Natalia is a proud member of USF. She grew up in Uzhhorod, where she graduated from a gymnasium and was the only humanitarian class member who took a physics test for university. In 2018, she began her university journey at Kosice Technical University, where she studied artificial intelligence and electrical engineering for a year. Then in 2019 she changed her major to architecture and urban planning and moved to Lviv, where she got actively involved in community and volunteer work. Since 2020, she has been working as an ambassador for international exchanges and youth opportunities. In 2023 she took an academic leave and became a volunteer in Kharkiv, further strengthening her belief in the importance of freedom. In addition to her studies, she is also actively involved in startups (frequently participating in hackathons and UCU programs) and directly contributes to the restoration and improvement of cities in Ukraine with the Urban Reforms team. She’s an active fighter for inclusive, free, and smart cities.

‘Freedom comes at a high cost, but without it everything loses its meaning. I firmly believe that those who want to change the world will do so. USF is a place where young people are believed in, given tools and supported in their transformations. It’s a place where the value of freedom is understood not only in words but, above all, in actions and through experience. No one wields as much influence and power as young ambitious individuals who constantly dare because they believe in and seek freedom. The freedom to study what they want, to change when they don’t like something, to be free in their thoughts and expressions, to live wherever they desire… Freedom is a choice worth everything, your time, and even your life.’