SUSK To Hold 50^th National Congress in Montreal

The Ukrainian Canadian University Students’ Union (Soyuz Ukrains’kykh Studentiv Kanady - SUSK) was revived at the XXII National Ukrainian Canadian Congress held in Winnipeg this past October.  Artem Luhovy was elected as SUSK National President, who is also President of McGill University’s Ukrainian Students’ Association in Montreal. Close to fifty youth delegates from various youth organizations attended, many of whom are members of university clubs across Canada. Architect Victor Deneka was also present, who is one of the first organizers of SUSK in 1953.

In November 2007, SUSK National organized a mock hunger-strike at various universities across Canada marking the 75^th anniversary of the Famine Genocide in Soviet Ukraine.  SUSK National also has revived Student, its national tri-lingual publication, and a forum reflecting the broad interests of Ukrainian-Canadian students.  This year, Student it will be marking its 40^th anniversary, having first been published in Montreal in 1968.

Membership in SUSK consists of Ukrainian clubs, associations, and federations whose members are students of a Canadian university or other post-secondary institutions.  SUSK National has its president Artem Luhovy as its official representative at the Ukrainian Canadian Congress National Board of Directors. SUSK is also a member of the World Congress of Ukrainians (SKU).

SUSK is presently organizing its 50^th National Congress to be held from Friday, February 22 to Sunday, February 24, 2008 at McGill University in Montreal.  The conference program will be put on the SUSK website (www.susk.ca) and on Youtube.  Students from across Canada will be attending, as well as, American university students who are members of SUSTA.

SUSK has a long tradition dating from its founding in Winnipeg in December 1953, with student activity dating back further to 1927 in Canada.  Among SUSK’s aims has been to unite and co-ordinate Ukrainian student clubs at all Canadian universities, including CEGEP in Quebec, and to promote co-operation and programs among them.

The SUSK National Executive for 2007-2008 is: Artem Luhovy, President (McGill University); Marco Jacuta, Executive Vice President Internal (University of Alberta); Adriana Luhovy, Director of Publications “Student” and Communications (Concordia University); Roman Soltykevych, Vice President Regional West (University of Alberta); Olyana Grod, Vice President Regional East (York University); Tamara Mischena, Projects Director (University of Guelph); Oksana Hrycyna, Director of External Relations (York University); Olesia Markevych, Secretary (University of Alberta); Andrij Popiel, Treasurer (University of Manitoba); and Paul Horbal, Alumni Director and Past President (University of Toronto).