Ilya Anatolyevich Kolomeyskiy completed post-graduate studies at SUSU in 2009 with a degree in history. Today this person, with colossal experience as an organizer and an infectious life energy, heads the Chamber theatre.
– Why did you decide to tie your life to culture?
– Everything began with my family. My parents are creative people, who I love and respect. My mother is Kolomeyskaya Irina Rodionova, honored cultural worker. My father is Kolomeyskiy Anatoliy Mikhailovich, a shining representative of the generation they called “physicists and lyricists”. He was an engineer and satirist. Having a wide range of skills in the technical sphere, he was successful from a creative point of view while also reconciling the eternal debate. It was impossible for the love for creativity in its various forms which cultivated in our family to not affect the personality of the family’s child. So, my path was destined already on the genetic level. In school, some organizational overtones developed in me. I started working on organization and management of various events, earned my own money, wrote the school paper, and participated in a KVN team. When choosing my university, I sought help from my parents. They helped me with career guidance, saying, “You are not a technical person, but a humanitarian. From all of the humanitarian specialties, the most fundamental is juridical.” At ChelSU, I was the cultural officer from my first year. I was always active. Many university and faculty events were organized by me, and I became one of the first organizers of the student nightclubs. Despite this busy extracurricular activity, I graduated from Chelyabinsk State University with honors with a degree in jurisprudence. After having worked a bit in this area, I understood that I can’t open my full potential. After some time, I became director of a chain of entertainment complexes, Hollywood and Panta Rey, simultaneously defending my candidate dissertation and forming the beginning of my teaching activities. Then I changed my director once again, becoming deputy head of the Administrative Office of the Civic Chamber of Chelyabinsk Region. I didn’t calm down then, after some time I headed the Chamber Theatre. At this time I do social work as the head of the Civic Chamber of the Central Region of Chelyabinsk, the Head of the Board of the Zelyoniy Teatr Philanthropic Fund, head of the Coordinating Council for the Civic Chambers of the Municipal Corporations of Chelyabinsk, and expert of the Commission of Civic Chamber of the Chelyabinsk Region on cultural, international relations, and preservation and advocacy for historical and cultural heritage.
– What episode from your student life was the most memorable for you?
– I remember practically each day in the walls of the university, from enrollment to graduation. I believe that these years are the best time in everyone’s life. This is a time of full freedom and independence, adventures, and schemes. A time to make friends and make the most important investments – in yourself.
– Why did you choose postgraduate studies at SUSU?
– The topic of my graduate project was “The History of Cultural and Educational Work in the Chelyabinsk Region.” This research was on the crossroads of jurisprudence and cultural studies, which helped me enroll in post-graduate studies with the gathered materials. My scientific base was sufficient to start writing my candidate dissertation. Your path in science is always laid by your scientific advisor, with whom I got very lucky. My advisor was Nikolay Pavlovich Parfentev, head of the SUSU Department of Art Studies and Cultural Studies, doctor of historical science, doctor of art sciences, professor, honored scientist of the Russian Federation, who I met while studying at Chelyabinsk State University. He and Natalya Vladmirovna Parfenteva, dean of the Faculty of History, Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor, honored art worker of the Russian Federation, never denied me help after accepting me into the ranks of SUSU post-graduates. I owe these people for my scientific and teaching career. Right after post-graduate studies I began teaching at South Ural State University.
– What do you plan on tying yourself to further, science or theatre?
– I don’t love to guess. That which we guess doesn’t always come true, unfortunately. I am developing in a few areas. In science, I plan on becoming an assistant professor and doctor. In terms of theater, I don’t foresee any profound changes for now, despite having some proposals. I plan on continuing to do social work. The most important part of my life is my family, my beloved wife and daughter. Thinking about their future, like many others, I set my sights on different cities and countries, considering various options. But in some places the pace of life isn’t right for me; some places the infrastructure isn’t write; some places there aren’t the right people, and we would have nothing to speak about. So, all of my plans, for now, are here.
– What do you wish SUSU students and graduates?
– Work on yourself. The student years are the most interesting and most important. While you’re studying, you must understand if you have chosen the right profession or not. You need to be able to build bridges with employers. You also need to start earning money. If these few years go by uselessly, you’ll never make up for them. I believe that my parents “made” me, and I then “secured” myself and improved my results in my senior years of school, in university, and then in post-graduate students. If a person does not work on themselves in their youth, he will miss out on a lot in life. I tell my students, “You can come to class, you can skip class, but you’re paying for your education. If you add up all of the money you’ll pay for your education, you get a decent startup capital. Education is your main business project today. How much can you neglect them? If you have made the wrong choice, just go to a different specialty. If you’ve chosen correctly, please don’t waste your time. Let every day be meaningful and helpful. Think a few moves before any future action you take. Have plans for life. Begin to work. Just help someone for free and gain some professional experience. If you do all of this you’ll be leagues ahead of your competition.”
– What is your motto?
-“Don’t settle!” Only persistent people are always working towards something, searching for something, trying to achieve something, endure victories and losses, but through all of that they evolve. I sometimes run across people who are happy with their existence: a humble way of life, a small paycheck… I don’t understand them. How can that be? You can achieve more! So, my motto is never settle, never stop, search, and evolve.