Danylo Husar Struk honored in Pittsburgh as Ukrainian of the Year (12/21/97)

Danylo Husar Struk honored in Pittsburgh as Ukrainian of the Year

by Nickolas C. Kotow

PITTSBURGH - The 1997 Ukrainian of the Year Award was presented to Danylo Husar Struk, editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, by the Ukrainian Technological Society at its 28th annual dinner and dance held on November 29 at the Pittsburgh Athletic Association Club.

Also, three debutantes were introduced to the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community. Guests were welcomed by Ihor Havryluk, UTS president. The society, founded in 1970, is a charter member of the Federation of Ukrainian American Business and Professional Associations.

The Ukrainian of the Year Award honors persons who have made significant and substantial contributions over a period of time to a professional or technological specialty, to the perpetuation of Ukrainian heritage, or in humanitarian endeavors. Prior honorees include Andrew S. Gregorovich (1994), editor of Forum: A Ukrainian Review; Ulana M. Diachuk (1993), president of the Ukrainian National Association; and Nadia Svitlychna (1979), Ukrainian dissident.

The nomination of Prof. Struk as the 28th Ukrainian of the Year honoree was made by Nickolas C. Kotow, secretary. Prof. Struk was born on April 5, 1940, in Lviv, and now resides in Toronto. He earned a B.A. from Harvard University in 1963, a M.A. in 1964 from the University of Alberta, and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1970. His thesis title was "Vasyl Stefanyk: His Study of the Pain at the Heart of Existence. " This work served as the basis for his book, "A Study of Vasyl Stefanyk", published in 1972 by the Ukrainian Academic Press.

Dr. Struk has taught in the department of Slavic languages and literatures at the University of Toronto, beginning in 1967 as a lecturer and as full professor since 1982. He developed and introduced many courses in Ukrainian language, literature and poetry, and authored the textbook, "Ukrainian for Undergraduates," in 1978. He has supervised four master theses and four doctoral theses.

His research interests include 20th century Ukrainian literature, emigré Ukrainian literature, and the authors, Emma Andiyevska and Ihor Kalynets. He has published many articles on Ukrainian literature and poetry, as well as his own poems. He was elected a foreign member of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in 1992, and was awarded the Prize for Highest Achievement in Ukrainian Studies in 1993 by the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies. He currently serves as the president of the European section of the Shevchenko Scientific Society.

Dr. Struk was an editorial assistant for the monumental Encyclopedia of Ukraine in 1980-1982. He was managing editor in 1983-1989, and has been editor-in-chief since 1989. Volumes I and II were published under the editorship of Dr. Volodymyr Kubijovyc and Volumes III-V under Dr. Struk, who also contributed 19 signed entries for the encyclopedia on Ukrainian literary figures and topics and a major article on Ukrainian literature in Volume III.

Dr. Struk introduced the use of a Ukrainian-English word-processing program into the editorial process, and coordinated the work of numerous contributors, holding them to strict submission deadlines. Such personal tenacity insured the timely publication of the full work. He is presently working on an index and an update volume.

The award plaque, calligraphed by Kathy Boykowycz, was presented to Dr. Struk by UTS President Havryluk and Vice-President Marta Pisetska Farley. In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Struk thanked the many contributors, his editorial and publishing co-workers, the Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies, the University of Toronto Press, and especially Dr. Manoly Lupul, who asked him to assume the editorship after the death of Prof. Kubijovyc.

Prof. Struk noted that the widely available Encyclopedia of Ukraine served to both preserve and educate about the heritage of Ukraine by providing, in English, the most accurate, fair and comprehensive source of information on Ukraine and Ukrainians and to ensure the future of Ukraine by presenting an official source for correct Ukrainian language usage and terminology. He cited examples of the use of the encyclopedia by the U.S. ambassador in Moscow and by the Slavic cataloguer at the Library of Congress.

A complete set of the Encyclopedia of Ukraine was presented by Mrs. Farley and her husband, Brig. Gen. Andrew Newell Farley (U.S. Army Reserves) to Rev. Steve Repa, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Carnegie, Pa. The church has a museum where the encyclopedia will be available for use by the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community.

Luba Hlutkowsky, president of the Pittsburgh Branch of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, introduced the three debutantes. They were Danya Maria Morozowich, daughter of Michael and Nadia Morozowich of Moon Township, Pa., and her escort, James Ortiz; Rene Morozowich, daughter of James and Marsha Morozowich of Irwin, Pa., and her escort, Jeremy Flock; and Natalia Yatskiv, daughter of Josep and Tatiana Yatskiv of Uzhhorod, Ukraine, and her escort, Roman Burtyk.

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