The faculty of the UCU Business School brings not only academic knowledge but, above all, a unique combination of a passion for education and active careers in management. Traditionally, during graduation ceremonies, the community honors those who have served as true guides for students in the world of business and values. This year, the “Teachers of the Year” were selected by the ambitious and discerning class of 2026.
As noted by the School’s Academic Director, Nataliia Oboznenko, each faculty member gave their all to instill in students a genuine passion for lifelong learning.
For the second time, students voted Scott Sehlhorst as the best instructor in the Master’s in Technology Management program. Scott, who lives overseas, has been teaching the Product Development course for over 10 years. Students particularly appreciated his highly practical approach: Scott often emphasizes the importance of creating “useful courses” whose outcomes can be immediately applied to a company’s development.
The “Marketing Management” program cast its votes for Igor Didko, an expert with 20 years of experience in marketing management at leading Ukrainian companies. Although Igor was unable to attend the ceremony due to a presentation on a large-scale project to develop the industrial hemp sector, his message to the graduates was clear: Ukraine does not need marketers who simply copy others’ solutions. He urged leaders to see opportunities where others see problems and to have ambitions that are “a little scary.”
Alla Heorhiadi was named the top graduate of the new “Managing Impact-Driven Organizations” program. She is the founder of the National Association of Socioeconomic Researchers and Practitioners and an expert in organizational development. Alla emphasized that learning is not an individual endeavor but rather the collective effort of a “team of professionals” who create a safe environment for the learning community to grow far beyond the classroom.
Andriy Hrynchuk, a lawyer and Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, was named a laureate of the Master’s in Innovations and Entrepreneurship program. In his address, he urged businesspeople to avoid a “do-it-yourself” mindset, which often harms the common cause, and to build a state (“their own home”) where the law is reliable and predictable.
The true highlight of the event was the presentation of an award to the commencement’s guest speaker, Professor Yaroslav Hrytsak, who was selected by students of the “Business Administration” (Key Executive MBA) program as the best. Mr. Hrytsak noted that in his 25 years at UCU, this was his first award from the university. His victory demonstrated that a humanities-based context and an understanding of historical processes are critically important for today’s leaders who aspire to “aim high.”
The UCU Business School sincerely congratulates the award winners and thanks every faculty member for not only teaching but also inspiring students to take action and succeed!
