The Kosciuszko Foundation was founded in 1925 by Szczepan Mierzwa (Stephen Mizwa), a Polish immigrant.  Mierzwa is the perfect example of the “American dream,” as he rose from nearly nothing to being a Professor of Economics at Drake University.  He realized that education had helped him reach this high point in his life, and he wanted to create a scholarship fund for other Polish immigrants to experience the same upward mobility that he had.  He enlisted both Polish and American sponsors, to show that he was extremely devoted to create a tie between the two cultures, peoples, and countries.

At first, it was difficult to raise the money.  In an interview with Magda Mazurek-Nuovo, the director of Cultural Affairs at the Foundation, I asked why this was the case.  A lot of the Polish population was hesitant to donate because they weren’t encouraged to do so by their church clergy.  Poles were very religious (Catholic) and relied on advice from their spiritual leaders.  The scholarship fund started by Mierzwa posed a threat to the churches’ budget, and the clergy had no desire for competition.

Because of the hesitation from Polish population, Mierzwa sought donations elsewhere.  He went all over the country to densely Polish areas to ask for money, and even appealed to some African American communities in an effort to replicate Kosciuszko’s outreach to the slave population back in Revolutionary times.  By enlisting big names for his scholarships, such as Marie Curie (the famous female scientist), he was finally able to get Polonia on his side.

The unfortunate truth is that World War II really had a great impact on the future success of the Kosciuszko Foundation.  During the war, Poland was being occupied by Nazi Germany, and afterwards was taken over by Communist Russia.  Because of this, it was all the more important to preserve Polish culture and help the Polish people.  During the war, Mierzwa aided many Polish soldiers with their education while on the battlefront.  Because of the need to create a stronger Polish community, the Kosciuszko Foundation had to look for a permanent building – the Van Alen Mansion.  The building, currently located at 15 East 65^th Street in Manhattan, was built in 1917.  Margaret Patterson offered the site to Mierzwa for a very low cost, and through her donations to the foundation, practically gave over the building for free.

Today, the Kosciuszko Foundation is still a vibrant place of Polish cultural heritage.  It holds a gallery of paintings by famous Polish artists, holds occasional exhibits in its lower lobby, and has a myriad of cultural, musical, and educational events for people of all ages and heritages.

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Work Cited:
The Kosciuszko Foundation