UCU
2013 Scholarship Awards Presentation and Gala
By
John Pidkowich
----------------------
Ukrainian
Credit Union Limited exclusively congratulated twelve deserving
students among many worthy scholarship applications for their
academic achievements and extracurricular successes. The 1st
Annual UCU Scholarship Gala awarded scholarships ranging from $1,000
to $2,500 to these selected students in recognition of their academic
and early professional goals, and for making a difference in our
Ukrainian Canadian community life. UCU has been awarding scholarships
for many years, presented at UCU Annual General Meetings. In
consideration of the end of the academic year and final exams, the
2013 UCU Scholarships were presented at an evening reception held at
historic Campbell House Museum in Downtown Toronto on Friday, May 10.
UCU
not only congratulated these young recipients for setting and
attaining goals with a financial award, but also took the opportunity
to organize the event as a reminder, bringing to attention that there
is financial support for youth at credit unions. The formal
presentation programme was hosted by MC Olenka Harasymowycz, a UCU
member and scholarship recipient from the previous year.
Andre
Sochaniwsky, newly-elected Chair of the Ukrainian Credit Union Board
of Directors, welcomed UCU members, staff and directors, and guests
present, but most importantly, the 2013 UCU Scholarship award winners
being honoured. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Sochaniwsky stated:
“Our credit union has always valued the importance of education and
community involvement and leadership as a key element of ensuring a
vibrant and strong Ukrainian diaspora in Ontario – and also a
strong and vibrant credit union. It is part of our mission, to grant
sponsorships to those who enhance our Ukrainian-Canadian community.
This is one of our key tenets that differentiates us from other
financial institutions.”
The
award evening’s Keynote Speaker was Slawko Borys, newly-elected and
youngest UCU Board Director, and President of the Ukrainian National
Federation Toronto Branch. He offered praise to the scholarship
recipients, encouraged everyone to set and achieve goals, and
stressed the importance placed on making a difference in both one’s
professional and community lives through personal involvement and
contributions.
Returning
to the podium as Chair of the 2013 UCU Scholarship Committee, Mr.
Sochaniwsky came forward with Committee Member and UCU Director
Volodymyr Kish to present the scholarships. He said beforehand: “This
year we received numerous scholarship applications. As a member of
the Scholarship Committee, and I know that I speak for my committee
colleague[s] and all the directors, that it was very exciting and
satisfying to see some of the Ukrainian Canadian talent that we have
attending universities and colleges in Canada.” Mr. Sochaniwsky
then shared with everyone recalling how he got his first car loan as
a student with UCU, stating to the recipients: “UCU supported me
then and we support you today and will support you tomorrow as you go
through life and transition from a student to a career-minded
professional to a spouse to a parent to a retiree to a grand parent.
UCU is all about ‘U’ – our youth and our Ukrainian
community.”
Each
of the scholarship recipients present came forward to accept his or
her award and spoke briefly but enthusiastically about their academic
studies, extracurricular activities and community involvement. First
presented was the UCU Community Leadership Award valued at
$1,000 and given to each of ten students:
– Inga
Bekbudova, a first-year Performance/Theatre Production student at
Ryerson University in Toronto;
– Halyna
Chumak, a second-year Arts and Sciences student in Criminology
and English Literature at the University of Toronto;
– Roxolana
Chwaluk, first-year Master of Education student at Brock
University in St. Catharines (accepted by her father, Zenon Chwaluk);
– Simon
Dolega, a third-year Bachelor of Sciences – Geology student at
Lakehead University in Thunder Bay (unable to attend);
– Olana
Lovell, a second-year Bachelor of Nursing Studies Program student
at McMaster University, Hamilton;
– Peter
Lysyk, a first-year Machine Building student at the University of
Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa;
– Julianna
Obal, a third-year Bachelor of Commerce student at McGill
University in Montreal;
– Christine
Saly, a second-year Masters of Museum Studies student at the
University of Toronto;
– Natalia
Sandul, a fifth-year Faculty of Music student in the Concurrent
Teacher Education Program at the University of Toronto; and
– Mariana
Marta Teslyuk, a third-year Bachelor of Science student in
Microbiology and Biology at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.
Presented
next were two $2,500 awards, granted in memory of two important
builders of Ukrainian Credit Union Limited – Wasyl Sytnyk and
Michael Rebryk. The UCU Board of Directors’ Memorial Scholarship
Award in Memory of Wasyl Sytnyk was awarded to Ivanna Franko,
a Bachelor of Business Administration student at Wilfred Laurier
University in Waterloo. The UCU Board of Directors’ Memorial
Scholarship Award in Memory of’Michael Rebryk was
awarded to Melanie Drozdowsky, a fourth-year Kinesiology and
Recreation Management student at the University of Manitoba in
Winnipeg.
In
closing the scholarship presentation programme, UCU Board Chair Andre
Sochaniwsky thanked all participants with particular applause for the
2013 UCU Scholarship award winners. A special appreciation was paid
to the able organizers of the attractively planned and well-tuned
event, UCU Director of Marketing, Yuriy Diakunchak, and Stin
Hrycajkiw, Graphic Designer/Marketing Specialist.
The
reception continued to allowing for members and guests to mingle and
further “toast the success” of the winners within the lower
common areas of the Museum. Everyone enjoyed the atmosphere of the
restored historic surroundings and artefacts of the house originally
built by Upper Canada Chief Justice Sir William Campbell and his wife
Hannah, reflecting the period around 1822 in the Town of York. The
evening’s upbeat occasion was also reflected by the tempo and fine
listening music played by the Six Points Jazz Orchestra, with
UCU Chief Operating Officer Roman Litwinchuk keeping rhythm on drums.
PHOTOS
1
- Front Row (L. toR.): Inga Bekbudova, Olana Lovell, Julianna Obal,
Natalia Sandul, Mariana Marta Teslyuk, Christine Saly, Halyna Chumak,
Ivanna Franko, Zenon Chwaluk. Back Row (L. to R.): Melanie
Drozdowsky, Peter Lysyk, Volodymyr Kish, Andre Sochaniwsky
2
- (L. to R.): Taras Pidzamecky, Stin Hrycajkiw, Yuriy Diakunchak,
Olenka Harasymowycz
3
- (L. to R.): UCU Scholarship Winner Julianna Obal (second left)
with her family