Meet the 2026 Ukrainian American Veterans (UAV) Scholarship Winners. Each year the UAV Scholarship Fund awards academic scholarships to students of Ukrainian descent. This year the UAV awarded $700 apiece to 11 students, for a total of $7,700. The UAV National Scholarship Committee selected ten undergraduate students and one graduate student for the awards. Congratulations to the 2026 scholarship winners!
Thomas Sheptak (Butler, PA) attends Wake Forest University, majoring in Accountancy. This scholarship was awarded to Thomas by Nova UA Federal Credit Union ($600) and UAV Post member Raymomd Diaz ($100).
Emma Rose Luongo (Acton, MA) is an undergraduate student who attends Quinnipiac University, where she majors in in Nursing. This scholarship was awarded to Emma by Mary Paroby in memory of Richard Koster-Navy ($500) and UAV Post 42 member Mathew Koziak, PNC ($200).
Mia M. Zetick (Jenkintown, PA) attends the University of Pittsburgh, where she majors in Political Science. This scholarship was awarded to Mia by Mary Paroby in memory of Richard Koster-Navy ($500) and UAV Post 24 member Myron Zadony ($200).
Sloane L. Skiba (Vienna, VA) attends West Virginia University, majoring in Interior Architecture with a minor in Painting. This scholarship was awarded to Sloane by UAV Post 101 member Stephen Glomb ($500) and the NY Ukrainian Sports Club ($200).
Arianna Elise Rudko (Colchester, CT) is an undergraduate student attending Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design who majors in Interior Design. This scholarship was awarded to Arianna by Tamara Senysenko ($400), UAV member-at-large Stephen Wasylko in memory of Eva & Dmytro Wasylko ($200) and UAV Post 101 member Kenneth Johnson ($100).
Bohdan Fedorko (Rutherford, NJ) attends the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he majors in Mechanical Engineering. This scholarship was awarded to Bohdan by UAV Post 40 member Roman Synychak ($500) and UAV Post 1 member Yaroslaw Stawnychy and his wife Marta ($200).
Sofia Wowk Tsvihun (Oxford, CT) attends Duke University, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a minor in Spanish. This scholarship was awarded to Sofia by UAV Post 40 member Inia L. Tunstall ($250), UAV Post 26 member Jurij Petrenko ($250), and UAV Post 101 member Alan F. Polack ($200).
Stephen E. Sheptak (Butler, PA) attends UPMC Jameson School of Nursing, where he majors in Nursing. This scholarship was awarded to Stephen by UAV member-at-large George Kovch ($200), UAV Post 42 member Valentina A. Babski ($200), UAV Post 24 member Daria H. Rusyn ($150), and UAV Post 43 member Walter N. Czebiniak ($150).
Darius Kulchyckyj (Arnold, MD) is a graduate student who attends the Fletcher School at Tufts University, where he is earning a Masters of Science in International Economics. This scholarship was awarded to Darius by the UAV Ladies Auxiliary ($450) and Roman Belinsky ($250).
Zorianna Nadia Horodysky (Verona, NJ) attends Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majors in Psychology Pre-Health. This scholarship was awarded to Zorianna by UAV Post 40 from Florida ($200), UAV Post 40 member Iron Hron, PNC ($100), UAV Post 1 member Ed Zetick, PNC ($100), UAV member-at-large Orest R. Gogosha ($100), Rosemarie E. Cannuscio ($100), and UAV Post 15 member Michael P. Wowk ($100) in memory of Stephen Kostecki, who served 25 years as the UAV National Quartermaster.
Nicholas Shatynski (Whippany, NJ) attends Seton Hall University, where he majors in Finance and Accounting. This scholarship was awarded to Nicholas by UAV Post 101 member Andrew A. Petrina ($200), UAV Post 40 member Rev. Oleh Saciuk ($100), UAV Post 24 member Leo J. Samokieszyn ($100), UAV Post 28 member Michael Mosyjowski ($100), UAV Post 24 member Jaroslaw Sywyj ($100), and UAV Post 32 member Petro Pawluk and his wife Helen ($100).
Thank You
The UAV National Scholarship Committee thanks all those individuals and organizations who donated to make the UAV scholarship awards a huge success. Without your support these awards would not be possible.
About the UAV Scholarship
Each year Ukrainian American Veterans (UAV) scholarship winners are announced at the UAV annual convention. The UAV Scholarship Committee selects and awards scholarship money to undergraduate and graduate college students. The purpose of the scholarship award is to help students pay for tuition, books, and school supplies.
Students are required to write an essay (400-500 words) about a current military topic or an oral history report.
How to Apply
Students interested in applying for the UAV Scholarship Award should fill out an application, send their college transcript, write an essay on this year’s topic, and email a high-quality digital picture.
To be eligible for a UAV scholarship, applicants must be descendants of or related to a Ukrainian American Veteran.
Both full-time undergraduate students as well as full/part-time graduate students may apply. Undergraduate applicants must be full-time matriculated students in a degree program; students from accredited trade schools or institutions (mechanical or culinary arts school) are also eligible to apply. Graduate students do not need to be enrolled full-time.
Students may apply during their senior year in high school; college attendance will be verified before awards are given in the fall. Applications are accepted all year round, but the deadline is August 31 of each year.
Undergraduate students may reapply for scholarship awards up to four times during their undergraduate college years, while graduate students are eligible for two scholarship awards.
Contact
Applications for the scholarship should be sent to the UAV National Scholarship Officer.
Nicholas Skirka
109 Windsor Terrace
Yonkers, NY 10701
uavscholarship@gmail.com
(914) 965-3707