Volga Region University activists cheered loudly today, as the long-awaited "Student of the Year of the Republic of Tatarstan 2025" awards ceremony took place at the Pyramid Cultural and Entertainment Center.
A record 574 applications and sleepless months of competitive trials, through which only the strongest passed, brought the best student stars of Tatarstan to the stage.
The first to hear the loud support of the University of Sports and Tourism were the media representatives from the "Krylatye Barsy" sports club, who won the "Student Media of the Year" award. Polina Ateyeva accepted the award.
"The awards competition lasted three months, but our path to this victory can't be measured in time. It took several years—together with people who are passionate about their work. Special thanks to our former media managers: Lina Khairullina and Alena Serkova, who laid the foundation and faith in our abilities.
This is the first time the Krylatye Barsy (Winged Bars) media team has participated in the awards. When we learned we had been selected as a winner, it was a tremendous joy. Our victory is the result of the hard work, creativity, and discipline of the entire team. Everyone contributed their energy and ideas. Furthermore, the support of the university's leadership fueled our confidence that we were moving in the right direction.
And here it is—the long-awaited title of "Student Media of the Year." We will wear this title with pride, remembering those who started with us, and continue our work with even greater passion in our hearts," said Polina Ateyeva, sharing the media team's joy at the victory.
Brighter than anyone else in their gold tracksuits, recognizable even from the farthest rows, the dance troupe "K-Crew" not only greeted the audience and guests at the ceremony but also won a resounding victory in the "Creative Group of the Year" category. Kamilla Korableva took the stage on behalf of the team to a thunderous ovation from Povolzhsky activists.
"Thanks to the guys from the Student Cultural Center, we were able to quickly create a brilliant performance, after which the jury said, 'This number could be performed at concerts as a full-fledged production.' We were grateful and delighted by such recognition. Every event is important to us, and every level represents a new growth point for the team and a moment of one-on-one time with our audience. This gives us incredible pleasure!
Being named a laureate was incredibly exciting and unexpected for us, but that wasn't all – we were able to become the best in Tatarstan! Furthermore, the organizers invited us to perform in the concert program, and of course we accepted. Going on stage wasn't nerve-wracking, but rather a thrill. We understood that such moments only happen once in a lifetime, so we tried to relive every second of the performance so that the memories would remain etched in our minds forever," said Kamilla Korableva.
The university's sports club also received awards – after a close battle, the Winged Barses won a special prize in the "Sports Association of the Year" category. Ilyas Rakhmatullin accepted the special prize and shouts of support from the audience.
The awards ceremony is undoubtedly a true celebration for all students in Tatarstan! This vibrant and grand event evokes only positive emotions, especially when the work of our large team is summarized.
During the competition, we presented the activities of our student sports club: we described its structure, events, and projects, as well as its achievements and results over the past three years. I believe that we will remember not the awards ceremony itself, but the preparation process – from the application process to the rehearsals for the competition performance. Therefore, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our team and everyone who contributed to our success in the two award categories.
Standing on stage and receiving an award for the fruitful work of our association has become a pleasant tradition for us. Over the past few years, we have repeatedly proven our competence, which has earned us recognition at the municipal, republican, and federal levels.
"The faith and support of our leadership, the continuity of generations and the significant contributions of our sports club's veterans, especially former chairman Danila Berkut, as well as the bold ideas of the new generation—these are the very cogs that drive student sports in our republic forward," Ilyas Rakhmatullin commented on the Krylatye Barsy's success.
The University of Sports also took notice of the award's main category, the Grand Prix. Its winner was Lenar Galiev, a former student council chairman well known to everyone at the university, who embodies all the qualities of a true leader and activist. This year, he participated in the awards for the fourth time.
"The ceremony was a fantastic experience! We were thrilled to attend, as our students had qualified for four categories. The Grand Prix results made me realize we still need to work harder. But we once again demonstrated that Volga Region University is a confident competitor among other universities in Tatarstan," shared Lenar Galiev.
The awards ceremony for the Grand Prix winners was traditionally held by Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov. Concluding the ceremony, he addressed the students of Tatarstan.
"The Students' League turns 30 this year, and this wonderful tradition is very important. We are truly pleased that our higher education institution has enormous potential, and, of course, our future will be in your hands. In recent years, numerous federal projects have been created for higher education, in which the Republic of Tatarstan also participates. We are deeply grateful to you for your proactive approach to life," Rustam Minnikhanov said.
Text: Adelina Khramova
Photo: Alexey Kulikov
