It takes a special person to create an entirely new aspect of law. Svitlana Kravchenko was that person. After working in Ukraine as an environmental law attorney for many years, she recognized the portions of it that could be related to human rights, an entirely different sect of law.
Kravchenko didn’t care. She saw potential, and she went for it. Years later, she is considered one of the most prominent pioneers of this revolutionary field. But due to an unsuspected heart attack two weeks ago, her life and mission to spread the word of her field was cut short.
Kravchenko, a University environmental law professor, passed away Friday, Feb. 10, at the age of 62.@@http://uonews.uoregon.edu/archive/news-release/2012/2/oregon-law-mourns-beloved-professor-svitlana-kravchenko@@
Law professor John Bonine@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=John+Bonine@@, her husband and partner in many of her endeavors, tried to put into words the experience of being in her presence.
“Her impact is not characterized by what she did, but by how she inspired.” Bonine said.
A memorial service will be held at Friday at 3 p.m. in the law school, room 175. Speakers from around the world will be joining the service via Skype, including a Supreme Court justice from Brazil.
A University scholarship has also been created — the John Bonine-Svitlana Kravchenko Environmental Protection Scholarship — to be given to students who will work toward the goals of environmental protection.
Former students Samantha Kakuru@@http://law.uoregon.edu/socialmedia/email/llm-class-2011/@@, Antonia Zeas and Vanessa Danley@@same link@@ spoke to their experiences in and out of her classroom.
“She opened up herself, her house, her life,” Kakuru said. “She was a friend, a mentor, someone to look up to.”
An inspiration to these young women, she showed them that teachers didn’t have to be distant.
“She was right there as a role model,” Zeas said. “She was real. She was human at the same time, and you could see all of the love that she had for people.”
A class with Kravchenko meant not only lessons from a pioneer in the field but also the experiences from all over the world that went along with her pioneering.
“When we were in class, she would teach, but she would also give her real-life experiences,” Kakuru said.
Danley remembered her as an adviser and friend.
“She always gave such good guidance,” Danley said. “No matter what.”
Kravchenko was able to stand in front of the international environmental law community, addressing some of the most prestigious justices all over the world. She became a mother to her students, inviting them into her home for dinner and sharing stories of her life. Those close to her say she held herself with an untouchable grace and kindness that instantly connected with people.
“She exuded bravery and courage,” Bonine said. “She earned incredible loyalty and respect from everyone who met her.”
Professor Mary Wood@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Mary+Wood@@, who was a colleague and friend, was stunned by Kravchenko’s sudden passing.
“Everyone was shocked at the news. Everybody was just filled with grief,” Wood said. “The shockwave was like a tsunami worldwide. It really showed us the scope of her successes.”
The loss devastated the law school community on campus as well.
“The law faculty, many of the law students and many alum have reached out in extraordinary ways,” said dean of the law school Michael Moffitt @@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Michael+Moffitt+@@. “They have not only been helping each other, but they have been joining together and looking for ways to perpetuate her legacy.”
Her international presence led to a flood of emails, messages and letters from all over the world.
“I think the greatest indication of a truly amazing person is the legacy they can inspire,” Moffitt said. “So many efforts are being made worldwide.
“She was always anchored by human values. If the law wasn’t right, she was determined to set it right.”
According to family, Kravchenko was not deterred by someone telling her she couldn’t do something.
“Her niece used to say, ‘She had some ideas that some people thought were crazy, and then she implemented them and they were no longer crazy,’” Bonine said.
Before Kravchenko and Bonine, environmental law and human rights were not aspects of law that were put together. In an interview last summer, she reiterated the importance of this combination, hopeful of sending her message further into the world.
“We face a world of onrushing disaster, fueled by carbon and greed. We also face a world that still contains great beauty and that is populated by humans capable of great acts of generosity,” Kravchenko said.”I urge students to move toward beauty and generosity.”