28 students in Ukraine awarded over $6,000 in scholarships by U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (08/20/06)

28 students in Ukraine awarded over $6,000 in scholarships by U.S.-Ukraine Foundation

WASHINGTON - The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, through its Maryniuk Scholarship Fund, has awarded 25 students in the village of Zheldets, in the Kamianka-Buska region outside of Lviv, $5,625 in college stipends. Three other students, from the nearby village of Volia Zhovtanetska, received scholarships totaling $450 from the Andrew Kun Scholarship Program.

The May 28 awards ceremony began in the village church, and proceeded to the students' school in Zheldets. Welcoming remarks were given by Hanna Pajtra, director of the Zheldets School, who introduced the Maryniuk family and expressed gratitude for their generosity. Recognition was also given to the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, whose financial support was used to purchase furniture for the Zheldets school auditorium, and procure a CD-ROM for the school computer.

"I want to express my deepest appreciation to the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, and to the Kun family. It is wonderful to see that Mr. Andrew Kun, who is 94 years old and resides in Rhode Island, is so dedicated to the village in which he grew up," said Ms. Pajtra.

Recipients of the scholarships were Bohdana Palas, Maria Burko, Halyna Zubeyko, Iryna Kupetska, Iryna Shchehelska, Ivanna Berezyuk, Ihor Kit, Maria Kozhushok, Lyubov Marko, Maria Kurnat, Olha Mykhajliuk, Myroslava Herman, Nadiya Branets, Nadiya Stetsyk, Natalia Berezyuk, Natalia Bokhonko, Natalia Borodiy, Nelia Storozhuk, Oksana Chorna, Oleh Oleksyn, Olha Zubeyko, Halyna Rokush, Roman Tyutyunnyk, Volodymyr Stanishevsky, Tetyana Martsiv, Volodymyr Zubeyko, Bohdan Zhinchin and Svitlana Drozkevych.

In attendance at the awards ceremony were Andrew, Luba, Jarko, Jurko and Adam Maryniuk. Speaking on behalf of the Maryniuk Scholarship Fund, Luba Maryniuk delivered a very moving address to the scholarship recipients. In turn, the students thanked the Maryniuk and Kun families for their generosity.

Speaking about the visit to Zheldets, Ms. Maryniuk stated: "For us, the scholarship ceremony and the meeting with the students from the two upper classes, the teachers and the parents was very important, and allowed us to have a fruitful exchange of ideas and viewpoints. The Maryniuk Fund is in its fifth year, and the time has come for certain changes to be made. Our sons will now be taking a more active role in these types of activities and, therefore, it was very useful to have them with us on this visit."

"It was also very nice to meet the wonderful U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's Lviv office staff, who helped in implementing the activities of the Maryniuk Fund, and we are very grateful for their ideas and assistance with the Zheldets school," she added.

Ms. Maryniuk noted: "This year two representatives of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv attended the meeting. They spoke about Ukrainian Catholic University's curriculum, student activities, the university's tuition, etc. It is the first such instance in Ukraine that representatives of the university visited a school to recruit students. We express our gratitude to all the representatives of the Ukrainian Catholic University which helped make this presentation a successful reality."

The Maryniuk Scholarship Fund was created in December 2001 to help students pursue college- and university-level degrees. It has expanded through additional earnings and contributions, so that today its value exceeds $100,000.

The Andrew Kun Scholarship Program is an initiative led by U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer John A. Kun.

The Zheldets School needs assistance in funding and obtaining additional school supplies such as a playground for its younger students, furniture for the newly established kindergarten, new windows, chairs for the auditorium and additional building materials.

To contribute to the Zheldets School, the Maryniuk Scholarship Fund or the Andrew Kun Scholarship Program, or to start a scholarship program supporting needy students in a native city, town or village in Ukraine, readers may contact John A. Kun at [email protected] or at 202-223-2228.

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