The John Hrycko Family Endowed Collection in Eastern European Studies was established in 1988 by John Hrycko. Two of his daughters are graduates of the University: Noelle (’89) and Elizabeth (‘91). His youngest, Robin, is a graduate of Saint Mary’s College. John’s parents, Peter and Sophie Hrycko, are of Ukrainian and Polish descent. They moved to France in 1938. Then in 1949, after John was born, the family came to America.  Today, John is president of Dowagiac Commercial Press Inc. At Notre Dame, he is a member of the Sorin Society.

This fund robustly supports the study of humanities. It has made it possible for the Libraries to acquire major periodicals in Eastern European studies and add significantly to its Polish history books and media collections. Purchased have been many contemporary Polish films, literature books by contemporary Polish writers in Polish and English languages, retrospective monographs on Eastern Europe, which cover a broad spectrum of ongoing scholarship in the area, and copies of current, limited-run publications.

John also established the John Hrycko Family Endowed Collection in French Studies and the John Hrycko Family Endowment Fund.