Dr. Vaclovas and Stefanija Čepukėnai Scholarship Awarded for the Second Time at VMU
On September 10, 2024, Dr. V. and S. Čepukėnai scholarship was awarded for the second time for the promotion and dissemination of the French language and culture.
This year the scholarship was awarded to this year’s graduate of the Faculty of Catholic Theology, Elija Sigita Masalskaitė OSB, a teacher of moral education at Zapyškis Lower Secondary School.
The scholarship award ceremony was attended by Neila Baumilienė, Executive Director of the New York Office of the Kazickas Family Foundation, Milda Krivickienė, the daughter of V. and S. Čepukėnai, Assoc. Prof. Vilma Bijeikienė, Vice-Rector of Communication at VMU, Dr. Teresė Ringailienė, the Director of the Institute of Foreign Languages, the staff of the Department of Student Affairs and the Institute of Foreign Languages. The event was opened with inspiring words by the Vice-Rector of Communication Vilma Bijeikienė who later awarded the scholarship.
Vilma Bijeikienė and Teresė Ringailienė thanked the initiators of the scholarship, Neila Baumilienė and the daughters of V. and S. Čepukėnai, Milda and Rasa (unfortunately, she was unable to participate the event), who are continuing the tradition of patronage and perpetuating the memory of their parents, former VMU professors. The speakers stressed the importance of multilingualism and the attention given to it at VMU, which is celebrating 35 years of restoration: languages and their wide choice at VMU are one of the fundamental values of artes liberales. Neila Baumilienė thanked the IFL staff for their close cooperation in establishing the scholarship and emphasised the joy of giving and sharing. Milda Krivickienė also fondly remembered her parents, the French language teachers of the restored University, Stefanija and Vaclovas Čepukėnai, and the work they had done. It is a real joy that their philanthropic activities and meaningful work have not been forgotten, and that the younger generation can continue them.
Scholarship recipient Elija Sigita thanked very warmly for the opportunity to further develop her skills and shared her plans and the steps she is already taking to become a French language teacher.
