Guy and Sophia Jadick Smith Scholarship

Dr. John Kutolowski and Dr. Kathleen Kutolowski, professors emeriti from the Department of History at SUNY Brockport, established the Guy H. and Sophia Jadick Smith Scholarship in memory of her father and step-mother to recognize an outstanding incoming student at the College who intends to major or minor in history.

Guy H. Smith, a good student and athlete, dropped out of Batavia High School in 1926 to help his struggling German-American family. The parting words of his high school principal – “Smith, you’ll never make anything of yourself!” – ringing in his ears, Mr. Smith worked jobs from short-order cook to traveling salesman until purchasing the Elba (NY) Hardware Store in 1936. He ran this “good little store in a good little town” for three decades, fulfilling a variety of civic roles but always lamenting his lack of formal education.

Sophia Jadick Smith, daughter of Russian immigrants, also had to leave school early. In her case, she needed to care for siblings after her mother’s early death. Unlike her husband, she was able to return, graduate from high school, and earn a degree in business education at Albany State Teachers College while working two or three jobs at a time. She taught at Elba Central School from 1938 until 1985. Known for her high standards and willingness to do anything to help a student, Mrs. Smith trained generations whose success in the work force depended on the skills and work ethic that she taught.

Lifelong learners both, Guy and Sophia Jadick Smith were active in their community and shared a commitment to formal education that their daughter Kathleen carried out when she earned her bachelor’s degree at Gettysburg (PA) College, her master’s at Cornell University, and her PhD in history at the University of Rochester.

Their son-in-law Dr. John Kutolowski earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts and his PhD in history at the University of Chicago. The couple each taught at Brockport for more than 30 years. Dr. John Kutolowski taught European and World History from 1966 to 1996 when he retired. He received the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching in 1995. He continued to teach one course a semester through 2002.

Dr. Kathleen Kutolowski, who taught American History, particularly the early republic and New York State, was a member of the History faculty from 1970 to 2007 when she retired. She received the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching in 1977.

Students who qualify for the Guy H. and Sophia Jadick Smith Scholarship are incoming, full-time freshman students at Brockport.