Q&A with Bill Rivenbark and Sonja Matanovic on the North Carolina-Moldova Partnership November 2023

In October 2023, faculty member Bill Rivenbark and associate dean Sonja Matanovic traveled to the small eastern European country of Moldova with a delegation led by North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.  

Can you explain the North Carolina-Moldova partnership? 

Sonja: In the 1990s, the U.S. National Guard established relationships between U.S. states and former Soviet republics. The state of Georgia was matched with the newly independent country of Georgia, Maryland was matched with Estonia, North Carolina was matched with Moldova, and so on.   

These relationships have been nurtured in many ways over the last three decades. The primary steward of the North Carolina-Moldova partnership is Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, who was first elected in 1997. Secretary Marshall has traveled at least 12 times to Moldova and has dedicated herself to expanding resources, exchanging information, and developing a wide network of people in both countries who are committed to learning from each other. There is even a strong relationship between the City of Greensboro and the Moldovan capital City of Chisinau.   

Why did you travel to Moldova? 

Sonja: Moldova is on a path to joining the European Union by 2030. It has a lot of work to do in a short period of time in terms of government structure and stability, national security, economic development, and more to move toward EU accession. 

Secretary Marshall recruited the School of Government into the North Carolina-Moldova partnership in January 2023. We participated in two study visits with Moldovan government officials: in May 2023 with state and local government officials—as well as Greensboro and Guilford County officials—and in July 2023 with parliamentarians.  

In October 2023, Bill and I were recruited to join a North Carolina-based delegation traveling to Moldova, headed by Secretary Marshall, to engage with government officials at various levels and within the state university system. The U.S. Embassy in Chisinau sponsored our trip. We traveled with colleagues from the Secretary of State’s Office and UNC Greensboro and North Carolina State University—folks who are working on nursing curriculum exchanges, biological and agricultural engineering partnerships, and us, who are exploring public administration.  

Tell us a little bit about what you were tasked with doing.  

Bill: The purpose of our visit was to conduct an assessment review of the Institute of Public Administration, which is part of the State University of Moldova. We were asked to explore (1) the relevancy of the Institute of Public Administration at the State University of Moldova within the context of Moldova’s goal to join the European Union by 2030 (short-term); and (2) the sustainability of the Institute of Public Administration in improving professional management at all levels of Moldova’s government (long-term).   

We were also asked to teach while we were there. I led a session with State University of Moldova students on interdisciplinary approaches to public administration and a session with state cabinet officials on performance management. Sonja led a session with government communicators on getting your messages across.  

What was your experience in Chisinau, the capital, like? 

Bill: Simply outstanding! In fact, we arrived on a Sunday afternoon in time to enjoy the annual Wine Festival in the center of Chisinau before having the opportunity to participate in Chisinau Day the following Saturday, which included art, music, and food from the various regions of Moldova.   

Sonja: The capital is busy, growing, walkable, and vibrant, with many affordable cultural opportunities—the opera, for example.  

What are some things that Moldova and North Carolina might have in common? 

Sonja: Both places have much more in common than I thought they would. Moldova and North Carolina have strong agricultural traditions, industries, and abundant natural resources.  

Bill: Working at the School of Government, we have the opportunity to interact with public officials who are truly dedicated to improving their respective North Carolina communities. We were impressed with the level of commitment among the Moldovan public officials who are dedicated to improving the quality of life within their country. This is evident by their desire to join the European Union by 2030. Also, the local governments in Moldova are facing the same challenges as local governments in North Carolina: public financial management, staff capacity and employee turnover, implementing policy changes, and more. 

What was most memorable for you? 

Bill: Without question, the friendliness of the people will always stand out to us. From working with the government and university officials to sharing stories with nonprofit leaders, everyone was genuinely welcoming, open, and eager to share.  

Sonja: I really appreciated the abundance of young people and women working in state and local government. They are also intensely focused and committed to a brighter future for Moldova. It was very inspiring and something I will carry with me.