active and competent participant in any discussion on academic or current political matters.

Alexander stands out as a promising young researcher who, unlike many other students of his age, has planned his research for years ahead. His ideas may look excessively ambitious but I am sure that he is capable of coping with the difficulties that he is going to face. Alexander`s course paper and the presentation based upon it, which he gave at a student`s conference in June, demonstrated that he can concentrate on the goals that are attainable at the moment, and to make the best use of the resources that are within his search. I am confident that he would use the opportunity of studying in the US in the most effective manner.

I strongly recommend Alexander for this exchange program as a motivated and disciplined student, who can work independently, organize his time efficiently and complete all his assignments accurately and in time.

Viatcheslav Morozov 11 October 1998

3. Shiriaev B.A., professor, head of North American Studies Department

As his professor, I am happy to have the opportunity to recommend Alexander S. Konstantinov. I have known Alexander for two years, first as a student and for the last year as a talented and disciplined researcher with excellent professional abilities.

Alexander is an excellent student with amazing and fascinating abilities. Alexander has a wide field of interests- for example, two years ago he wrote an excellent essay about president Hoover and Economic Crisis in the USA in 1920-1930 and now his interests lay in the field of restitution. On his first year he made his own independent research on very complicated but very interesting and not very well studied theme "The restitution of cultural values" and his research had a great success. His supervisor was professor Yuri A. Limonov and he appreciated Alexander`s research very good and I am agree entirely. Working on his research, Alexander created absolutely new approach to the problem of restitution and made really curious and interesting idea that during international conferences in 1910-30 so called "first phase of development of realizing the problem of restitution in the world" took place. Alexander defined more precisely position of nations- they for the first time understood the complication of this question and tried to control this process just in 1910-30. Alexander plans his further research to be about World War II and seized cultural values and property and about its restitution and he can but face with problem closely connected with historical archives in Russia- most of them are closed for researchers and we cannot trust even opened archives, which contain the information about the restitution. That is why great American archives and libraries and great experience of American researchers can give Alexander a great chance to make further research on his field of specialization. And thanks to "FREEDOM Support Act Undergraduate Program" Alexander can have the chance to do so. That is why the education in the USA will be very useful for Alexander in his political research. He is sure of himself, independent, very inventive and he has extensive knowledge of his field of specialization and great motivation to participate in "FREEDOM Support Act Undergraduate Program".

I suppose he is in 5 percent of the best students of our faculty. I strongly recommend Alexander for educational exchange program in the United States for his ability to organize his time efficiently and for his ability to write articulately and clearly. I can appreciate him in a such way: intellectual abilities- excellent, ability to express his ideas orally and in written form- excellent, inventive - very good, potential for research- excellent, knowledge in the field of specialization- excellent, emotional stability- good and motivation- perfect.

Boris Shiriaev 11 October 1998

4. Kosov Y.V., professor, Vice-Dean

As his professor, I am happy to have the opportunity to recommend Alexander S. Konstantinov. I have known Alexander for two years, first as a student and for the last year as a talented researcher.

Alexander is an excellent student with fascinating abilities. On his first year he made his own independent research on theme "The restitution of cultural values" under the supervision of professor Y.A. Limonov. In his research Alexander expressed many new and interesting ideas (for example analyzing international conferences in 1910-30, he made very interesting conclusion, that nations for the first time understood the complication of this question and tried to control this process in 1910-30, so it was so called- it is Alexander`s own term- "first phase of development of realizing the problem of restitution in the world"). As Alexander would like to make further research he needs an objective archive information about the restitution. Unfortunately, this question is not very well studied in Russia and many archives are closed because of the past traditions. There are many sources of information in USA. That is why education in USA will be very useful for Alexander in his political research.

Appreciating individual abilities of Alexander, I can say that he has excellent intellectual abilities, a great ability to write clearly and articulately very good potential to write independently and to form a correct estimate of the situation. Alexander is very inventive and he has extensive knowledge of his field of specialization and great motivation to study in the USA. He is a person with strong initiative. Because of his fascinating abilities I strongly recommend Alexander for educational exchange program in the United States.

Yuri V. Kossov 5 November 1998

5. Pugachev A.U., student of The Faculty of International Relations

I I met Alexander when we both were on our first year at the faculty of International Relations of the Saint-Petersburg State University. Of course I coundn't imagine back then that our acquaintance (and a rather strange one) would grow into a true friendship, as Alexander is one of those characters that conquer one's mind with their human charm but at the same time do not expose their inner world too soon.

It is now, after several years of dealing with this wonderful person, that I can really appreciate the huge role he played in my life, as a real friend. A friend, who can be counted on, whatever happens.

Alexander is one of those who value friendship higher than anything else, not to mention his most interesting personality, simply astonishing sense of humour, his love for the arts, and at last his ability to choose always the right people to deal with, as he knows about people a lot. The friendly relations with him are a great responsibility for me and I hope that I can be the person who Alex can turn to, whenever he needs support.

This extraordinary man was born on 23th of October, 1980. Then he went to creche, kindergarten and, finally, school. It would be fair to say he was always a leader and a nucleus of any company, because for this he really has all the necessary features of character. But he is not like any other ring-leader, because he has great responsiveness and moral support towards the people he deals with.

It's felt by the subconsciousness and is impossible to describe by using words. Then, in 1997, after some speculation, Alexander enters the faculty of International Relations of Saint-Petersburg State University and that's where we met for the first time. I should say that our relations during the first year were actually rather sparse, nevertheless, his uniqueness and extravaganza were perceivable even back then. Approximately during our second year we became friends, and these friendly relations continue to this very day.

Alexander is one of those people who are usually refered to as 'friends for life'. One can be really pround of knowing this man and, especially, of being a friend of his.