FIRST VOTE – FIRST STEP IN CIVIC LIFE

August 23, 2026 became a special day for the community of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University. On that day, elections of deputies to the Kurultai were held, with both faculty members and students of the University taking part. For two students, the voting was particularly significant, as they exercised their right to vote for the first time.

One of them was Balzhan Kuanganova, a second-year student of the educational programme 6B05305 “Applied Physics, Nanomaterials and Innovation.” Balzhan turned 18 on August 23. She marked her birthday with a particularly meaningful event: for the first time, she visited a polling station and cast her vote.

Reaching the age of majority is an important milestone in every person’s life. For Balzhan, however, the day became doubly memorable: along with turning 18, she gained the opportunity to independently exercise her civic right and make her first electoral choice as an adult citizen.

To mark her 18th birthday, the University prepared a special gift for the student — a T-shirt and a cap featuring the logo of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University. This gesture made the occasion even warmer and more memorable. The university community congratulated Balzhan on reaching adulthood and wished her new achievements, bright student years, and a successful future.

Another University student who participated in the elections for the first time was Unzila Adal, a third-year student of the “Foreign Language” educational programme. For her, as for Balzhan, August 23 became her first experience of participating in the electoral process and an important step into adult civic life.

For young people, voting for the first time is more than simply visiting a polling station. It is an opportunity to feel involved in the life of the country, express their own position, and recognise the responsibility that comes with the rights of an adult citizen.

The faculty of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University also demonstrated an active civic stance on election day. Representatives of the University took part in voting at polling stations No. 120 and No. 90.

Thus, on August 23, the university community brought together representatives of different generations. Faculty members demonstrated through their own example the importance of civic engagement, while students took their first steps towards independent participation in public life.

The coincidence of several important events in Balzhan’s life made the day particularly symbolic: her 18th birthday, her first day as an adult, and her first vote. The T-shirt and cap bearing the University logo, presented to her on that day, became not only pleasant gifts but also memorable symbols of her student life.

The participation of students and faculty members of Amanzholov University in the Kurultai elections reflected the active civic engagement of the university community. After all, the future of the country is shaped not only by major decisions at the state level, but also by the personal participation of every citizen.

For Balzhan and Unzila, August 23 became the day of their first vote. For the university community, it became a day of unity and civic responsibility.