StudentAid: Student Relief Fund

Dear Friends of the Pro Akademika Foundation,

Thank you for being with us! Today I have two topics for you.

Firstly, I would like you to get to know our third last year's scholarship holder - Michal Skorupski*. Here is his story:

My name is Michal Skorupski and I am a PhD student in Psychology at the Doctoral School of SWPS University. Apart from research work, I am also involved in cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy and educational activities.

The research project I have the great pleasure to work on is focused on task-unrelated thoughts. This common phenomenon clearly affects our daily functioning, but previous knowledge about it is difficult to systematize, also in terms of research methodology. Therefore, in our project, we use diverse methods - from multiple daily measurements, through studying psychophysiological variables, to using tasks in virtual reality. Participating in research conducted using such diverse methods allows me to expand my research horizons on a daily basis.

During the recruitment for the project and the Doctoral School, I could not predict what supportive, open, and full of development opportunities environment I would encounter. Wanting to get to know it as best as possible, I got involved in activities in the Doctoral Council, which opened up the opportunity for me to observe and participate in the work of many incredibly interesting people and bodies shaping the reality of the University.

When I had the opportunity to share knowledge with a wider audience not focused on the academic environment for the first time, I discovered that talking about science outside the university is very satisfying. I particularly enjoy sharing knowledge about research methods. In a world of universal access to data, the ability to find, read, and critically analyze them is the key to informational freedom. Understanding research methodology and statistics allows us to draw conclusions independently, freeing us from the need to uncritically accept knowledge processed by others. I believe that people feel the need to acquire knowledge if it is presented to them in an understandable and attractive way. I would like to effectively share the knowledge and skills that I acquire through the effort, openness, and patience of my Mentors and other people with whom I have the great pleasure to cooperate. The scholarship I have received will be a huge support for me in developing communication and popularization skills, which I intend to use in my practice.

Secondly - I am thrilled to inform you that we have selected three new scholarship holders for the Student Relief Fund! The scholarship winners are:

• Zdzislaw, a second-year student in psychology, who was awarded for his scientific activity and for his commendable involvement in the development of the university community,
• Catalina, a final year student in psychology. The scholarship was awarded for skillfully balancing continuous and long-term social activity with outstanding academic achievements,
• Anna, a final year student in psychology, who received the scholarship for exceptional social engagement combined with impressive academic results.

Thanks to the scholarship received, Zdzislaw, Catalina, and Anna will be able to finance their tuition fees at the university and thus continue their studies. And all this is possible thanks to you - our wonderful Donors!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

*name used with permission