Student receives Rotary Club scholarship to study in Poland

The Bloomington Rotary Club awarded graduate Matthew Konieczny, 29, a $25,000 Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship to study abroad at the Institute Polonistyki in Krakow, Poland. \nWhile in Poland, Konieczny will act as an ambassador to the Rotary chapters where he will speak about his life experiences in southern Indiana.\n"... (Konieczny) will not only be representing the U.S., but Southern Indiana," said Yolanda Trenviño, chair for the district scholarship committee.\nAmong in those ambassadorial duties, Konieczny will be expected to participate in some sort of community service.\n"They see a need in the community and work with Rotarians to help meet that need," Treviño said. "They are going to try to build good will and better friendships by serving in some way that is beneficial for that community."\nStudying in Poland will help Konieczny further his studies as well as allow him to gain field experience.\n"His Polish will get a lot better, and he will get some archival research experience," said Marci Shore, history adviser.\nKonieczny is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in East European history and will be leaving at the end of June for Poland. He will return in October of 2005. \nKonieczny moved to Bloomington in June 2003 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in international relations from Michigan State University as well as a master's in public policy from the University of Michigan.\nHis wife and two sons will accompany him during his stay in Poland.\nKonieczny came to IU for the history department, he said.\n"IU has one of the best Eastern European history departments in the country," he said. "They have a really great faculty."\nAfter completion of his doctorate, Konienczy plans on becoming a professor of history.\nMore than 1,100 scholars were selected around the world for the Rotary Scholarship. This year, the Bloomington district selected only one recipient.\n"It's pretty competitive because there are several universities in this area, it is quite prestigious," Trenviño said. "It's a really good opportunity to study abroad and get to know and work with others."\n-- Contact staff writer Amber Nicholas at amrnicho@indiana.edu.