CCSU Polish Studies Program to be Led by Experienced Educator, Scholar

Following an international search, Central Connecticut State University has announced the appointment of Dr. Karolina Kołpak as the next Stanislaus A. Blejwas Endowed Chair in Polish and Polish American Studies. She will join Central’s history department this fall.

Kołpak brings a lengthy record of scholarship, teaching, and research, along with a commitment to an interdisciplinary and inclusive approach to Polish, Polish-American, and Polish-Jewish studies.

She earned her doctorate in History from Yale University in 2024, specializing in Modern Eastern Europe and Russia. Her dissertation, A Microcosm of Civic Action: The Kolonie Letnie for Warsaw’s Frail and Impoverished Children, Christian and Jewish, 1882–1922, examined grassroots civic engagement and intercommunal cooperation in late imperial Poland. Her doctoral research was supervised by Professor Timothy Snyder

“Dr. Kołpak’s appointment as the Stanislaus A. Blejwas Endowed Chair marks an exciting new chapter for Polish and Polish American Studies at Central,” said Dr. Zulma R. Toro, president of Central Connecticut State University. “Her impressive body of work and commitment to inclusive research will build on the proud legacy of this program and enrich our academic community.”

In addition to her academic research, Kołpak has taught courses in Polish and Jewish history, including an undergraduate seminar “The Jewish Metropolis: Warsaw Before the Holocaust” at Yale. Her scholarly contributions include peer-reviewed publications, book introductions, and public commentary in both English and Polish, all with a focus on historical memory and cultural identity.

Beyond academia, she has worked closely with migrant and refugee communities in Poland and is a co-founder of the “Academics for Ukraine” initiative, an online network helping Ukrainian scholars at risk.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Kołpak to Central” said Dr. Kimberly Kostelis, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Central. “Her interdisciplinary scholarship, multilingual expertise, and deep community engagement align perfectly with our mission to promote global understanding and historical awareness.”

Over the past 50 years, the Polish Studies Program has grown into what is considered as one of the most significant university-based initiatives of its kind in North America. The program owes its existence to the generosity of Connecticut’s Polish American community, which successfully raised significant funds that were matched by the state of Connecticut. This led to the program’s official establishment at Central in 1974.

 From its inception, Central made a strong commitment to the success of the program, and its past two directors, Dr. Stanislaus A. Blejwas (1974–2001) and Dr. M.B.B. Biskupski (2001–2024), received significant institutional support for their research and publications. Their work resulted in the publication of many books and more than 100 scholarly articles and essays. In addition, the Polish Studies Program is frequently showcased at academic conferences across Europe and North America, CCSU officials point out.

Throughout its history, the Polish Studies Program has served Central students and the broader central Connecticut community by interpreting and offering perspectives on historic developments that reshaped global politics and human rights during the fourth quarter of the 20th century: the election of Pope John Paul II in 1978, the creation of the Solidarity movement in 1980, the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1989, and Poland's regained sovereignty and admission as an American ally into NATO in April 1998.

For more information about Central’s Polish Studies Program, the Connecticut Polish American Archives at the university’s Elihu Burritt Library, and upcoming program events, visit https://www.ccsu.edu/polishstudies/.