By Ashley Sidebottom, staff writer
Ed McGuire, Campbellsville University’s consultant for broadcasting, has dubbed Dulguun Lkhagva “the Katie Couric of Mongolia.”
Lkhagva, 26, left her “celebrity” status in Ulaanbaatar to study English as a Second Language (ESL) at Campbellsville University.
She is taking advantage of her ESL studies as an opportunity to send valuable news broadcasts back to Mongolia.
Lkhagva utilizes the television equipment at TV-4, CU’s low-power local television station, to document and edit the news she encounters and records in the United States to send back to Mongolia’s TV-5.
She has reported on Mongolian activities at CU, and she also reported news from Los Angeles when she made a trip there during Christmas break.
Before coming to CU in August 2006, Lkhagva traveled to Germany where she trained for two weeks. She has also reported news from France, Italy, China and several other countries.
“Mongolia can learn a lot of things from my experiences here,” Lkhagva said.
She plans to do a serious newscast in the future possibly featuring American health insurance.
Lkhagva has more than four years experience as a journalist and news reporter. Her experience helped her receive the spot as broadcast anchor on TV-5.
“Many people are shocked that I am an anchor at such a young age,” Lkhagva said, since the position is one most often fulfilled by seasoned professionals.
Lkhagva, who is a news reporting major at her home university, came to CU to study ESL since the second language in Mongolia is Russian.
Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, is Lkhagva’s hometown. She said it is a “very busy city.”
“Campbellsville is much smaller, and a very good condition to study in,” Lkhagva said.
“English is a necessity,” Lkhagva said. “I have learned a lot about American culture,” and she will take that culture back home with her.
Despite CU’s large Mongolian population of 41 students, Lkhagva said she only knew one or two Mongolians when she arrived here. While having culturally similar people close by, Lkhagva said she still dealt with a huge culture shock when she came to Campbellsville because it is so different from what she was used to.
One bonus of not knowing people, Lkhagva said, is that she isn’t a hometown celebrity anymore. “I’m just a student here,” she said.
“I miss my job,” Lkhagva said, but she calls home every day to talk with friends and family. She also e-mails them to keep in touch.
At age 15 Lkhagva was also named the Mongolian Swimming Champion.
Upon leaving CU, Lkhagva plans to move to Los Angeles to pursue a master of journalism degree, and eventually head back to Mongolia to continue developing Mongolian television.
Campbellsville University, now celebrating her Centennial year, is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,310 students who represent 100 Kentucky counties, 32 states and 28 foreign nations. Listed in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” 14 consecutive years as one of the leading Southern master’s colleges and universities, Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his eighth year as president.