Help Taras earn a Masters Degree
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Wrestling can be viewed as a metaphor for the unpredictable downturns in life. It is a series of engaging difficulties, grappling with dilemmas at hand and pinning down solutions. For most of us, this battle is an occasional occurrence. For Taras Luzhnyy, it defined his existence.
A child of the former Soviet Union, his world was framed by a crumbling political system, high unemployment, food shortages and poverty. Add to that, a child of divorce. Taras moved from one destitute parent to the other. By age thirteen, his mother moved to Poland, his sister, to Austria. His father.. who knows. School became an afterthought. The one constant in his life, from the time he was eight, was wrestling. It grounded him and because he was gifted at the sport, he received the support of his country, which helped him fill in his educational gaps and receive a university scholarship. Through sheer determination Taras became a world class wrestler. In 2010, Taras placed third at the Cup of Ukrainian Senior Championship, third at the Ukranian Senior Nationals, and also captured the Championship at the Ukranian Student Nationals. Ultimately, he took a leap of faith, and came to the United States.
Life in America for Taras has been much like the experiences of our own ancestors: leaving a culture and language behind, scratching out whatever existence can be had and striving to get an education. Taras was able to transfer his university credits to Hofstra, and received an athletic scholarship. This allowed him to earn a degree in exercise therapy. Taras continues to pursue his dream of becoming a physical therapist, taking courses at Nassau Community College, while working four jobs to pay for his education.
Taras Luzhnyy’s wrestling skills are put to the test each day… not on the mat, but in his life, struggling to reach his goals. Please help him in his effort to once again become a champion, this time in overcoming his difficult circumstances, and achieving success in his educational aspirations.
Help me make this dream happen for Taras.
A child of the former Soviet Union, his world was framed by a crumbling political system, high unemployment, food shortages and poverty. Add to that, a child of divorce. Taras moved from one destitute parent to the other. By age thirteen, his mother moved to Poland, his sister, to Austria. His father.. who knows. School became an afterthought. The one constant in his life, from the time he was eight, was wrestling. It grounded him and because he was gifted at the sport, he received the support of his country, which helped him fill in his educational gaps and receive a university scholarship. Through sheer determination Taras became a world class wrestler. In 2010, Taras placed third at the Cup of Ukrainian Senior Championship, third at the Ukranian Senior Nationals, and also captured the Championship at the Ukranian Student Nationals. Ultimately, he took a leap of faith, and came to the United States.
Life in America for Taras has been much like the experiences of our own ancestors: leaving a culture and language behind, scratching out whatever existence can be had and striving to get an education. Taras was able to transfer his university credits to Hofstra, and received an athletic scholarship. This allowed him to earn a degree in exercise therapy. Taras continues to pursue his dream of becoming a physical therapist, taking courses at Nassau Community College, while working four jobs to pay for his education.
Taras Luzhnyy’s wrestling skills are put to the test each day… not on the mat, but in his life, struggling to reach his goals. Please help him in his effort to once again become a champion, this time in overcoming his difficult circumstances, and achieving success in his educational aspirations.
Help me make this dream happen for Taras.
Organizer
Taras Luzhnny
Organizer
New York, NY