Toronto, ON, July 7, 2025 – BCU Foundation is proud to announce that Alexandra Shkandrij of Winnipeg, MB, has been awarded the $10,000 “Canada 150 Fund” Graduate Scholarship for 2025. This marks the fourth year of the scholarship, established as part of the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to fostering the development of future generations of scholars and young professionals.
Alexandra Shkandrij is currently pursuing a PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto. Her doctoral research, titled “The Impact of Occupation on National Identity—Ukrainian Identity under Russian Control since 2014,” delves into how foreign occupation reshapes national identity, specifically focusing on Ukrainian territories. This builds upon her Master’s research concerning Ukrainian government messaging and its reception in Canada following the 2022 Russian invasion. Her work uniquely explores the intersection of art, politics, and identity, with a strong emphasis on Ukraine.
Alexandra has already earned invitations to present her research, ‘From Spoils to Ruin: The Politics of Cultural Loss in War and Peace,’ at two significant international conferences. Her academic excellence is further recognized through prestigious awards, including the Anne Smigel Scholarship for Ukrainian-Canadian Studies from the University of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship, and the University of Toronto Quantitative Methods Scholarship for ICPSR Summer Program.
Alexandra’s profound dedication extends throughout the Ukrainian Canadian community. She has contributed as a media liaison for the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Manitoba Provincial Council (UCC-MPC), organized cultural programming, and actively participated in community rallies supporting Ukraine. Her professional roles include curating at Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre (UCEC) and serving as a grants officer for the Shevchenko Foundation, promoting Ukrainian art and culture. Additionally, she performs with Kosa Collective and Steppe Collective, actively bringing Ukrainian cultural expression to life through the arts and currently serves on the board of the Canadian Foundation for Ukrainian Studies (CFUS). She has also enriched public knowledge as a researcher and translator, notably ensuring the Ukrainian Canadian experience was represented at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.
A committee of adjudicators comprised of Paul Horbal (IP lawyer and MSc,Electrical Engineering), Adria Pruchnicky (community organizer and educator), Dr. Markian Pahuta (MD PhD FRCSC, Orthopedic Surgeon and assistant professor at McMaster University), Dr. Oleksandr Romanko (data scientist and adjunct professor at University of Toronto), and Nadia Gereliouk (BCU Foundation board representative and managing director of the League of Ukrainian Canadians), assessed the applications.
The “Canada 150 Fund” scholarship is awarded annually to a Ukrainian Canadian graduate student or young scholar pursuing a graduate degree, including Master’s, MBA, PhD, or post-doctoral research at a recognized North American institution in the fields of science, engineering, technology, business, finance, and other disciplines.
Bohdan Leshchyshen, chair of the BCU Foundation board of directors, expressed his pride in the Foundation’s enduring support, “The Ukrainian Canadian experience has profoundly enhanced the development of Canada and continues to strengthen our country’s social fabric. BCU Foundation’s Canada 150 Fund scholarship honours our history by assisting scholars to flourish in their careers and make a lasting contribution to their community. We’re pleased to help them continue the tradition of excellence set by Ukrainians in Canada.”
BCU Foundation was granted its charitable status in December 2002 to establish a permanent means of delivering assistance to community-based cultural and educational endeavors in Canada. The Foundation has distributed over $22 million in support of countless projects to organizations across the country. It is proud to have played a leading role in the development and promotion of the Ukrainian Canadian community through its financial contributions and volunteer work, driven by its motto: Community Spirit Binding Generations.
Roksoliana Luciw
Fundraising Operations Coordinator
[email protected]
