Myron Kuropas has worn many hats in life-teacher, middle school principal, author and even assistant to President Gerald Ford.

But now Kuropas, NIU adjunct professor of education, can add one more hat to his collection-that of election delegate.

Kuropas was chosen by the State Department to travel to Kiev, Ukraine for the Jan. 23 inauguration of newly elected President Viktor Yushchenko.

“It was like a dream,” said Kuropas, whose parents are from Ukraine. “Here I am. Here for the inauguration in my father’s country.”

Kuropas has been involved with Ukraine all of his adult life. His delegation appointment had a lot to do with his activity in the Republican Party and his reputation in the Ukranian-American community, he said. Kuropas has written books on Ukranian-American immigration and Ukraine’s history.

His three-day whirlwind trip began Jan. 21 when he boarded a Boeing 737 for the 10-hour flight to Ukraine. Among his fellow flyers was former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Powell mingled with everyone on the flight and asked who each person was, Kuropas said.

“He was a wonderful human being, warm and accommodating,” he said.

Sixty-two nations gathered for Yushchenko’s inauguration, which came on the heels of a “fraud-plagued election” and “months of protests and political dispute,” reports CNN. After a new election was ordered, Yushchenko came out victorious with 52 percent of the vote, Kuropas said.

Kuropas could see the ceremony from his VIP seat in the parliament building, where Yushchenko took the presidential oath.

From there, Kuropas was taken to Independence Square where at least half a million people were waiting, he said.

Independence Square was the site of protests last November after it was deemed Yushchenko lost the first presidential election.

On inauguration day, the square was “a sea of orange,” said Kuropas, referring to scarves people wore emblazoned with the words “Yes, Yushchenko” in Ukrainian.

The orange attire symbolized what has been dubbed the “Orange Revolution,” or student-driven protests which paved the way for Yushchenko’s victory, Kuropas said.

Before Yushchenko spoke to the crowd, people were shouting his name, but they became “so serene and so quiet when he spoke,” Kuropas said.

“There were tears in my eyes,” Kuropas said. “I couldn’t believe this moment was actually taking place.”

Yushchenko urged the Ukrainian people to unite and work for the country, Kuropas said.

Kuropas currently teaches history of American education, philosophy of education and social foundations of education at NIU.

Alan Copeland, a senior computer science major and one of Kuropas’ students, said it was interesting hearing about Kuropas’ trip.

Kuropas hopes to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship and travel again to Ukraine. The scholarships are meant to improve relations among scholars and help them to understand each other’s country, he said.