On September 1, a ceremonial meeting of the Academic Council was held to present diplomas “Doctor Honoris Causa” to representatives of the Republic of Poland Jerzy Stefaniak and Beata Skwarek for the development of Ukrainian-Polish cooperation, educational and cultural initiatives, as well as humanitarian support during the war.
The solemn meeting was attended by distinguished guests from Legnica – Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Dr. Monika Wierzbicka, Professor, Doctor habilitated Jerzy Pietkiewicz, Doctor of Medical Sciences, President of the Silesian Lions Club Tadeusz Kruzel, as well as representatives of Collegium Witelona Dariusz Stefaniak and Jerzy Dorożko.
The rector of the university, Professor Valentyna Bodak, emphasized the exceptional significance of this event for the development of international relations. She reported that by the decision of the academic council of the university dated September 26, 2024, the title of “Honorary Doctor of the Ivan Franko Drohobych State Pedagogical University” was awarded to Jerzy Stefaniak, Deputy Chancellor of Collegium Witelona, Chairman of the Board of the NGO “Academic Community”, and Beata Skwarek, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at “Collegium Witelona”, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, member of the NGO Academic Community.
The Dean of the Faculty of History, Pedagogy and Psychology of the DDPU, Associate Professor Orest Huck, delivered a speech in honor of the honorary doctors, emphasizing their contribution to the development of bilateral cooperation. Rector Valentyna Bodak presented the honorary diplomas on behalf of the Academic Council of the university. In turn, Jerzy Stefaniak and Beata Skwarek thanked for the recognition in their speeches, emphasizing the importance of mutual support and cooperation during the testing period.
The Vice-Rector of the Collegium of Witelon, Monika Wierzbicka, the President of the Silesian Lions Club, Tadeusz Kruzel, and the Director of the State Historical and Cultural Reserve “Naguyevychi” Bohdan Lazorak addressed the audience with welcoming words. They all emphasized the significant contribution of the honorary doctors to the development of partnership between Poland and Ukraine.
The ceremony ended with the performance of the student anthem “Gaudeamus”, which became a symbol of the unity of the academic communities. The event at the Drohobych University became another evidence that cooperation between Ukrainian and Polish educational institutions is a strong bridge of friendship and mutual support, and the titles of honorary doctors to Jerzy Stefaniak and Beata Skwarek are a worthy recognition of their work and dedication to common values.
Jerzy Stefaniak is one of the key figures in developing international cooperation between the Witelon Collegium and the Ivan Franko State University of Economics. As one of the founders of the Witelon Collegium and the long-time chairman of the board of the NGO “Academic Community”, he combines professional activities with active public and volunteer work, is a co-founder of the Lions Club Silesia Legnica association, has numerous awards, including “Philanthropist of the Year”. Thanks to his initiatives, joint student and scientific projects were implemented, such as: “From the Land of Witelon to the Land of Ivan Franko” (2021), “Potential and Values of the Land of Witelon – from acquaintance to concrete actions” and “We Remember and Act – Volunteers on the Paths of History and Its Heroes” (2022), as well as “Under a Common Sky – Students at the Festival of Polish-Ukrainian Culture” (2023). During the war, dozens of humanitarian cargoes were delivered to Drohobych under his coordination, including a creative development room for displaced children. Currently, under his leadership, a large-scale project “Organization and Creation of the Polish-Ukrainian Psychological and Medical Center named after Witelon and Ivan Franko” is being implemented with a budget of 600 thousand zlotys.
No less significant are the merits of Dr. Beata Skwarek, associate professor of the Witelon Collegium, who combines scientific and pedagogical activities with many years of work in the field of social protection of children. She began her professional career in 1984 as a primary school teacher, and later worked as the director of the County Center for Adoption and Guardianship. She has been actively working in higher education since 2006. For her volunteer and community initiatives, she was awarded the honorary titles “Activist of the Year 2014/2015”, “Friend of the Child” (2017) and others. She is the direct organizer and participant in student exchanges and international projects, including those funded by the Polish-Ukrainian Council for Youth Exchanges. During the war, Dr. Skwarek personally brought humanitarian aid to Drohobych, and in 2023, on her initiative, a room for the creative and physical development of children from displaced families was opened in student dormitory No. 5. She is also a co-organizer of a large-scale Polish-Ukrainian project to create a psychological and medical center named after Witelon and Ivan Franko.
