Maria Uchacz-Rudko was born January 29, 1918 in a small town just outside of Kiev, Ukraine. As she was fond of saying, she was born into a family of priests. Her father was a priest, his brothers were priests and their father was a priest. This afforded Maria something rare for girls of her generation, an education.

Maria excelled at school, eventually studying English at the Ivan Franko University. Maria was able to speak five languages, Ukrainian, German, English, Polish and Russian. The Second World War disrupted her education and she was forced to work in a German Labour camp as a translator.

Unable to return home after the war, she made her way through Europe ultimately immigrating to Canada with her husband Walter and settling in Ottawa. They had one daughter Krystyna.  Maria was always grateful for the kindness showed to her by Canadian soldiers after the war and for the opportunities that Canada provided to her and her family for a peaceful and prosperous life. This scholarship was established in honour of her daughter Krystyna Rudko who predeceased Maria in 2012.

Krystyna Rudko Scholarship in Political Management

Awarded annually by the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs, on the recommendation of the Director of the Clayton H. Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management to outstanding graduate students enrolled in the Master of Political Management program.  Endowed in 2019 by the Estate of Maria Uchacz-Rudko.