The UW–Madison Polish Program is pleased to announce the winners of the Lapinski and Gąsiorowska awards for the academic year 2025-2026. Among the awardees are undergraduate and graduate students who will receive financial support for their continued study of the Polish language, literature, and culture at UW–Madison and beyond. Congratulations and gratulacje!
The Michael and Emily Lapinski fund provides financial support for UW undergraduate and graduate students studying the Polish language, literature, and culture. Thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Leona Lapinski Leute, the Lapinski fund awarded students with some $25,000 in scholarship money in its inaugural year alone. Since then, the funds have continued to support UW students in Polish studies to this day. The annual application deadline for the Lapinski scholarship is March 1 (or the first Monday after that). The funds are awarded in the spring for the whole upcoming academic year. All awardees must enroll in Polish language, literature, and culture courses for two consecutive semester in the coming academic year.
The Xenia Gąsiorowska fellowship is awarded to support graduate students pursuing Polish Studies work.
The Polish Studies program at UW–Madison is pleased to announce the following winners.
Michael and Emily Lapinski Fellowships for AY 2025-26
undergraduate students
David Jędruch
Nicole Sarenac
Phuong Thao Dang
Elena Tomchek
graduate students
Ri J. Turner (History)
Xenia Gąsiorowska Fellowship for AY 2025-2026
Daniela Arias (Slavic)
As we once again congratulate all the winners, we would also like to inform all interested students that the next competition cycle for the Lapinski Scholarship will open early next year.
Read also:
Announcing 2023/2024 Polish Language, Literature, and Culture Awards
Announcing 2022/2023 Lapinski Scholarship Winners: Victoria Chowaniak and Julia Paciorek
Language, Culture, and Adventure: A UW–Madison Student’s Summer in Wrocław, Poland
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UW–Madison Polish Studies Program
Educating the Wisconsin public about the Polish language, literature, and culture since 1936.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Polish Studies Program is the oldest academic program in the United States focused on the study and teaching of the Polish language, literature, and culture. UW–Madison Polish studies offer a comprehensive package of Polish language, literature, and culture courses, a generous scholarship program designed exclusively for its students, and various extracurricular activities each academic year.
The program, dating back to 1935, offers beginning, intermediate, and advanced Polish language courses, in addition to intensive Polish courses for heritage speakers and (under)graduate students. In 2011, the program received the prestigious 2022 Award Distinction from the University of Warsaw for its achievements in promoting the Polish language and knowledge about Polish culture and history. The UW–Madison Polish program also offers a broad range of Polish culture courses on Polish film, contemporary Polish culture, Polish migration to the Americas, a survey of Polish culture from the Middle Ages to modern times, Polish comedy culture, and post-communism.
Each year, the UW Polish program awards scholarships for tuition through the Lapinski fund to undergraduate and graduate students studying the Polish language, literature, and culture. The Polish Student Association (PSA) provides a space for all students interested in events, activities, and learning about Poland and Polish culture. In collaboration with the Polish program faculty, the PSA also co-organizes the Madison Polish Film Festival, an annual celebration of Polish cinematography in Madison, Wisconsin, now in its fourth decade of existence.