On October 29, the UCU Business School announces the establishment of the Yaroslav Rushchyshyn Endowed Fund, created to support research, educational programs, and social initiatives centered on the theme of trust. Today, Yaroslav would have celebrated his 58th birthday.
Yaroslav Rushchyshyn was a public figure, philanthropist, entrepreneur, and politician. He was a co-founder and one of the key visionaries behind the UCU Business School and an honorary senator of the Ukrainian Catholic University. He co-founded the Dzyga art association, established the Trottola garment manufacturing network, and was among the founding partners of the Biennale of Trust. He served as a member of the Ukrainian Parliament (Golos faction). Unfortunately, Yaroslav tragically passed away in a car accident in July this year.
In September 2025, the Supervisory Board of the UCU Business School resolved to establish a permanent memorial fund in his name to advance research and social initiatives dedicated to fostering understanding, partnership, and trust. The Business School’s total investment in the fund amounts to $500,000. Of this, $250,000 will form an endowment, generating approximately $10,000 annually to support research and educational initiatives. An additional $250,000 will be directed over the next ten years toward projects focused on trust-building.
Why Trust?
Together with colleagues, Yaroslav founded the Trust Space in Lviv. In 2018, he was one of the initiators and benefactors of the Biennale of Trust, a multidisciplinary platform that encouraged society to reconsider the culture of trust, challenge the prevailing fear of vulnerability, and reflect on the role trust plays in civic and economic life.
“Trust is the social lubricant of human capital, of progress and development. No business can be built without trust— within teams and organizations,”
— Yaroslav Rushchyshyn often emphasized.
Sofia Opatska, Founding Dean and Chair of the Supervisory Board of the UCU Business School, explains:
“This decision is not about short-term effects. It is an investment in the future and in the social change Ukraine needs. We want to continue Yaroslav’s work. He acted out of trust and inspired others to think long-term.”
When Yaroslav decided to pursue systemic change through public service, he said:
“Trust begins with transparency. The opposite of trust is not distrust, but fear and uncertainty. We must remove obstacles which prevent us from thinking strategically fifty years ahead. Trust also inspires sacrifice: when people see you carrying an idea forward with commitment, they join you. That is the foundation of true leadership.”
Yaroslav Rushchyshyn Endowed Fund at the UCU Business School will support research, lectures, public discussions, and educational programs exploring the theme of trust. One of the Fund’s first initiatives will be a lecture delivered by an international expert.
“For Yaroslav, trust was not a slogan—it was a guiding principle. Without trust, society wastes its energy on bureaucracy and caution instead of creating value. This fund continues his philosophy,”
— concludes Sofia Opatska.
The initiative will be implemented by the UCU Business School under the guidance of the Business School’s Supervisory Board.
We would like to add that Yaroslav also co-founded the Univ Group, which developed a public strategy for the growth of Lviv. He funded a landmark study of Lviv residents’ values in 2007, which became the basis for the City 2025 Strategy focused on economic development through strong business clusters.
“After all that research, I saw that trust emerges where there is a willingness to sacrifice,” Yaroslav emphasized. “Sacrifice is the pre-condition for human trust. And sacrifice is usually ‘embedded’ in either religion or culture… We need to find the reason why we live so poorly and decide: If we want to live better, we must do something about it together. Let’s unite and trust one another.”
After his passing, the Ukrainian Catholic University, together with his family, also established a permanent scholarship endowment in his name to support students who cannot afford tuition. The fundraising goal is $100,000.
Yaroslav and his family supported student education every year — education was deeply important to him. You can support the scholarship fund here:
https://supporting.ucu.edu.ua/en/donate/?order=115.28
