Niagara College is pleased to announce that four international students have been awarded the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship – a $10,000 scholarship created by the provincial government to support students who have been impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.
English for Academic Preparation (EAP) students Maryna Tsekhmeistruk, Volodymyr Kovtun, Olena Kovtun and Acting for Film and Digital Media student Sofiia Kutsenko, all international students from Ukraine, were notified that they had been selected as recipients of the scholarship in late March 2023.
“Receiving this scholarship inspires me to continue to work hard in order to achieve my goals,” said Volodymyr Kovtun. “This money has helped to make my transition to living in Canada much easier and has allowed me to focus on my education. I truly appreciate Niagara College’s kindness and compassion for Ukrainian refugees, and I look forward to continuing my studies at NC.”
Created in response to the Russian military invasion of Ukraine, on April 6, 2022, the province announced the creation of at 1.9 million Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship to support students attending Ontario’s publicly assisted colleges and universities. The scholarship was open to both domestic and international students who have been impacted by the conflict in Ukraine or other conflicts globally.
For Maryna Tsekhmeistruk the Ontario – Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship has allowed her to continue her academic journey in Canada during a difficult time in her life.
“My home country of Ukraine has been embroiled in conflict for several years, and my family has been deeply impacted by the war,” said Tsekhmeistruk. “My brother was called to military duty at the beginning of the invasion and the constant fear of losing a loved one is an unimaginable burden to bear. It was this fear that prompted my parents to insist that I leave the country to start a new chapter in Canada.”
Unfortunately, Tsekhmeistuk’s father recently passed away, leaving her younger sister and mother alone in Ukraine. Originally worried that she would need to move back home to help alleviate the financial strain on her family, the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship has allowed her to stay in Canada to finish her education.
“In total, we received 15 applications for the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship,” said Marissa Ditto, Financial Aid Advisor at Niagara College. “All of the students who were selected as recipients of the scholarship have experienced conflict due to the war in Ukraine, but despite their experiences these students have all demonstrated academic excellence, commitment to their educational goals, and have all taken initiative to provide support to people in need due to conflict.”
“Thank you so much to Niagara College for selecting me for this award,” said Sofiia Kutsenko. “This scholarship will help me continue my academic journey in Canada – thank you for changing my life!”
Since the outbreak of war in the Ukraine, Niagara College has been committed to supporting its students who have been impacted (both directly and indirectly) by the conflict.
In 2022, NC expanded its Global Emergency Relief Fund to assist Ukrainian and Russian students by providing scholarships and bursaries to help cover tuition or living expenses. The College also showed support for these students through messages of hope – an initiative that displayed handwritten messages of support from the College community at both campuses. The NC Teaching Brewery also showed its support for Ukraine and Ukrainian students through the creation of two new brews – Resist: Ukrainian Anti Imperial Stout and a Ukrainian Golden Ale, created using a recipe developed from Pravda brewery in Lviv, Ukraine.
“Niagara College has become my new home, and I am grateful for the support and guidance of the staff and professors,” said Tsekhmeistruk. “Thank you for being here for me and for selecting me for this scholarship. I am truly blessed to have your support and love.”
This is the first time the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship has been disbursed at Niagara College.
