Vygaudas Usackas found himself in Moscow wearing an Ox, his team’s mascot, on his back, while talking to Russian reporters about the Lithuania vs. Russia basketball game in 1988.
He had told his colonel he was sick and would not be able to attend classes that day. Instead of spending his day in bed, he jumped on a train to support the Lithuanian squad. His plan was foiled when the interview was beamed all across Europe.
Luckily, his team won.
“When I came back, I became the hero of the university,” Usackas said.
Usackas was in his third year of college at Vilnius University. Now the basketball fanatic is the Lithuanian ambassador to the United States and he enjoys watching Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Usackas, who pays attention to MSU’s basketball teams, easily related to students while visiting MSU’s campus Monday.
“Basketball is like a second religion in Lithuania,” he said. “The United States is one of the largest investors in Lithuania,” said Usackas, wearing a pin with the Lithuanian and American flags on it. “One of the most natural links which unites two otherwise quite different countries, in size, is a passion to basketball. We’ve been exporting quite a bit of basketball players to the United States, too.”
Usackas is near the end of his visit to Michigan, where he has been meeting with U.S. officials, including U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, to discuss NATO’s expansion across the world and Lithuania’s entry into the European Union. The ambassador visited MSU’s campus for the first time Monday.
“One of my jobs is to promote awareness and interrelations between Lithuania and Michigan State,” he said.
Two years ago, Vytautas Magnus University and MSU-Detroit College of Law created a program between the two schools. In June, 35 students will graduate with a certificate in transnational law.
After Easter, the Senate will vote on NATO enlargement. Lately, the ambassador said he has been promoting trade between Lithuania and the United States.
He said he hopes the program will combine the expertise of Vytautas Magnus professors in European Union law with American students.
Usackas spoke to students of the European Union class about negotiations into the union.
“(European Union) is such a complex entity which encompasses all sectors of economy, from agriculture down to environmental, and we advance our negotiations to the (European Union),” he said.
He said he hopes to attract students to come to Lithuania and learn about the European Union.
Usackas studied law at Vilnius University in Lithuania, earning his degree in May 1990.
In November 1991, his focus went from education to government when he became the second secretary of the Western European Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.
He also has served as NATO liaison and was chief negotiator for Lithuania’s entry into the European Union.
Usackas, who speaks English, Russian and French, was ambassador for special missions at the Ministerial Advisory Group.
“First of all, do what you want while you are a student - it’s too short,” he said. “Try to outreach as much as you can and when everything depends upon you, keep working and be consistent.
“With a hectic life and also engaging yourself on social things, enjoying sports, it helps you to make priorities which is so helpful in your life.”
Saul Anuzis, president of the Mid-Michigan Lithuanian-American Community, came to MSU with the ambassador.
“We need students from MSU to go to Lithuanian schools and get the experience overseas and come see what that’s all about,” Anuzis, said. “There are some great universities there and great opportunities to learn about Europe.”
It was MSU-DCL Dean Terence Blackburn’s second time meeting the ambassador.
“It is a priority for our students to understand not only private law, which is essentially government relations between individuals, but also public law, which governs relations among nations,” he said.
