There are so many aspects to our friend Sukij and certainly the “cup” of this blog “runnith over” with cherished memories of the love he’s shared and how much he means to each of us, his adopted American family. We all also all know how brilliant that he is!! I had the amazing opportunity to be both his friend and his boss (sometimes we wondered who was leading who) during his years at the University of Maryland and I wanted to share with his family and friends some of his truly amazing professional accomplishments. It was an honor to work alongside Sukij!
--Dorothy Chrismer
--Dorothy Chrismer
The excerpt below is a compilation, taken from several documents on file at the University, that only begin to touch the surface of the tributes he deserves for so many remarkable endeavors.
Sukij had been affiliated with the University of Maryland College Park beginning in 1982 where he began as a promising engineering student. Wanting to supplement his academic experience, he obtained employment in the Department of Communication and Business Services. Although working part-time and attending school full-time, he became a valued employee while remaining an excellent scholar. Sukij was an outstanding employee in the Department of Communication and Business Services (CBS) and an active member of the campus community.
Sukij graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park. He also had a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics (with a minor in Computer Science) from Columbia Union College where he was awarded Highest Honors. Sukij is listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges for 1986-87.
CBS had witnessed the demonstration of Sukij’s knowledge, capabilities and expertise as well as his professional growth. He provided outstanding engineering and technical expertise in the support of complex voice and data communication systems. His contributions included planning, design, engineering and project management support for the installation of the campus-wide telecommunications system. In addition, he had been responsible for directing the operations of one of the largest, single-sight telecommunications systems in the world! This system was crucial to the University’s research, teaching and academic missions.
Sukij effectively applied his knowledge and skills to utilize technology to serve the University’s faculty, staff and students. He had been instrumental in implementing new media such as video teleconferencing and collaborative software which had been successfully incorporated into academic programs as instructional tools. In addition, Sukij had developed systems to support other important functions of the University. For example, he served as a technical liaison with the University Police Department for telecommunication matters. As a result of his excellent service to the Police, he had been the recipient of several awards such as the Citizen Appreciation Award for 1991, 1993 and 1994, and the Certificate of Appreciation in 1992. His accomplishments were recognized by the Governor of Maryland in 1994 when he was awarded the Governor’s Certificate of Merit for Crime Prevention.
In conjunction with the University’s research mission, Sukij had primary responsibility for several inventions! He was awarded the 1992 Outstanding Inventor/Invention of the Year for “The Connect Family of Innovative Voice Response Applications” from the University of Maryland Graduate Research Office of Technology Liaison. In addition, the University received the NACUBO 1993 Cost Reduction Incentive Award as a result of developments created under the direction of Sukij.
Due to his knowledge and skills, Sukij had earned the respect of his colleagues and peers and he had become nationally recognized as a telecommunications resource. He was often required to represent the University on telecommunications matters and frequently spoke at local and national conferences. In 1995, Sukij served as the Eastern Region Director for the AT&T Global Definity User’s Group. For his outstanding service to the User’s Group, he had been the recipient of numerous awards including the Leadership Excellence Award and the prestigious Eagle Award.
Sukij’s dedication to his profession matched his commitment to the University community. As an active staff member, he was involved in many aspects of campus life. For example, he had served as an Advise 5 advisor for Letters and Sciences for several years. In that role, he was a mentor and friend to college students needing assistance with academic decisions. He also served as host to campus faculty, staff, students and guests who toured the University’s telecommunication facility. In that role, he was an instructor sharing his knowledge and experience.
As an advocate of personal growth and development, Sukij continually strived for self-improvement. He had participated in many campus sponsored programs and completed the Office of Executive Programs’ course in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In addition, Sukij had participated in extra-curricula programs to enhance his skills. An example of his many successes is the receipt of the Highest Award for Achievement from Dale Carengie and Associates in 1996.
And so, it was with great pride and pleasure to all of us that Sukij was nominated to the President’s Committee for the Associate Staff Award in 1996! He exemplified all of the qualities specified in the award criteria as well as many other outstanding traits. With his record of exceptional performance, leadership and service to the University of Maryland at College Park, Sukij deserved the honor to be represented by the Associate Staff Award. He was a most worthy candidate for consideration!
In conjunction with the University’s research mission, Sukij had primary responsibility for several inventions! He was awarded the 1992 Outstanding Inventor/Invention of the Year for “The Connect Family of Innovative Voice Response Applications” from the University of Maryland Graduate Research Office of Technology Liaison. In addition, the University received the NACUBO 1993 Cost Reduction Incentive Award as a result of developments created under the direction of Sukij.
Due to his knowledge and skills, Sukij had earned the respect of his colleagues and peers and he had become nationally recognized as a telecommunications resource. He was often required to represent the University on telecommunications matters and frequently spoke at local and national conferences. In 1995, Sukij served as the Eastern Region Director for the AT&T Global Definity User’s Group. For his outstanding service to the User’s Group, he had been the recipient of numerous awards including the Leadership Excellence Award and the prestigious Eagle Award.
Sukij’s dedication to his profession matched his commitment to the University community. As an active staff member, he was involved in many aspects of campus life. For example, he had served as an Advise 5 advisor for Letters and Sciences for several years. In that role, he was a mentor and friend to college students needing assistance with academic decisions. He also served as host to campus faculty, staff, students and guests who toured the University’s telecommunication facility. In that role, he was an instructor sharing his knowledge and experience.
As an advocate of personal growth and development, Sukij continually strived for self-improvement. He had participated in many campus sponsored programs and completed the Office of Executive Programs’ course in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In addition, Sukij had participated in extra-curricula programs to enhance his skills. An example of his many successes is the receipt of the Highest Award for Achievement from Dale Carengie and Associates in 1996.
And so, it was with great pride and pleasure to all of us that Sukij was nominated to the President’s Committee for the Associate Staff Award in 1996! He exemplified all of the qualities specified in the award criteria as well as many other outstanding traits. With his record of exceptional performance, leadership and service to the University of Maryland at College Park, Sukij deserved the honor to be represented by the Associate Staff Award. He was a most worthy candidate for consideration!
--Dorothy Chrismer and Linda Hosey
