The Joseph and Dora Galandiuk Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 was awarded to Alexander Zelez, a member of UNA Branch 277, and an honors student at Wagner College studying to be a physician’s assistant.
Alexander is active in his student life at college as a member of the Physician’s Assistant Association, where he spends many hours volunteering his time; he is vice-president of the newly formed Catholic Club at the college, where he organizes various programs for students. In the Ukrainian community, Alexander is a graduate of the St. Micahel School of Ukrainian Studies in Hartford, Conn., and since the age of 7, he has performed with the local Ukrainian dance ensemble. An active member of the Ukrainian American Youth Association, Alexander worked as a counselor at the UAYA sports camp and recreational camp.
The Drs. Maria, Dmytro and Olha Jarosewycz Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 was awarded to Katarina Sokol of UNA Branch 414, and an honors student majoring in biology at Hofstra University. As with many children in Ukrainian families, Katarina was raised with Ukrainian traditions. She is a graduate of the local Ukrainian school, where she studied the Ukrainian language, literature and history. Katarina also took lessons on how to play the bandura – the national instrument of Ukraine – and performed with the Zolotyj Promin Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.
The Joseph Wolk Scholarship in the amount of $750 was awarded to Natalie Ginn, a member of UNA Branch 247, who is an honors student majoring in neuroscience at the University of Delaware. Natalie grew up in a Lemko family with a deep respect for Ukrainian traditions – Ukrainian language, embroidery, Ukrainian folk music and dances, as well as the Ukrainian holiday traditions and foods. Having grown up with so many traditions, Natalie is clearly proud to be Ukrainian.
The Blackstone Scholarship, founded by the Ukrainian National Home Corp. in Blackstone, Mass., in the amount of $500 was awarded to Andrea Zelez, a member of UNA Branch 277, who is an honors student studying finance and analytics at Bryant University. Since her youth, Andrea has been active in the Ukrainian community. From the age of 10, she was a member of the local Ukrainian dance group. She also has been an active competitor at the Ukrainian American Youth Association’s (UAYA) annual competition known as Zlet, where she won numerous medals and trophies. Andrea also worked as a camp counselor at the UAYA sports camp for two years and has been a member of the UAYA since the age of 4.
The remaining 52 student members of the UNA were awarded regular scholarships. The amounts are based on year of study as well as academic achievement, and were distributed as follows: 20 freshman-year applicants received $125 each; seven sophomore students received $150 each; 13 junior-year students received $175 each; and 12 senior-year students received $200 each.
The Ukrainian National Association congratulates all of this year’s scholarship winners. We wish them all great success in the future!
The UNA calls on students to remain active members of the UNA, subscribe to our newspapers, Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, and to visit the fantastic Soyuzivka Heritage Center. Also, student members are encouraged to increase the UNA membership with family members, acquaintances, friends and others to strengthen our growing Ukrainian family. As the future of the UNA, you can take advantage of all of the fraternal benefits that are made possible by the UNA and to contribute to the preservation of Ukrainian culture and heritage.
For more information about the Ukrainian National Association, readers may visit our website, www.ukrainiannationalassociation.org or telephone, 800-253-9862, ext. 3011.
Translated by Matthew Dubas.
