Columbia University Receives $2 Million Planned Gift in support of Ukrainian Studies.
May 5, 2025 – New York, NY — The Ukrainian Studies Fund is honored to announce a $2 million planned gift from Sviatoslav Bozhenko in support of the Ukrainian Studies program at Columbia University. Mr. Bozhenko passed away in San Francisco, CA on April 16, 2025, at the age of 95. This generous bequest reflects Mr. Bozhenko's love of Ukraine and his strong commitment to education and Ukrainian Studies.
"On behalf of the Ukrainian Studies Program at Columbia University's Harriman Institute, I would like to say how honored we are to have outstanding benefactors such as Sviatoslav Bozhenko, who with foresight and visionary generosity is propelling the Program's advancement” said Dr. Mark Andryczyk, Ukrainian Studies Program coordinator and Instructor of Ukrainian Literature at Columbia. Dr. Andryczyk further added “Mr. Bozhenko’s life story featured an unwavering love for, and dedication to, Ukraine. He consistently found ways to help the country maintain a presence beyond its borders. Mr. Bozhenko’s donation to our program will ensure that Columbia’s students and faculty will have the opportunity to continue working towards the production of knowledge about Ukraine and underscoring its global significance in the past, present and future."
Born in 1929 in Kyiv, Mr. Bozhenko was introduced to Soviet repression at an early age (5 months old) when his family was exiled to Turkmenistan as part of Stalin’s repression of Ukrainian intellectuals. By 1934 Mr. Bozhenko’s family was allowed to return to Kyiv, fleeing again during WWII to Germany. The Bozhenko family ultimately settled in California after stopovers in Brazil and Chicago, where Mr. Bozhenko completed his degree at the University of Chicago. One of Mr. Bozhenko’s prized possessions was his Master’s diploma from the University of California signed by then-governor, Ronald Reagan. Mr. Bozhenko spent almost 25 years as a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco. Fluent in five languages, Mr. Bozhenko was a long-time supporter of international students. Upon retiring, the deceased took up painting, developing a style he called “Grandma Moses meets Van Gogh”. Mr. Bozhenko’s gift is the result of the Ukrainian Studies Fund’s efforts to facilitate a planned gift in line with the donor’s values. He was a long-time donor to the Ukrainian Studies Fund, and reached out to the organization to help with his estate planning.
This contribution exemplifies the profound impact that planned giving can have on the development of Ukrainian Studies. By including Columbia in his estate plans, Mr. Bozhenko has joined a distinguished group of benefactors whose foresight and philanthropy continue to shape the future of Ukrainian Studies in the United States.
For more information on planned giving opportunities in support of Ukrainian Studies, please email info@ukrainianstudiesfund.org
