2023 Scholarships Awarded

The Polish American Heritage and Community Foundation (PAHCF) in collaboration with Jaju Pierogi, is proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 Polish American Women's Scholarships. This scholarship program, created in 2022, aims to recognize and support exceptional young women of Polish-American heritage who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, a commitment to their community and pride in their cultural identity.

The Polish American Women's Scholarships, funded by Jaju Pierogi, the PAHCF and individual donors, is awarded annually to women of Polish ancestry, living in New England, who are currently enrolled at an institution of higher education (college, university, trade school, graduate school) or will be enrolling in a program for the fall semester.

The following outstanding individuals have been chosen as the 2023 scholarship recipients:

Natalie Poftak – Natalie recently graduated from Boston Latin School and will be attending Connecticut College in the fall. She will be majoring in political science and hopes to pursue a career in law or public policy. Natalie served as a Topol Fellow for Peace and Nonviolence at Boston Latin School and was an intern for MassHousing and the City of Boston. She volunteered with numerous organizations including the Boston Public Library, the Steppingstone Foundation, UNICEF and the Red Cross.

Wiktoria Kasperkiewicz – Wiktoria is a student at Loyola University Maryland, majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, with a minor in Spanish. She works for the Polish Language School in Boston and is a member of the Polish Youth Association of the USA. Wiktoria looks forward to creating a Polish-American student organization at Loyola to provide connection and community amongst other Polish-American students.

On August 10, 2023, this year's recipients and their families were honored at a small reception at the Polish American Citizens Club in Dorchester, and enjoyed assorted pierogi from Jaju and a Polish deli platter and cookies from DJ’s European Market and Deli. 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to these talented and driven young women. Each scholarship award is not only a recognition of their accomplishments but also an investment in their future and the future of our community.

The Polish American Heritage and Community Foundation is committed to fostering educational opportunities for Polish-American youth. We believe that by supporting these exceptional young women, we are contributing to the continued growth and success of the Polish-American community and the broader society.

To donate to this scholarship, please go to thepahcf.org/donate.