Moving from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to the United States for college pushed Nelly Tyncherova ’26 far beyond her comfort zone, but it also set the foundation for her growth as a student leader at Arcadia. 

Now wrapping up her senior year, the International Studies major with a concentration in Peace and Conflict Resolution is weighing her options for graduate school in international affairs after being accepted to Columbia University, Tufts University, George Washington University, and Lehigh University.

Tyncherova’s transition to life in the U.S. naturally came with obstacles, which have been formative over the past four years.

“There have been many challenges. Some of them include the language barrier, being afraid to speak up, learning how to stand up for myself, adapting to a new culture, and sometimes feeling alone,” she said. “These experiences taught me a lot. I learned to face my fears, step outside of my comfort zone, and take action instead of waiting for things to happen.”

This mentality has led Tyncherova to embrace leadership opportunities across campus. She serves as vice president of the Student Government Organization (SGO), works as a Spanish tutor, and is a member of Model United Nations, Cabaret Club, and the women’s ensemble choir. She has also taken on roles as a resident assistant, international peer advisor leader, and research assistant.

“Being part of different organizations helped me feel like I belonged here,” Tyncherova said. “That’s kind of what pushed me into leadership. I wanted to create that same feeling for other students. Especially for people who feel lost at first, like I did. I didn’t just want to adapt; I wanted to help make the experience better for others, too.

“I think the biggest thing I learned is how to advocate for myself. Honestly, if you can’t speak up for yourself, it’s really hard to do it for others. In all my roles, that’s something I had to practice a lot: asking for opportunities, standing my ground, figuring things out on my own. Also, balancing everything, like work, school, leadership, taught me how to manage my time and handle stress. There were moments when it felt like too much, but I learned how to push through and stay organized. I think all of that will help me in the future, especially if I want to be in positions where I’m responsible for others.”

Tyncherova received the The David C. Larsen Award in International Studies and the The Janet E. Walbert Leadership Award at Honors Convocation in March. Of all her accomplishments, she is particularly proud of spearheading the monthly SGO newsletter to boost the organization’s visibility.

“I feel like a lot of students don’t really know what SGO does,” she said. “We have a lot of meetings every week, we make decisions, but most people never hear about it. That’s why the newsletter matters; it helps us stay connected to students and be more transparent. We don’t want things to feel hidden or confusing. We want people to actually see what we’re working on, what opportunities are out there, and how they can get involved.”

Throughout her journey, Tyncherova has leaned on her twin sister, Ameliia, who is a Psychology major also graduating in May.

“We started our journey to Arcadia together, and throughout all of the challenges I faced, she has always been my biggest support,” she said.

As she looks toward the future, Tyncherova’s international journey continues to shape her commitment to leadership, resilience, and building connections across cultures.