Throughout the current academic year, we are successively promoting graduates of the University of Zielona Góra who have been awarded the title Absolwent Extra 2025. We encourage you to familiarize yourselves with their achievements and to draw inspiration from their educational and professional choices. In January, we are pleased to present two award winners from the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Zielona Góra — MSc Wiktoria Anna Gawłowicz and BA Patrycja Chwaszcz.
MSc Wiktoria Anna Gawłowicz is a graduate of second-cycle (Master’s) studies in History. In July 2025, she successfully defended her Master’s thesis entitled “The Impact of Contemporary Media on the Level of Historical Knowledge of Secondary School Students in Zielona Góra in the Light of Research.” The subject of the thesis was closely related to her academic interests in the field of history education.
During her Master’s studies, she gained professional experience as a teacher at the Mikołaj Kopernik Technical School Complex in Zielona Góra, where she not only conducted classes but also actively engaged students in educational projects and competitions, including supervising a team participating in the Lubusz Voivodeship Competition on Knowledge of the European Union “On the Starry Path.”
Her academic commitment was recognized with the Rector’s Scholarship of the University of Zielona Góra for Outstanding Academic Achievements in the academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. The award winner actively participated in academic life, taking part in both national and international conferences. Her most significant scholarly achievements include, among others, the presentation of a scientific poster entitled “History in Public Space Based on the Zielona Góra Mural ‘700 Years of the City’” during the Young Researchers’ poster session at the 21st General Congress of Polish Historians in Białystok (2024); a paper entitled “Cult and Propaganda of the Ptolemaic Dynasty: Religion as a Tool for the Legitimation of Power in Egypt from 323 BC to 30 BC” delivered at the **2nd International Conference “Ideas. Ideologies. Doctrines. Questions of Legitimation”*; a paper entitled “The Cult of Cleopatra the Great” presented at the *8th National Academic Conference “Women Throughout History” (the extended version of which was published in a post-conference monograph); as well as presentations devoted to the history of the Lubusz region, including contributions at the conference “Settlement after World War II: The Perspective of the Lubusz Region” and within the conference series “The Region in Dialogue: Integrated Research on the Lubusz Region.” Her academic output also includes papers on art and historical memory.
During her studies, MSc Wiktoria Anna Gawłowicz was a member of the Oxford Debating Union Student Research Group and the Polish Historical Society (Zielona Góra Branch). Her research interests primarily include history education, the history of the Lubusz region, and issues related to ancient Egypt.
Contact details and further information about our graduate can be found on her profile:
https://bk.uz.zgora.pl/absolwent-extra-sylwetki-absolwentow/rok-2025/historia-wiktoria-anna-gawlowicz-6.html
BA Patrycja Chwaszcz is a graduate of first-cycle (Bachelor’s) studies in English Philology. In July 2025, she defended her Bachelor’s thesis entitled “The Female Trouble: Portrayals of Female Characters in Selected Works of William Faulkner and Katherine Anne Porter.” During her studies, she systematically developed her linguistic and analytical competences, which enabled her to enhance her skills in literary interpretation, working in an intercultural environment, delivering public presentations, and — most importantly — conducting independent academic research. At the same time, she improved her knowledge of German, achieving B2 level proficiency.
Each year, her academic activity was distinguished with the Rector’s Scholarship of the University of Zielona Góra. She acquired both theoretical and practical knowledge in English language teaching methodology during the teacher-training specialization, where she learned to design teaching materials, conduct classes in groups with diverse levels of proficiency, and respond effectively to students’ needs. She gained pedagogical experience by conducting educational activities and teaching English lessons in a primary school, as well as by providing private tutoring.
The main area of her research interests is English-language literature. She is particularly fascinated by American Gothic, Modernism, and Postmodernism, as well as issues related to feminist literary criticism. Both her proseminar and Bachelor’s theses were based on the works of American authors.
BA Patrycja Chwaszcz is strongly oriented toward continuous development and the systematic expansion of her knowledge. Her philological studies were not only the fulfillment of a personal passion, but also a conscious investment in the future, providing her with solid foundations for further education and academic activity.
Contact details and further information about our graduate can be found on her profile:
https://bk.uz.zgora.pl/absolwent-extra-sylwetki-absolwentow/rok-2025/filologia-angielska-patrycja-chwaszcz-5.html
During the ceremonial Absolwent Extra 2025 Gala, held on 17 November 2025, the award statuettes were presented to the distinguished laureates by Rector Magnificus Prof. Wojciech Strzyżewski, PhD, DSc, Marshal of the Lubusz Voivodeship Sebastian Ciemnoczołowski, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Quality of Education Dr. Barbara Literska, Professor at the University of Zielona Góra, and Vice-Dean for Student Affairs of the Faculty of Humanities Dr. Agnieszka Szczap.
