Ukrainian Technological Society honors Nadia McConnell as Ukrainian of the Year

by Nickolas C. Kotow

PITTSBURGH - Nadia Komarnyckyj McConnell, the founder and the president of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation in Washington, was presented with the Ukrainian of the Year Award for 2003 by the Ukrainian Technological Society of Pittsburgh, (an association of Ukrainian professionals and businesspersons, at the society's 34th annual dinner and dance held on Saturday, November 15, at the Churchill Valley Country Club in the Penn Hills section of Pittsburgh.

Guests and members were welcomed by UTS President Debra A. Walenchok, who introduced prior Ukrainian of the Year awardees and past presidents of the society, who were in attendance. She then asked Stephen Haluszczak, the founder and the president of the Ukrainian Cultural and Humanitarian Institute of Pittsburgh, to make the nomination of Mrs. McConnell.

Mr. Haluszczak noted that Mrs. McConnell is a graduate of Arizona State University with a bachelor of arts degree in political science, and brought many executive skills developed in industrial and government service to the founding of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, establishing its presence in the United States and Ukraine, even before Ukraine's independence.

The major goals of the foundation, he noted, are facilitating democratic development, encouraging free market reform and enhancing human rights in Ukraine. As the founder of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, Mrs. McConnell has shown the way for many other Ukrainian constituencies to work for Ukraine through an active non-governmental organization (NGO).

The colorful Ukrainian of the Year Award plaque, caligraphed in English and Ukrainian by graphic artist Kathy Boykowycz, was presented to Mrs. McConnell by President Walenchok and Irene K. Grimm, UTS secretary.

In her acceptance remarks, Mrs. McConnell thanked the society for the award, and made two significant points. First, she compared the freedoms enjoyed by all the citizens of the United States to those in Ukraine and in other parts of the world, where she has visited. She reminded all how truly blessed by God Americans are. Secondly, she noted that from those who are given much, much is expected in return. Therefore, she had no problem in continuing her tireless work for Ukraine. She asked her listeners to help join in building Ukraine by supporting the work of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation.

"Mnohaya Lita" was entoned by the Very Rev. Steve Repa, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Carnegie, Pa. The Rev. Repa also offered the invocation. After dinner, music for dancing was provided by Fred Yasnowski and the Musical Collection Band.

Mrs. McConnell was accompanied to Pittsburgh by her husband, Robert, and daughter, Deanna; son, Andrij, remained in Washington due to a prior commitment. During the social hour and following dinner, guests expressed their congratulations and had the opportunity to learn of the many years of involvement in the Ukrainian Community by Mrs. McConnell.

In 1990, she developed a partnership with Indiana University and through that partnership was able to convince the U.S. government to fund the first ever delegation to the United States of officials from Ukraine. That first delegation of Ukrainian parliamentarians visited Indiana and Washington in April 1991. While serving in the administration of President Ronald Reagan, she served in a voluntary leadership capacity in community efforts to secure passage of legislation to establish the U.S. Commission on the Ukraine Famine and to gain congressional recognition of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster.

Mrs. McConnell was a national chair of the government relations committee of the Millennium of Christianity in Ukraine effort in the United States. She also established and chaired Ukraine 2000, a Washington-based organization that played an active role in educating the American administration and Congress regarding Ukraine and urged stronger relations between the United States and Ukraine.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 21, 2003, No. 51, Vol. LXXI

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