Endowed Heroes Campaign Update

April 2024

Each of these brave men gave their lives in the fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. They did not ask to be heroes. They were compelled to defend their homes, families, and country.

At UCU Foundation we are privileged to be honoring these heroes with endowed scholarships, and we are proud to share with you the moving level of support and interest their funds have generated. Our goal is to fully fund these scholarships so the heroes will live on through the education of leaders who will rebuild Ukraine.

Thanks to so many generous donors, we have made great progress towards this goal. Two of our scholarships are fully funded and one, for Oles-Yulian Shcherba, who was featured in our Giving Tuesday 2023 campaign, is nearly complete.

Bar chart showing total donations by endowed hero with a headshot paired with each bar. As of April 2024, total donated worldwide: $473,900; Artem Dymyd's fund is fully funded at $104,809; Oleh Vorobyov's fund is fully funded at $100,821; Oles-Yulian Shcherba's fund is at $86,758; Oleksandr Mehel's fund is at $38,013; Oleg Kurskyi's fund is at $38,113; Taras Hayduk's fund is at $37,613; Andriy Dobrovetskyi's fund is at $37,773; and Dmytro Slyvka's fund is at $30,000.

However, we recently received the tragic news of another UCU hero who gave his life for his country, Dmytro Slyvka, who served in the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Dmytro received his Master’s in Physical and Occupational Therapy at UCU. Even while on the front lines, Dmytro supported UCU and its students through the monthly giving program: Do-Natsia. We have already received a very generous donation for this hero’s fund.

Statistics and pie chart demonstrating: 186 U.S. Donors; 211 Donations; $399,219 Total U.S. Donations; 84% of funds for these endowments were raised in the U.S.; 16% of funds raised in Ukraine, Europe and beyond.

We are so grateful for the amount of support we have received from our U.S. donors! It is a beautiful reflection of our shared values of freedom, education, and democratic government, values for which these heroes gave their lives. Here is a little bit about these men, each of whom was a student or graduate of UCU:

Artem Dymyd

Artem Dymyd (July 4, 1995 – June 18, 2022) was a graduate of UCU, Humanities Faculty, History Program, a key member of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, and an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity, serving in the special battalions “Harpoon” and “Azov.”

Oleh Vorobyov (May 11, 1977 – May 30, 2022) was an alumnus of the Masters of Science in Technology Management Program at UCU’s Business School, COO at The Spares Expert LtD, and founder of a course for psychological assistance for soldiers of the anti-terrorist operation, Happy Together.

Oles Shcherba

Oles-Yulian Shcherba (March 12, 1997 – August 19, 2023) studied psychology at UCU and graduated from the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2018. During his studies, he was a very active volunteer at the Emmaus house. He is survived by his mother and fiancée.

Oleksandr Mehel

Oleksandr Mehel (February 08, 1985 – April 13, 2023) was a graduate student in UCU’s “Technologies and Innovations in Social Work” program. A deeply religious man, he and his team were building the MyroDim (Home of Peace), a supportive home for the disabled.

Oleg Kurskyi

Oleg Kurskyi (April 2, 1987 – September 12, 2022) was a second-year Master’s student at UCU’s Institute of Leadership and Management. A member of the NGO “Kolo Chesti” and a volunteer, Oleg fought selflessly for Ukrainian Donbas.

Taras Hayduk (October 24, 1990 – March 6, 2022) received his Master’s in History from UCU and was one of the most famous tour guides in Transcarpathia. He ran the popular travel blog “Virtual Guide” on YouTube.

Andriy Dobrovetskyi

Andriy Dobrovetskyi (July 23, 1975 – August 19, 2022) studied at the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of UCU from 2005-2009. Andriy is survived by his wife Oksana and daughters Dominika (age 7) and Anna (age 3).

Dmytro Slyvka (August 19, 1996– February 21, 2024), received his Master’s in Physical and Occupational Therapy at UCU and previously served as an occupational therapist at the “Dzherelo” Center for Rehabilitation and Social Services.

Anyone making a gift becomes a part of these brave legacies. Supporters can specify which of these endowments they would like to fund. The contribution will be invested, and the return on investment will support and nurture future generations of UCU students through scholarships.

We can never repay the sacrifice of these men, but we honor them by continuing their cause – the fight for the future of Ukraine. Please help us complete each of these Endowed Scholarships so that we may honor these heroes for generations to come. Eternal glory to our heroes!

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