UCPBA Calgary scholarships are awarded annually, usually in May, to deserving and qualified students who are residents of southern Alberta (Red Deer and south). Four of the seven awards require acceptance into an educational or training program. The course of study is not a criterion for selection. Not all scholarships are necessarily awarded in any given year.

For information about our 2020 UCPBA scholarship recipients, please click here.

The Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth

The Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth recognizes students with demonstrated academic achievement and whose initiatives have enriched the Ukrainian Canadian community.

Award value: up to $1000

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Youth 16-24 years of age
  • Letter of acceptance from an accredited institution (if available)
  • High academic achievement verified with transcripts
  • Personal Statement, including specific examples of applicant’s involvement in and enrichment of the Ukrainian community
  • Two references

The Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults

The Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults recognizes mature students participating in post-secondary or graduate studies with demonstrated academic achievement and whose initiatives have enriched the Ukrainian Canadian community.

Award value: up to $1000

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Letter of acceptance from accredited institution for graduate or second degree studies or enrollment in professional and/or continuing education programs
  • High academic achievement verified with transcripts (if available)
  • Personal Statement, including specific examples of involvement in and enrichment of the Ukrainian community
  • Two references

The Newcomer Award

The Newcomer Award serves to provide financial assistance for training and education for new Canadians of Ukrainian descent.

Award value: up to $1000

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Recent immigration to Canada (within the past 2 years)
  • Transcripts from recent studies or previous training programs (if available)
  • Proof of acceptance into an apprenticeship program or school courses
  • Personal Statement, including intent for use of funds, vocational direction and participation in Calgary’s Ukrainian community
  • Two references

The Osvita Youth Leadership Award

The Osvita Youth Leadership Award recognizes youth demonstrating skills in guidance, collaboration, commitment and cultural development in their community activities.

Award value: up to $1000

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Youth 16-24 years of age
  • Letter of acceptance from an accredited post-secondary institution (including apprenticeship and pre-vocational studies)
  • Personal Statement outlining participation in activities demonstrating the above values; activities may directly or indirectly involve the Ukrainian community
  • Two references

The John Karapinka Arts Award

The John Karapinka Arts Award recognizes those persons demonstrating creativity and excellence in the arts. Eligible art forms include dance, vocal and instrumental music, visual arts, literature.

Joe Karapinka (1935-2016) was born in Lanigan, Saskatchewan and moved to Calgary in 1960. He had a long and productive career at IBM. Joe retired at age 53. He then became very active with St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Ukrainian Canadian Professional Business Association. He also produced “Echoes of Ukraine” for cable T.V., which remains a vital local newscast for Ukrainians in Calgary.

Award value: up to $1000

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Personal Statement outlining artistic background and the contribution that the applicant’s participation in the chosen field of the arts has made to the Ukrainian and/or broader Canadian communities
  • Portfolio sample of 2-3 items; if performing arts, reference the performances and/or send video
  • Two references

The UCPBA Calgary Language Award

The UCPBA Calgary Language Award serves to support students enrolled in Ukrainian language immersion programs offered through classes or distance learning.

Award value: up to $1000 

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Personal Statement, including goals of enrolling in the program
  • Letter of acceptance to the program
  • Two references

The Murray Copot Sports Award

The Murray Copot Sports Award recognizes individual achievement and excellence in sports.

Murray Copot (1923-2011) was born in Bladworth, Saskatchewan. As a long-time Calgarian, he was President of the Calgary Minor Hockey Association; President of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association; and a director with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. He was the Canadian Hockey Association Volunteer of the Year in 1991; Calgary Booster Club Sportsman of the Year in 1993; and an Inductee to the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993. The Thornhill Hockey Arena in Calgary was rededicated the Murray Copot Hockey Arena on March 9, 1992. He was a proud Ukrainian and a long-time parishioner of St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Award value: up to $1000

Eligibility criteria:

  • Southern Alberta resident
  • Exemplifies a spirit of commitment to athletics and to the Ukrainian community
  • Personal Statement, including accomplishments and achievements within the chosen sport(s), how participation in that sport has contributed to personal growth and development, and the positive impact participation and accomplishments in the sporting endeavor have had on the Canadian community
  • Two references

Guidelines

  1. Applicants are eligible to apply annually; however, any individual who has previously received any scholarship award from the UCPBA is not eligible to receive a second award in any category.
  2. Applicants should be prepared to discuss, if requested, any information provided in their application as well as extracurricular activities, leadership experience, personal strengths, and development areas and career goals.
  3. Names of all award winners will be made public.
  4. The deadline for all applications is midnight April 15, 2023.
  5. Preference will be given to applicants who are active members of the UCPBA.
  6. Complete applications must be emailed to scurfieldt@gmail.com. Only electronic submissions will be considered. The entire application must be submitted as one PDF document. Applications that do not adhere to this format will not be considered.
  7. Scholarships may not be awarded in all categories in any given year.

Below is the application and personal statement fillable form.

2023 UCPBA Scholarship Application Final.docx~RFfc71ea6.TMP

Previous Scholarship Recipients

2020

Osvita Youth Leadership Award: Diana Bohutska, Ewa Sudyk
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Anna Lizak
Murray Copot Sports Award: Anisa Hoda
Joe Karapinka Arts and Media Award:
Sofiya Iurkevych, Julianna Svishchuk

2019

Murray Copot Sports Award: Mark Bohdan
Joe Karapinka Arts and Media Award:
Sophia Savytska
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Sonya Sydoruk

2018

Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Violeta Faulkner
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults: Ostap Fedynets
Joe Karapinka Arts & Media Award: Kristen Bushel

2017

Osvita Youth Leadership Award: Viktor Pavlyshyn, Nicholas Perewernycky
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults: Michael Kuzmyn
Joe Karapinka Arts & Media Award: Yaroslav Khudych
UCPBA Newcomer Award: Andriy Kharchenko

2016

Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Lykera Syrnick
Osvita Youth Leadership Award: Kassandra Stefanyk
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults: Nataliia Ruban, Daena Diduck
UCPBA Calgary Arts Award: Yaroslav Khudych

2015

Osvita Youth Leadership Award: Danylo Moussienko, Marissa Nahirney
UCPBA Arts Award:
Taras Bohun
Newcomer Award: Anna Zakharova

2014

Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Ulyana Paliy
Newcomer Award: Marianna Necheporenko
Osvita Youth Leadership Award:
Solomia Harahuc, Bozhena Fedynets
Murray Copot Sports Award:
Dan Zajac

2013

Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Katrina Michailyk, Ksenia Mykula, Yaroslav Harahuc
Newcomer Award: Olena Pavlyshyn
Osvita Youth Leadership Award:
Christina Chumak
UCPBA Arts Award:
Volodya Amiot
Murray Copot Sports Award: Nick Josephs, Volodymyr Khudych, Lucas Makowsky

2011

Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Kathryn Josephs, Anna Murynka
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults: Matthew Boyko
Newcomer Award: Valentyna Maslieieva
Osvita Youth Leadership Award:
Kathryn Owad
UCPBA Arts Award:
Lesia Bdzel

2010

Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Youth: Alexander Tkalych, Andrew Boyko
Osvita Academic Achievement Award for Adults: Oleksandr Prysyazhny
Osvita Youth Leadership Award: Yaryna Melnychuk