Student Spotlight: Nursultan Assylov, PhD ‘27

Nursultan Assylov is a PhD student in the Language, Literacy, and Culture program whose work focuses on building global connections through education. Through his social media platform, which reaches more than 30,000 followers and has generated millions of views, Nursultan documents his journey as a graduate student and shares insights about studying in the United States. His work has helped grow the UMass community of students from Kazakhstan from just five students in 2022 to more than 45 today, creating a network of support, mentorship, and connection.

Can you tell us about your work connecting students between the U.S. and Kazakhstan?

I created a social media blog to document my journey as a PhD student and show students back home that studying at a top U.S. university is a realistic goal. Through my content, I share honest insights about graduate school and life abroad.

What started as a way to share my experience has grown into a larger community. I now help organize events and create opportunities for students from Kazakhstan to connect, support one another, and build professional networks.

Why is this work important to you?

To me, education is about sharing knowledge to help others succeed. My platform allows me to break down common misconceptions about studying abroad and give students a clearer, more honest picture of what to expect.

Seeing our community grow has been incredibly meaningful. It shows that when students have access to the right information and support, they are more confident in pursuing opportunities they may not have considered before.

What are your plans after graduation?

As a recipient of the government of Kazakhstan's Bolashak scholarship, I plan to return to Kazakhstan after graduation to apply what I’ve learned. I hope to work with international university partnerships to make global education more accessible for students in my home country.

My goal is to help create educational spaces that balance global perspectives with local identity, ensuring students can succeed while staying connected to their communities.