SUSK

SUSK holds networking events to connect Ukrainian students and youth with professionals and entrepreneurs.[8] During 2020–2021, SUSK launched SUSK Connect, an online database connecting Ukrainian Canadian students and community professionals in a broad range of industries. This database gives students the opportunity to explore career paths in their area(s) of interest and build their professional network. At this time, SUSK also began a networking series in conjunction with the Ukrainian Canadian Professional and Business Federation (UCPBF).

During the 2013- 2014 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, SUSK supported the freedom for Ukrainian people along with many of the 1.2 million citizens of Canada that have a Ukrainian heritage.[9] In 2018, SUSK partnered with the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) in facilitating the Postcards for Prisoners project. For several years, USOs and students who have participated in the project write to Ukrainian political prisoners in order to raise awareness of their unjust incarcerations in Russian prisons and to provide them with moral support. During the month of May 2021, SUSK launched a National Campaign titled "Russian Aggression Awareness Month" to raise awareness about the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine. During this time, SUSK hosted four webinars that spotlighted expert speakers on the topics of Russian aggression, Nord Stream 2, the Crimea and Donbas war, and disinformation. SUSK additionally provided students, organizations, and those who are in support of this campaign a template letter addressed to their local Member of Parliament, outlining the urgency of the current status of Russian Aggression in Ukraine to be at the forefront of the Canadian foreign affairs agenda.

In November 2008, SUSK coordinated two projects with USOs across Canada in commemoration of the 1932–1933 Holodomor famine-genocide. The first was a 33-hour fast to help raise awareness on campuses while the second was a display of Holodomor: Genocide by Famine.[10] SUSK continues its Holodomor awareness and commemoration efforts on an annual basis, and encourages its member USOs to do the same.

Literature and Culture

In March of each year, SUSK holds a Ukrainian Literature Day to commemorate the famous Ukrainian poet, Taras Shevchenko.[11] SUSK helped organize a book tour across Canada for Andrea Chalupa in the Fall of 2013 for her book Orwell and the Refugees: The Untold Story of Animal Farm.

The Endowment Fund

Turnover is SUSK’s largest challenge as a volunteer organization – by the time our students fully develop their leadership, they are not far from graduating. To combat this, SUSK has introduced full-time staff to support USOs, train new executive members, as well as assist our fundraising to provide institutional memory. However, our resources to sustain this position and our member organizations are short term.

In 2021, the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) launched the Finding Belonging, Creating Leaders campaign to ensure a strong and unified Ukrainian Canadian student body, and to develop the future leadership of the Ukrainian Canadian community. The endowment will use its annual accruement to support SUSK and its students for years to come.

In January 2021, SUSK put its resolution to create an equity policy into action. The Policy Committee has been crafting a policy that outlines the organization's vision to be a pillar for equity, diversity, and inclusion within the Ukrainian Canadian Community. SUSK aims to foster connection and unity with various cultures and organizations that encompass the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada. The policy will apply to all activities, initiatives, and internal workings of SUSK, and will be implemented in the fall of 2021 after the National SUSK Congress. Additionally, a new position that focuses on achieving the goals of the policy, the Inclusion and Diversity Director, will be voted on at Congress.

Other Accomplishments

In November 2013, SUSK was one of the finalists of the "Ukrainian Dragons" Project taking place at the XXIV Triennial Congress of Ukrainian Canadians.[12] Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk invested $10,000 into the project created by SUSK at the "Ukrainian Dragons" competition.[13][14] In 2011, SUSK held a contest to win a spot on the Historical Train of Ukrainian Pioneers to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the first Ukrainians immigrating to Canada.[15]

Vera Watowich (née Zarowski) was the first President of SUSK from 1953 to 1958. She died on October 21, 2012, in Denver, Colorado.[16]

Bohdan Bociurkiw was the co-founder of SUSK, alongside Vera Watowich, and was the first Vice-President in 1953. He was one of the founders of CIUS and served as the associate director from 1979 to 1982. He died on October 1, 1998, in his Ottawa home.[17]

Donald Sadoway is a Professor of Materials Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and served on the SUSK Executive between 1972 and 1974. In 2012 he was named one of Time Magazine's Top 100 most influence people in the world.[18][19]

SUSK alumnus Bohdan Kupych has worked for many years in the technology industry in Ukraine and Russia. Bohdan served on the SUSK Executive from 1975 to 1976.

George Samoil was the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Premier of Alberta under the Dave Hancock and Jim Prentice governments. George was on the SUSK Executive from 1980 to 1984, serving as President from 1981 to 1982.

Michael Bociurkiw is a global affairs analyst, speaker, and journalist. He was SUSK’s President from 1982 to 1984.

Orest Nowosad is Chief at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Orest served on the SUSK Executive from 1984 to 1986.

Marta Dyczok is a professor of history and political science at the University of Western Ontario, specializing in international politics and history with a focus on East-Central Europe and Eurasia, specifically Ukraine. She served on the SUSK Executive in 1985.

Roman Dubczak is Managing Director and Head of Global Investment Banking at CIBC Capital Markets. He served as SUSK’s VP External from 1985 to 1986. Roman is on the Advisory Council of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

Roman Chwyl is an accomplished Technology Executive with a deep technical background and experience building products and leading sales teams. He has held various senior leadership positions at Amazon, Google, IBM, and other tech firms. Roman was on the SUSK Executive from 1994 to 1995.

Paul M. Grod is President and CEO of Rodan Energy, a leading energy services company. He was on the SUSK Executive from 1994 to 1997, serving as President from 1994 to 1995. In 2018, Paul was elected as President of the Ukrainian World Congress.

SUSK alumnus Arthur McDonald, a SUSK alumnus, won the 2015 Nobel Prize for his work in the area of physics.[20]

SUSK alumnus Roman Onufrijchuk was a Professor at Simon Fraser University for several years, specifically in The Faculty of Communication.[21] He presented "From Datawakes to Paramortals" at TEDx at SFU in 2012.[22] Onufrijchuk died in 2015.