Dear friends of the Polish Studies Center,

Welcome to another school year!

As always, we have a great and varied program lined up this year at the Center. Many of you enjoyed our recent symposium marking the 20th anniversary of the 1989 elections that saw the end of communism in Poland. Coming up soon is a rare chance to see Helena: Rzecz o Modrzejewskiej, a play performed in Polish, as well as to hear its author, legendary theater director and playwright Kazimierz Braun. Other upcoming events include an expanded film series in the spring, and a visit by superstar Polish writer Andrzej Stasiuk in April. All this and more!

As many of you know, this past year I was away in Poland conducting research. I want to extend a huge thank-you to Padraic Kenney, who did a magnificent job as acting director during my absence. Padraic not only put together a great program, he also set in motion a number of important initiatives, including the revival of the Center’s advisory committee, the creation of a new executive committee, and the “remodeling” of our library. Dziękujęmy bardzo, Padraic!

I also want to acknowledge our hard-working administrative assistant Gosia Swearingen; to say thanks to last year’s graduate assistant, Magda Sokolowski; and to welcome our incoming graduate assistant, Raina Polivka.

As always, the Center works best with input from our community—students, faculty, community members. We invite you to visit the Center, we encourage you to attend our events, and we urge you especially to take part in the life of the Center by suggesting possible speakers, other visitors, and events. We look forward to seeing you all in the course of the coming year!

Bill Johnston