It’s that time of year when our high school seniors are making decisions about where to attend college – decisions that will have a far-reaching effect on their future. We wish them all good luck at this very important time in their lives and, of course, much success in college. At the same time, our students and their parents are looking at financial aid and scholarships for college, another important factor in their ultimate decision.
Thus, it’s a good time to remind readers that our publisher, the Ukrainian National Association, offers scholarships and monetary awards to college students who are its members. In fact, you may have noticed that this newspaper and our sister publication, Svoboda, have been running advertisements announcing that applications for the 2016-1017 academic year are now being accepted and must be postmarked no later than June 1. To be eligible, a student must have been a UNA member for at least two years, as of June 1, 2016, and must fulfill certain other requirements (see the “Our Benefits” section of the UNA’s website, www.ukrainiannationalassociation.org, or call the UNA Home Office at 800-253-9862 for more details).
As regards the UNA’s monetary awards to students, lesser amounts go to entering freshmen, while the highest amounts are given to those in their final year of study. The UNA also offers special scholarships, which have additional requirements and a separate application form, to top students. Among the criteria considered, in addition to academic achievement, are field of study, involvement in Ukrainian community life and financial need. There are scholarships for those studying the sciences or accounting, journalism or nature/wildlife, students of Lemko heritage and students from states in New England – all in keeping with the scholarship donors’ requests. (Again, see the UNA website for details on the types of scholarships offered and to determine your student’s eligibility for a particular scholarship.) Please note that UNA scholarships and awards are given to undergraduates only, who must be enrolled in accredited colleges or universities. Applications for both the regular awards and the special scholarships may be downloaded from the UNA website or requested by calling the Home Office.
The UNA’s Scholarship Program, which traces its beginnings to the informal granting of scholarship assistance almost since the organization’s founding in 1894, supports young members’ dreams. Since the program’s formal establishment in 1964, the UNA has disbursed over $2 million to students. Fifty-six students received awards and scholarships for the 2015-2016 academic year – four of them being awarded the aforementioned special scholarships established by individuals or entities who care deeply about the future of our Ukrainian American community.
The UNA has always demonstrated its commitment to youth, as exemplified by the many youth programs and activities it has supported during its more than 120 years of existence. And, the scholarships/monetary awards given to help student members are just one of the many benefits of UNA membership. In fact, by joining the UNA (that is, by purchasing an insurance policy or an annuity), members support the continuation of such fraternal benefits. And that, Dear Readers, is what separates an organization like the UNA from a commercial insurance company. As the UNA mission statement underlines: “As a fraternal insurance society the Ukrainian National Association reinvests its earnings for the benefit of its members and the Ukrainian community.”