YONKERS, N.Y. – The Ukrainian American Veterans (UAV) 74th National Convention will take place on October 21-23, during which time the organization will formally recognize the winners of this year’s UAV Scholarship Awards.
The UAV National Scholarship Committee selects award winners from among matriculated undergraduate and graduate part- and full-time college students. The committee then awards scholarships to help students pay for tuition, books or school supplies.
Students were required to write an essay of 400-500 words about a current military or related topic. The topics for this year included: war on terrorism, human rights, the negative effects of war on American veterans, Russian aggression toward sovereign countries and Ukrainian American veterans’ contributions to America’s wars. Other criteria considered for a scholarship are academic achievement and extracurricular activities. This year 12 students received UAV Scholarship Awards.
- Talia Szozda (Connecticut) attends the University of Connecticut, where she is majoring in allied health sciences. She is the recipient of a $500 award funded by the SUMA (Yonkers) Federal Credit Union and the Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union of New York.
- Rostyslav Fedorko (New Jersey) attends Texas A&M University, where he is majoring in civil engineering. He is the recipient of a $500 award funded by UAV Post 32 of Chicago.
- Jared Hrycak (New Jersey) attends the University of California, Riverside, where he is majoring in electrical engineering. He is the recipient of a $500 award funded by Walter Denysenko and Don Wynnyczok.
- Madeline Zetick (Pennsylvania) attends Temple University, where she is majoring in nursing. She is the recipient of a $500 award funded by UAV Post 40 of Florida.
- Ariana Maria Shatynski (New Jersey) attends Seton Hall University, where she is majoring in biology pre-med. She is the recipient of a $400 award funded by Oleh Babski (who donated $250 for the scholarship) and Daria Rusyn (who donated $150 for the scholarship).
- Cyril Raymond Sheptak (Pennsylvania) attends Wake Forest University, where he is majoring in accounting. He is the recipient of a $400 award funded by the Selfreliance Federal Credit Union of Chicago (which donated $300 for the scholarship) and Ukrainian Selfreliance New England Federal Credit Union (which donated $100 for the scholarship).
- Jared Jeffrey Roderick (Massachusetts) attends the University of Connecticut, where he is majoring in mathematics and statistics. He is the recipient of a $400 award, donated in memory of Michael Demchuk, who started the Scholarship Fund in 1992-1993.
Juliana R. Shatynski (New Jersey) attends the College of New Jersey, where she is majoring in special education. She is the recipient of a $400 award funded by the UAV Ladies Auxiliary.
- Anna Oksana Swindle (Pennsylvania) attends Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she is majoring in criminology. She is the recipient of a $400 award.
- Victoria Olena Swindle (Pennsylvania) attends the University of Pittsburgh. She is enrolled in a master of arts degree program and is majoring in library and information science. She is the recipient of a $400 award.
- Brandon Paul Hrycak (New Jersey) attends University of California, Irvine. He is enrolled in a master of science degree program and is majoring in environmental policy management. He is the recipient of a $400 award.
- Joseph Andrew Nasevich (Virginia) attends the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce. He is enrolled in a master of science degree program and is majoring in management of information technology. He is the recipient of a $400 award.
The following individuals or groups donated $100 to the UAV in support of the scholarship awards: Maria B. Shatynski, Rev. Dr. Ivan Kaszczak, Michael Mosyjowski, Andrew Petrina, Inia I. Tunstall, Stephen Rudyk, Walter Zinych, Nicholas Jakowiw, Ihor Hron, the Ukrainian Selfreliance New England Federal Credit Union and UAV Post 301. The UAV National Scholarship Committee thanks all of the individuals and organizations for helping to make the UAV scholarship awards a huge success.
Students interested in applying for the UAV Scholarship Award should fill out an application, send in their college transcript and college schedule, write an essay on one of the five topics discussed above, and email a high-resolution digital photo of themselves. Applications are available on the UAV website: www.uavets.org.
To be eligible for a UAV scholarship, applicants must be descendants of or related to a Ukrainian American veteran who is or was a member of the UAV organization. Applicants should be full-time undergraduate or part- or full-time graduate students in a degree program. Students attending accredited trade schools or institutions that have a degree program are eligible as well. Students can apply while in their senior year of high school; college attendance will be verified before the awards are given in the fall semester. Applications are accepted year-round and the deadline is August 31. Students can reapply for a scholarship award in subsequent years.
Completed scholarship applications should be sent to UAV National Scholarship Officer Nicholas Skirka at the following address: 109 Windsor Terrace, Yonkers, N.Y., 10701. For additional information, readers may email Mr. Skirka at nskirka@optonline.net or call 914-965-3707.
The UAV National Scholarship Committee includes: John Galik, Peter Olijarczyk, Maksym Makarczuk and Russel Olijarczyk.