John and Ida Valauskas Endowment Sub-fund Scholarships Announced for the Best Students of the VU Faculty of Medicine

On 26 March 2024, the Council of the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University (VU MF) awarded the John and Ida Valauskas Endowment Sub-Fund scholarships to the strongest students academically.

The Dean, Prof. Dalius Jatužis, who was handing out the symbolic scholarship cheques to the students, said that this was one of his most pleasant duties. “We are used to having high-performing students, because in the first place, it is not easy to enrol in a medical study programme, and studies require not only a sharp mind, but also attentiveness, concentration and diligence. Missing a lecture or not learning a topic can lead to a short-fall in knowledge, which could risk someone’s health. So, naturally, everyone aims to study well. However, the scholarships provided by the John and Ida Valauskas Endowment Subfund are only awarded to the very best students who have demonstrated the highest academic achievements.

These scholarship are open to all high-performing students at the Faculty of Medicine who have not previously received a scholarship from this sub-fund and who have been studying for at least five semesters. They are awarded in March each year, and recipients are selected based on their academic achievements.

The following students from the VU MF have been awarded scholarships in 2024:

Gabrielė Jonauskaitė (Medicine Study Programme in Lithuanian, 4th year)

“This award signifies appreciation for the effort and dedication put in. It serves as a great incentive to continue pursuing my goals and proof that I am heading in the right direction. I am grateful to the organizers for extending this beautiful tradition and for supporting student motivation. As a student just starting my journey in medicine, such recognition is very encouraging and urges me not to stop. To others, I wish perseverance, determination, more courage, and most importantly - not to be afraid of making mistakes. Although the path of learning is full of challenges and obstacles, I wish not to give up on pursuing one's goals,” thoughts shared by Gabrielė Jonauskaitė.

Emilija Rožankevičiūtė (Medicine Study Programme in Lithuanian, 5th year)

“I am very pleased that my achievements have been recognised. It encourages me to keep going on those days when I lack the motivation and perseverance to follow the rather difficult path of medical studies. It is no surprise that the biggest motivation for medical students is to secure a residency place in the future. In this respect, I am no different. Besides, I understand very well, that in the future I will have to treat people, so this responsibility is the reason why I try to gain as much knowledge as possible during my studies,” Emilija Rožankevičiūtė said.

Sascha Arnold (Medicine Study Programme in English, 5th year)

“Being recognized for one's academic achievements is important, as it acknowledges and celebrates individuals’ efforts and accomplishments, which serves both as an encouragement to continue further and also as an inspiration for continued growth and improvement. For me, learning is not just about sitting down and memorizing facts for upcoming subjects. Learning is a lifelong journey, and every day presents an opportunity to discover something new and improve myself. During my studies, I realized that not only knowing what to study, but also figuring out how to learn efficiently is of major importance in academic success” – Sascha said.

Magarethe Ina Müller (Medicine Study Programme in English, 4th year)

In 2022, a sub-fund of inviolable capital within the VU Endowment Fund was formed with the money left from an endowment bequeathed by John and Ida Valauskas. The professional investment strategy of the VU Fund will not only ensure the growth of the John and Ida Valauskas Sub-Fund, but also increase scholarships in the future.

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More about the John and Ida Valauskas Endowment Sub-Fund.