Success to the fullest: the story of Alina Lehka – ‘Miss USUST 2025’
The path to recognition often begins with simple yet meaningful steps. For Alina Lehka, a student of the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies (USUST), such a step was taken during her school years through participation in the All-Ukrainian Essay and Art Competition ‘I have the RIGHT to life’ (2023). Together with a friend, she submitted her work that became one of the prize-winning works of the competition, which aimed to draw attention to violations of the rights of Ukrainian children and youth affected by russian aggression. It was one of her creative projects that time. Later it became an important experience in shaping her personal position and understanding responsibility for her choice.
Today, Alina is a first-year student of group 1-Ev.Men-6, majoring in B12 ‘Cultural Studies and Museology’, educational programme ‘Event Management’ at the Faculty of Economics, Humanities and Law of the SEI ‘Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology’, USUST.
Alina’s choice of university and speciality was a conscious one. She carefully studied event-management programmes available in the region. This field has been close to her since childhood – concerts, festivals, performances and event organisation have always been an integral part of her life. A special place in her story belongs to ballroom dancing.
For Alina, it is not merely a hobby but a true passion. Together with her long-time partner, Kostiantyn Siedniev, she learned to feel the stage, work as a couple, maintain balance and inner composure. Together they appeared on the stage during the Miss USUST competition, and this support gave her confidence.
To win the university competition and get the title of Miss USUST 2025 was possible not only by Alina’s beauty, but also by a really friendly atmosphere of the student community and sincere support of initiatives by the university’s leadership. Natalia Chupryna, dean of the faculty of Economics, Humanities and Law, warmly tells about Alina: ‘We were passionately supporting Alina – she is the best for us! She went through all the challenges and deserved her victory with honour’.
Olha Sverdlikovska, director of the SEI ‘USUCT’ highlighted Alina’s final performance, which became a bright culmination of the competition: ‘We are sincerely happy that Miss USUST 2025 is our first-year student. Her final dance left unforgettable impressions. It was truly spectacular’. In the university community, Alina is known as a calm, balanced, yet strong personality.
She does not seek excessive public self-assertion, but knows how to mobilise herself at the right moment. Participation in the Miss and Mister USUST 2025 competition became a challenge she faced without inflated expectations, but with full dedication. ‘It is important for me to remain myself, even when I feel afraid’, Alina admits.
An active student life is a natural rhythm for her: studies, regular training sessions, participation in creative events and festivals, working with the ‘Tandem’ ensemble, and engaging in applied arts. She perceives the title of Miss USUST not as a final goal, but as one more opportunity for further personal and professional development. Family has played a significant role in Alina’s personal growth.
Her father, Oleksandr, works in the construction sector and taught his daughter a simple truth: the future is not something to wait for, it is something to create. Her mother, Natalia, realised herself through creativity: she began by sewing costumes for her daughter and later founded her own brand, NataLight. Thus, a child’s passion became the impetus for fulfilling her mother’s dream. A special place in Alina’s heart belongs to her younger sister Diana. It was she who supported Alina during the competition, holding a poster ‘Alina is our Miss 2025’ and sincerely was proud of every moment of her sister’s performance.
Despite the title she has earned, Alina remains focused on the future. She desires to achieve professional growth in event management and in creative projects, and at the same time to maintain her inner balance. Her main dream today is peace in Ukraine. ‘I believe that I will live to see peace in our country’, she says.
Thus, the words from the competition where this story began have taken on special meaning for Alina: the right to life – a calm life, filled with purpose and the opportunity to build one’s own future. This is exactly the way she is confidently following today.
