The Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation (UCEF) and the Midwest Friends of UCU Committee announced last week that Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak will give the keynote address to this year’s charity program benefiting the Ukrainian Catholic University. The event will be held on-line on Sunday, November 8st, and is eхpected to draw hundreds of attendees from across the United States.
This year’s event will include special guest William Taylor, Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine (2006—2009, 2019--2020). Ambassador Taylor is currently Vice President, Strategic Stability and Security at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Last year, he served as chargé d’affaires at the U.S. embassy in Kyiv. He served as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine from 2006 to 2009.
“UCU is a Ukrainian success story. During my service in Ukraine, I came to know UCU well - and was truly impressed with the quality of its education and students,” said Ambassador Taylor. “UCU’s focus on educational reform, service, ethics and leadership is having a real impact on building Ukraine’s civil society.”
Musical Entertainment will be provided by Taras Chubay, a Ukrainian rock star and leader of rock band Plach Yeremii.
The Ukrainian Catholic University was officially launched in 2002 after the cornerstone of its new campus was blessed by St. John Paul II during his Pontifical visit to Ukraine in 2001. Inspired by the vision of Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky and Patriarch Josyf Slipyj, UCU has been recognized as a leading force for educational reform and civil society, an advocate for integrity in scholarship and journalism and an innovative promoter of community service and cultural and spiritual ethics. Its students and faculty were among the voices of conscience in the 2013-2014 Revolution of Dignity as well as the Orange Revolution of 2004.
In September, Ukrainian Catholic University resumed in-person classes and welcomed its largest incoming class of 438 women and men. For the third year in a row, UCU has attracted students with the highest average scores on national achievement tests (ZNO: “Zaochni narodni opytuvannia”), comparable to the American SATs.
To register for the November 8th event or become a sponsor, please visit the UCEF website at www.ucef.org, or call the Foundation’s Chicago office at (773)235-8462.