Returns from Named Sub-Funds Pave the Way for New Endowed Scholarships and Awards

The named endowment sub-funds of the Vilnius University (VU) Foundation are beginning to show tangible outcomes—this year, returns from the investment of the Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas (1942–2022) and Prof. Jonas Kazlauskas (1930–1970) sub-funds have already financed three named scholarships and one named award.

Honoring the Most Talented Physics Students

Established in 2023, the Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas Named Sub-Fund, dedicated to supporting laser physics research, awarded two outstanding students this June:

• A €2,000 named scholarship for the best bachelor's thesis in laser science was awarded to Ūla Marija Lauciūtė (Physics).
• A €3,000 named scholarship for the best master’s thesis went to Simona Armalytė (Laser Physics and Optical Technologies).

Earlier this year, a €2,000 named scholarship was also awarded to Antanas Butkus, a student in the Light Technologies program, for the best bachelor’s thesis.

First Named Prof. J. Kazlauskas Award Presented

The first named award from the Prof. Jonas Kazlauskas Named Sub-Fund—established last year to support philological research—was granted this year. The €3,500 award recognized an early-career researcher for an outstanding scholarly contribution to the field of philology. This year’s laureate is Dr. Ernesta Kazakėnaitė.

Awarding of the Prof. Jonas Kazlauskas Award. From left: CEO of the Vilnius University Foundation Justinas Noreika, awardee Dr. Ernesta Kazakėnaitė, Prof. J. Kazlauskas’s daughter and patron Eglė Danielienė, Dean of the VU Faculty of Philology Prof. Dr. Mindaugas Kvietkauskas (photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius).

The award was presented during a formal graduation ceremony for philology graduates. During her speech, Dr. Kazakėnaitė quoted lines from a song believed to have been a favorite of Prof. Kazlauskas himself. The song was documented in the village of Būda, near Birštonas—his birthplace:

Rivers will flow into the blue distance,

Cranes will return and fly away again.

“Today, cranes symbolize not only Prof. Kazlauskas, who keeps returning to the world of Baltic studies through his books and this beautiful support initiative, but also you, dear graduates—who, like cranes, fly away but, I sincerely hope, will return, at least for a short while,” said Dr. Kazakėnaitė.

You can learn more about VU's faculties and named sub-funds here.