Ukrainian Technological Society honors Ukrainian of the Year (12/26/99)

Ukrainian Technological Society honors Ukrainian of the Year

PITTSBURGH - Michael John Jula of Carnegie, Pa., was honored as the 1999 Ukrainian of the Year by the Ukrainian Technological Society of Pittsburgh at the society's 30th annual dinner-dance held at The University Club on November 27. Mr. Jula was honored for his lifelong promotion of Ukrainian arts, culture and heritage, and for his efforts in mounting exhibits, or advising others in doing so, of authentic Ukrainian artwork and artifacts.

Charles P. Kostecki, president, welcomed UTS members and guests and introduced the Rev. Michael Kochis, pastor of St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ambridge, Pa., who made the nominating speech. Mr. Kostecki and Secretary Kristina M. Kincak presented to Mr. Jula the 1999 Ukrainian of the Year award plaque, an original designed and crafted by graphic artist Kathy Boykowycz.

As members of his family - wife, Marijka Borszcz Jula, and daughters, Tatyana Helena and Anastasia Stephanya, and brother, William Jula - listened Mr. Jula provided a historical review, a current assessment and comments on future prospects of the Ukrainian community in Pittsburgh. After these acceptance remarks, Mr. Kostecki offered a toast to the honoree and all sang "Mnohaya Lita."

Mr. Jula, born on May 19, 1950, has been a lifelong resident of Carnegie and a lifelong Ukrainian activist. His father was a charter member of the Ukrainian American Citizen's Club of Carnegie, and his mother was active in helping to build the parish of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church in Carnegie. It was from his parents and from his extended family of aunts and uncles that Mr. Jula learned much about his Ukrainian heritage. He was an acolyte at the Holy Trinity Church, attended religious school there, and attended Ridna Shkola.

He graduated from the design department of the Pittsburgh Art Institute in 1972. While studying there, he mounted a Ukrainian Awareness Day exhibit. His early Ukrainian activist involvement was with the Pittsburgh branch of the Ukrainian Student Organization of Mykola Mikhnovsky.

In 1973 he called upon his formal design and Ukrainian artistic skills to provide an authentic setting for an ecumenical moleben in which Patriarch Josyf Slipyj participated. In recognition of his expertise, he was later asked to arrange the appointments for official visits to Pittsburgh by Metropolitans Ambrose Senyshyn, Joseph Schmondiuk and Stephen Sulyk, and for Metropolitan Constantine of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.

The celebration of the millennium of Christianity in Rus'-Ukraine in 1988 was another important time for Mr. Jula. In that year, he mounted a large exhibit also of Ukrainian Christianity at the Pittsburgh Folk Festival, was involved in the planning for the ecumenical observances in Point State Park and mounted another large exhibit at the Pittsburgh Ukrainian Festival at the University of Pittsburgh.

In 1997 Mr. Jula led the Pittsburgh Ukrainian community in commemorating the 50th anniversary of "Akcija Wisla," the forced ethnic cleansing of Ukrainian peoples from their ancestral homes in southeast Poland. The Pittsburgh Ukrainian community was one of only a few to commemorate this important event in Ukrainian history.

Mr. Jula has had a significant continuing association with the Pittsburgh Folk Festival, where his expertise has been called upon to guarantee the authenticity of the displays and costumes of the many ethnic groups that participate in the festival. He has been associated with the Pittsburgh Ukrainian Festival since its initial festival in 1982, and served as general chairman of the festival in 1993-1999. He invited artisans from Manor College to participate in the festival.

He has also been active with the committee that helped to design and construct the Ukrainian Nationality Classroom in the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. He submitted many documents from his collection to help in the writing of "Christmas in Ukraine," one in a series of ethnic Christmas books by World Books Inc.

Mr. Jula is currently a board member for Ridna Shkola (the School of Ukrainian Studies) of Pittsburgh, where he is promoting the school's Internet website for the community (http://www.pghukrainians.org). In addition, he has assumed new duties as treasurer for the Pittsburgh-Donetsk Sister Cities Committee, which recently formalized that sister city connection.

| Home Page |