Over the course of the last few months, top ranked students from Ukraine had the opportunity to participate in Mitacs undergraduate research internships across Canada. Supported by the Shevchenko Foundation, approximately fifty students from Ukraine participated in 12-week research opportunities supervised by Canadian university faculty.
The Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) was able to assist the interns during their time in Canada and provide them with a welcoming environment and network of Ukrainian-Canadian students. SUSK also had the opportunity to attend meetings and presentations of the Mitacs students, where members of the board learned more about the research the interns had taken part in.
Mitacs event in Edmonton including Mitacs interns, Shevchenko Foundation, and SUSK representatives
Raissa Dzulynsky, SUSK External Relations Director coordinated meetings and created networks between the Mitacs interns with Ukrainian-Canadian students across Canada. “The new Mitacs partnership between Canada and Ukraine has allowed bright and talented students from Ukraine to come study at universities across Canada,” said Dzulynsky. “I have had the honour of working with Ukrainian-Canadian and Ukrainian students, The Shevchenko Foundation, and SUSK to welcome these students to Canada and to help foster relationships between the two student groups.”
Many interns were able to partake in campus tours, city tours, and student meetings coordinated by local SUSK representatives. Solomia Cherkavska, student and local representative for the Edmonton area, mentored students interning at the University of Alberta. “The Mitacs project bridges theory from the textbooks and practice in the Canadian lab,” remarked Cherkavska. “The students succeed in industry, research, and gain valuable international experience. I am very proud of our innovative and creative young minds from Ukraine. They have already enough to offer to make a difference in the world of science.”
Mitacs is a non-profit, national research organization that coordinates and funds research opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students alike. The hope of the Canada-Ukraine partnership and participation in the Mitacs program is for student to bring the skills they learned throughout the partnership back to Ukraine, further helping to create future leaders.
“I’m proud that SUSK is able to play a small role in ensuring the Mitacs interns from Ukraine feel welcomed and comfortable in the Ukrainian community in Canada,” said Stephanie Nedoshytko, SUSK President. “It is vital to provide this kind of experience for Ukraine’s next generation of leaders. We must continually make efforts to support youth and students across Ukraine. They are the changemakers of tomorrow.”
SUSK would like to especially thank all local volunteers who assisted the Mitacs interns during their time in Canada.
Stephanie Nedoshytko
President
Raissa Dzulynsky
External Relations Director
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8-10 Mitacs Release