BAC Announces 2025 US and Canadian Bates Scholarship Recipients
Six college-bound students from BAC families are receiving financial assistance to continue their education thanks to the 2025 US and Canadian Bates scholarship programs.
Each year BAC awards three US Bates scholarships to graduating seniors whose parents or stepparents are BAC members in the United States. The stipends are $5,000 per year, for up to four consecutive years.
Each year BAC awards three Canadian Bates scholarships to graduating seniors whose parents or stepparents are BAC members in Canada. The stipends range from $2,000 to $3,000 (CN) per year, for up to four consecutive years.
US Bates Scholarship Recipients
Brody Oviatt
Attending: Emporia State University – Emporia, Kansas
Major: Fisheries and Wildlife
Family/IU Info: Kaleb Oviatt, BAC Local 15 Missouri/Kansas/Nebraska
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition means so much! I have always been worried about college costing too much and it was a big reason I thought about not attending at all. This scholarship has made me more comfortable about my decision of attending to further my education. My family has always been supporters of the union, and it has served my father very well. It provides necessary benefits and pay to support our family. Overall, the union has always provided for my father, and he is very appreciative of that!
What advice would you offer your peers and younger students?
Attending secondary education is a gift, so don’t waste it. It’s a lot easier to work hard now so you don’t have to wear yourself out later.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would love to give a shout out to my father. He is the strongest man I have ever met, a true role model. He walks with confidence that guides his steps and what a blessing it has been for me that he is my dad.
Kayla Radtke
Attending: Minnesota State University-Mankato – Mankato, Minnesota
Major: Elementary Education 
Family/IU Info: Nicholas Radtke, BAC Local 1 Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This scholarship is helping me build a future that I have looked forward to as long as I can remember. I'm grateful to have the continued support that the bricklayers union has showed my family for years. BAC has offered stability to my family for generations. My great grandpa, grandpa and dad have all been a part of it and it has shaped our family into the hardworking people that we are.
What advice would you offer your peers and younger students?
I would tell younger students to apply for this scholarship. I thought it was something out of my reach – that I was unlikely to receive such an amazing scholarship – but I was wrong. All you can do is apply and it could save you years of paying off debt that you would otherwise have. Apply, apply, apply!
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I ever received was to work for what you want. Put in the extra time to make your goals a reality. No one can do it for you. It's worth it every time.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would like to shout out my dad for always supporting our family and teaching me the value of hard work.
Tucker Moll
Attending: University of Akron Main Campus – Akron, Ohio
Major: Aerospace Aeronautical 
Family/IU Info: Matthew Moll, BAC Local 23 Ohio/West Virginia/Kentucky/Maryland
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition means a lot to me because above all things it is giving credit to all the hard work the generations of bricklayers in my family have done and what they will continue to do. The union has meant a lot to my family, as it has been a large source of support and stability. We always knew it would have my dad’s back, like it had my grandpa’s and great grandpa’s so many years ago. We knew we could always rely on the union to keep my dad in work and therefore supporting us, always.
What advice would you offer your peers and younger students?
A piece of advice I would offer to younger students would be that it does not matter where you come from or where you start, it's where you decide to go that matters. Don't let where you came from dictate who you will be, that's for you to decide.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The greatest piece of advice I received was that nobody had ever achieved anything great by following everyone else. That piece of advice was given to me by a former cross-country coach.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would first like to give a shout-out to my dad and grandpa for showing me what hard and consistent work can earn. Also to my family for letting me try to figure out who I wanted to be, instead of telling me who I had to be.
Canadian Bates Scholarship Recipients
Zlata Melnyk
Attending: University of Manitoba 
Major: Physics and Astronomy
Family/IU Info: Ruslan Melnyk, BAC Local 1 Manitoba
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition reminds me that I’m on the right track and that my efforts are being noticed and appreciated. It gives me the motivation to keep moving forward and the reassurance that I’m doing something right. For my family, the union represents stability and a sense of safety – things that are truly invaluable to us, since we were deprived of them when we were forced to flee our homes due to the war [in Ukraine]. Knowing that my father’s workplace values fairness and security brings peace of mind to all of us. It allows our family to focus on growing, learning, and supporting one another, rather than worrying about uncertainty. BAC has given us not only financial stability but also the confidence that we are part of a community that stands up for its members.
What advice would you offer your peers and younger students?
You are more capable than you think. It may sound cliché, but you just have to keep going and keep trying. Even if you feel like you can’t do something, give it your best effort and see where it gets you. If you struggle to believe in yourself, find someone who believes in you until you learn to believe in yourself. Keep trying, keep learning, and keep moving forward.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
“You won’t lose anything if you try.” Even if the outcome isn’t what you hoped for, attempting something new comes with no loss – and often leads to growth, learning, and new opportunities.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
First, my father and family, who work hard to support me every step of the way financially and emotionally. Even with all the scholarships and financial support, post-secondary education is still a strain on the budget for a big family of newcomers. I'm grateful to my parents for finding and supporting my first steps on this path. I also want to mention my high school teachers, who believed in me and encouraged me to challenge myself and improve. Also, I can't forget to mention my dear tutors from the Junior Achievement program, who helped me to truly come out of my shell and gain confidence in expressing myself and pursuing my goals.
Abdurrahman Omanovic
Attending: University of Manitoba 
Major: Science
Family/IU Info: Faruk Omanovic, BAC Local 1 Manitoba
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition means a lot to me, as it rewards the work I did in high school, while enabling me to be motivated and work even harder in university. The union means a lot to me and my family, as it fights for the job security of my father and advocates for a better working environment.
What advice would you offer your peers and younger students?
My advice would be to explore options and give opportunities their chance. Getting involved wherever you are and learning new things will help you build connections and bonds that will last.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I've ever received was to let go of what others think. What only matters to me is my own journey and my own goals, and I should not let the thoughts or words of others distract me from that.
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I would like to shout out my parents, as without them, I wouldn't be able to do the any of the things I can. My parents enable basically all of my success through the sacrifices they make to put me in an environment where I can succeed.
Alyssa MacIvor
Attending: Acadia University
Major: Environmental and Sustainable Studies 
Family/IU Info: Christopher MacIvor, BAC Local 1 Nova Scotia
What does this recognition and the union mean to you?
This recognition means so much not only to me personally but to my family. It reminds me just how important the union is and the role it plays in mine and my family’s lives. The union is everything to my family. My grandfather first joined the union back when he founded the company my father runs now. Back then it meant that he could provide for my dad and his siblings not just financially but by making sure he was in safe work conditions and came home safe every day. Now it means the same for me and my brother. The union is how my dad can provide for us, it’s how we know he has a safe and supported work environment.
What advice would you offer your peers and younger students?
If I could offer any advice to my peers or younger students, I would say show up! Go to all your classes, go to your practices even when it’s the last thing you want to do because just showing up makes all the difference.
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I’ve received would have to be from my mom who’s always told me that the only opinion that truly matters is your own. It really drives me to take pride in what I do every day and strive to create quality work that I am proud of!
Who would you like to give a shout-out to?
I want to give a shout-out to my grandparents Joe and Faye MacIvor. Without their hard work I wouldn’t have the life I have today. My grandparents are one of my biggest inspirations and greatest loves. They truly mean the world to me, and I hope they know how much I love them.
Have a child who is a senior in high school?
Is your child in high school and interested in going to college? Thinking about applying for the 2026 Bates Scholarships?
Complete information and the application forms for the 2026 US and Canada Bates scholarships will be available in early 2026 in the Education & Training section of bacweb.org. If you are in the US, you can get more information by texting BATES to 50607.