Alexandra Vlasenkova W’24 persevered through many challenges to achieve her dream of attending the University of Pennsylvania. While the entire Class of 2024 endured the shared experience of a virtual first year in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alexandra faced additional obstacles to making it to campus from her hometown of Moscow, Russia. “The American embassy in Russia was closed, which meant I couldn’t get my student visa, and I had to complete my first semester remotely from Moscow.” Alexandra ultimately had to travel to the embassy in Kazakhstan to obtain her visa, and she made it to Philadelphia just in time for the spring semester. “Everything was still online, and we had to stay in our rooms, but I was there! I was so grateful to be at Penn.”
Through her journey at the University, Alexandra explored new challenges that inspired her personal and professional growth. Prior to her first semester, she never attended a course taught in English—and this required her to acclimate to a new academic style, grading system, and format for essay writing. “People write differently in English. The logic of essays is different. Thankfully, math is the same, regardless of language.”
As Alexandra continued to find her footing and establish herself at Wharton and within her many clubs and extracurriculars, escalating hostilities between Russia and Ukraine made it increasingly difficult for her to connect with her family back home. “Penn was very helpful and understanding,” Alexandra says. “I would not have attended if not for financial aid. I don’t know if I would have been able to finish my education without it. I’m so fortunate to have been on campus.”
Alexandra prioritized making the most of every moment at Penn. Her passion for giving back to her community was especially evident in her work with Nonprofit Connect, a Netter Center student-led program that offers general consulting as well as organizational and administrative support to Philadelphia-area nonprofit organizations. While Nonprofit Connect was first piloted in the summer of 2020, Alexandra improved upon its existing framework, spearheading a direct partnership with the Wharton Undergraduate Division. As a result, Wharton students offer their skills and expertise to local nonprofits, and the students in turn benefit from community engagement and education beyond the “Penn bubble.”
Under Alexandra’s leadership, the number of student participants increased from 9 to 40, and she remained focused on the group’s sustainable growth throughout her tenure as a student. Her dedication stemmed from Penn’s long legacy of service: “Ben Franklin founded this University because he believed in the power of higher education to improve community. Being a part of Nonprofit Connect allows students to engage with community partners in a really meaningful way; these nonprofits are dedicated to identifying problems in their neighborhoods and trying to fix them—and we are working to help them achieve their goals.” As an acknowledgement of her contributions to Nonprofit Connect—as well as to the organizations Wharton Leadership Ventures and Wharton Cohorts—Alexandra was honored with the Penn Alumni Student Award of Merit this past May.
Now a proud Wharton undergraduate alumna, Alexandra reflects with gratitude on the direct impact of philanthropy on her Penn journey as a student. “If it weren’t for the generosity of alumni donors, I would not have been able to attend the University, and organizations like Nonprofit Connect would not exist. Because of Penn, I understand what excites me and know where to go next—it has opened the rest of the world for me.”
Favorite Penn Memory
