Jim WasylyshynArriving at Saint Vincent College in 1966 as a “country boy” from a small mining town near Saltsburg, Jim Wasylyshyn, C’70, was somewhat in awe of the collegiate environment. Soon, however, he became a lifelong friend of one of his classmates, Dick Bienvenue, a “city boy” who encouraged Jim to just be himself, and as a result, his future at the college would be a delightful experience. Jim followed his advice, and sure enough, his four years on campus allowed him to blossom as a person.

Jim credits his student employment at the college library as the gateway to his first professional employment. When he interviewed for a teaching job, he was up against 40 other candidates for one position; he knew that his chances to be hired were slim. But, when the interviewer heard of his work at the Saint Vincent College library, he hired him immediately to be the school librarian. That moment would ultimately lead to Jim pursuing and securing a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Maryland.

Candidly, Jim speaks of the impact of the Benedictine monks and sisters who were supportive of him. As Jim’s life unfolded, the time spent with Father Brice in the French language lab was quite relevant as he became an international traveler with a special attraction to spending many months each year in France.

With the Fred Rogers Institute on the Saint Vincent campus, the impact of Fred is very relevant to our current students. When first meeting Jim, one quickly understands that he likewise is kind to everyone around him and encourages others to like themselves and be open to honest and friendly communications with each other. And, also much like Fred, Jim is compelled to give back in whatever way he can.

After Jim and I met for the first time several years ago, our conversations began to center on his fond remembrance of his undergraduate days at Saint Vincent and how the different members of the Saint Vincent Community and his experiences with those people ultimately laid the foundation for the happy, successful, and meaningful life he leads now. We started to outline what might be the best way to give back to the college that gave him so much as an undergraduate. The idea of a scholarship in music slowly emerged as the primary objective, thus the creation of the Wasylyshyn Family Music and Theater Scholarship.

The motivation that led Jim to create the scholarship is a result of the countless individuals who have had a major impact on him being comfortable with “who he is and how he might be able to help others.”  The guidance from his parents, particularly his mother, who encouraged Jim and his brother to respect the value of musical skills, is so important to him. Giving back to others is Jim’s way of saying “thank you” to everyone who helped him throughout his life, and giving back to future Saint Vincent students is his way to ensure they have the same opportunities to blossom in college and beyond, much like he was able to do thanks to the people who supported him throughout his undergraduate career.

—Jim Bendel, C’60