At the Faculty of History, World Politics and Sociology, Professor Matthew Crossston, American Military University (Omaha, Nebraska, USA) delivered a lecture course. He discussed with students common problems and trends of modern Russian-American communications, the future of relations between our countries, the intellectual grounds for a reset - the beginning of a new era of Russian-American diplomacy.

"I have no doubt that such an era will come sooner or later," said Professor Crossston. “There have been many difficult periods in the history of our countries' relations, but even more - cooperation, since the very formation of the United States. And I myself am a living example of such cooperation: I once studied in Tambov, was the first American student to study at TSU (then called Pedagogical Institute). Over these years I have become a political scientist. I dare to think, a successful political scientist. And in my homeland in interviews, TV and radio broadcasts, scientific disputes I do not get tired to say that we - American politicians and political experts - need to understand Russia, take into account its interests, build reliable communications with it, and in no case try to isolate it . Many Cabinet members do not agree with this, but that, I'm sure, is a dead-end and absolutely unreasonable way. Our future is in a variety of communication, I am absolutely convinced in that. That’s why I'm here - in beloved to my heart Tambov.”

Professor Crossston’s lectures aroused great interest of students. Professor’s broad mindedness, his own position, general and special erudition, knowledge of facts and context, an easy and informal manner of communication, when the lecture format changes with an enthralling discussion, all these won the audience's disposition. Evidence for this is a variety of questions addressed to him at the end of each lecture, particularly the final one.

"Professor Crosston is one of the most famous political scientists in the United States," said Dmitri Seltser, professor of TSU, D.Sc. “In addition to teaching, he edits a scientific journal, conducts versatile research and expert activities and he is in demand as a specialist on Russia. It wasn’t so easy for him to find time in his busy schedule to visit TSU. By the way, from here Professor Crosston flew to conduct lectures in Oxford. It's good that we managed to organize this short-term lecture course in political science. The students of TSU, undoubtedly, have benefited greatly. In general, it is very good when teaching methods and approaches change. This is the way the educational process should be - developing, relaxed, intellectual and informative.