Leonard Anthony Polakiewicz
Slavicist, scholar
Born Mar. 30, 1938, Kiev, U.S.S.R.; came to U.S., 1950; son of Wladyslaw and Aniela (Ossowska); married Marianne (Swanson); children: Kathryn, Barbara, Janet.
Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1964; Master of Arts (M.A.), 1968, certificate, Russian Area Studies, 1969, Ph.D., Slavic languages and literature, 1978, University of Wisconsin, Madison; diploma, M. Curie - Sklodowska University, Lublin (Poland), 1981.
Career, i.a.: instructor, 1970-78, assistant prof., 1978-90, director, Poland and East European Studies, 1985 -, associate prof., 1990 -, director, Institute of Languages and Literatures, 1991-93, chairman, Slavic and Central Asian Languages and Literatures, 1993 -, University of Minnesota; director, Polish Program, M. Curie - Sklodowska University, 1984 -; director, Russian Program, Herzen Pedagogical University, St. Petersburg (Russian), 1993 -.
Author: Supplemental Materials for First Year Polish, 1990; Supplemental Materials for Fifteen Modern Polish Short Stories, 1994; Solidarity Lives, Contemporary Polish Emigre Literature, and Instructional Materials for Intermediate Polish (all in progress); numerous articles, bibliographies, reviews and translations in professional journals; editorial board member, Studia Sienkiewiczowskie, Lublin, 1986 -; associate editor, Slavic and East European Journal, 1989-94.
Member of: i.a.: managing committee member, Council on International Educational Exchange Programs in Eastern Europe, executive committee member, Council on Russian Language Programs, Councit on International Exchange Consortium, New York City, 1990-94; Russian Language Program Academy Policy Committee; Governor's Commission on Eastern Europe; North American A. Chekhov Society; International Cz. Milosz Society; American Association of University Professors (AAUP); American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL); American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies (AAASS); Society of Lowers of the Russian Book; American Council of Teachers of Russian; The Friends of the Immigration Historic Research Center (board directors member, 1984-87), Minneapolis; co-founder, Polish - American Cultural Institute of Minnesota; Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America (P.I.A.S.A.).
Honors, i.a.: fellowship, Ford Foundation, 1964, National Defense Educational Act, 1966-68, Bush Foundation, 1986; grants, Kosciuszko Foundation, 1981, Columbia University, 1981, 1984, 1986, International Research & Exchange Board (IREX), Trinity College, Dublin (Ireland), 1984, Midwest Universities Consortium for International Activities, and Committee for Institutional Cooperation, 1991; Distinguished Teacher award, University of Minnesota, 1978; Merit Award (for teaching and service), Polanie Club of Twin Cities, 1982; Fulbright - Hays Group Projects Abroad Grant, Department of Education, 1989; University Affiliations Grant for Poland, United States Informatin Agency (USIA), 1989; Nationalism and Patriotism in Poland, Hewlett Foundation, 1990; Distinguished Service Medal, M. Curie - Sklodowska University, 1992; All - University Horace T. Morse Minnesota Alumni Association Award (for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education), University of Minnesota, 1992; Excellence in Teaching award, American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL), 1994.
Served with: U.S. Army.
Affiliation: Democrat. Roman Catholic.
Languages: Polish, Russian, English, German, French, Ukrainian.
Hobbies: reading, hiking, collecting stamps.
Home: 466 Oak Creek Drive South, Vadnais Heights, MN 55127.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation,
New York, NY, 1996.