Ukrainian American Veterans award 12 scholarships for 2020

YONKERS, N.Y. – The Ukrainian American Veterans (UAV) 73rd annual National Convention will be a virtual one, to be held November 5-7. The recipients of the UAV Scholarship Awards are announced at the annual convention. The UAV National Scholarship Committee selects and awards scholarship money to matriculated undergraduate college students. The purpose of the scholarship awards is to help students pay for tuition, books and/or school supplies.

Ariana Maria Shatynski

Students are required to write an essay (400-500 words) about a current military or related topic. The topics for this year included: the war on terrorism, human rights, the negative effects of wars on American veterans, Russian aggression on sovereign countries, and Ukrainian American veterans’ contributions to America’s wars. Students chose one of these five topics to write their essay.

Cyril Raymond Sheptak

Other criteria considered for a scholarship are academic achievement and extracurricular activities. This year, 12 students applied and received UAV scholarship awards.

— Ariana Maria Shatynski (New Jersey) attends Seton Hall University, where she is majoring in biology pre-med. She is the recipient of a $500 award given by NOVA UA Federal Credit Union, Clifton, N.J.

— Cyril Raymond Sheptak (Pennsylvania) attends Wake Forest University, where he is majoring in mathematical business. He is the recipient of the $500 award donated by Roman Synychak from Florida.

Jared Jeffrey Roderick

— 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 by UAV Post 40 from Florida.

— Talia Szozda (Connecticut) attends the University of Connecticut, where she is majoring in allied health sciences. She is the recipient of a $400 award, donated in memory of Michael Demchuk who started the Scholarship Fund in 1992-1993.

Talia Szozda

— Juliana R. Shatynski (New Jersey) attends the College of New Jersey, where she is majoring in special education. She is the recipient of a $300 award donated by the Ladies Auxiliary.

Three students each received a $250 award:

Victoria Olena Swindle (Pennsylvania) attends the University of Pittsburgh and is majoring in information science. The scholarship award was donated by SUMA (Yonkers) Federal Credit Union.
Veronica J. Coffey (Indiana) attends Indiana University, Bloomington, and is majoring in international studies/human rights law. The scholarship award was donated by Ukrainian National Federal Credit Union (NY).
Juliana R. Shatynski
Bridget Magdalen Monks (Connecticut) attends Western Connecticut State University and is majoring in graphic design and minoring in philosophy. The scholarship award was donated by Christiana Bej in memory of her grandfather Myroslaw Pryjma, a UAV executive board member who served as welfare officer for many years.

Four students each received a $200 award:

Anna Oksana Swindle (Pennsylvania) attends the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh and is majoring in mathematics.
Elizabeth Neave Kozachek (Massachusetts) attends Salem State University and is majoring in chemistry.
Patrick Thomas Monks (Connecticut) attends Western Connecticut State University and is majoring in creative writing.
Victoria Olena Swindle
Alexander Ihor Kowinko (Connecticut) attends Sacred Heart University and is majoring in nursing.

The UAV National Scholarship Committee thanked all the people who donated to make the UAV scholarship awards a huge success.

Students interested in applying for the UAV Scholarship Award should fill out an application, send their college transcript (unofficial copy), write an essay on the year’s choice of topics and e-mail a high resolution digital photo of themselves. Applications are available on the UAV website: www.uavets.org.

Veronica J. Coffey

To be eligible for a UAV scholarship, applicants must be descendants of or related to a Ukrainian American veteran. Applicants should be full-time undergraduate college 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 all-year around and the deadline is August 31. Students can reapply for a scholarship award in subsequent years.

Bridget Magdalen Monks

Completed scholarship applications should be sent to the UAV national scholarship officer: Nicholas Skirka, 109 Windsor Terrace, Yonkers, NY 10701. For additional information, e-mail [email protected] or call 914-965-3707.