2026 Scholarship Receipients
ALEC OTT
I am a graduate student whose academic work focuses on modern Slovak history, memory, diaspora identity, and the impact of the Holocaust in Central and Eastern Europe. I am currently developing my Slovak language skills in order to work more directly with Slovak-language archival and cultural sources. More broadly, I hope to continue contributing to scholarship on Slovakia and the long-term cultural legacies of the Second World War in East-Central Europe.
CATHERINE KUCZMA
I am the granddaughter of Slovak immigrants to the United States. I have been exposed to Slovak foods, music and dance throughout my life, but I never truly appreciated the rich culture until I became an adult and understood what traditions mean to a family. I choose to study the language and culture as a tribute to my grandparents who sacrificed everything to start a new life in a faraway land, allowing my family to have a life filled with new opportunities to thrive. It is my goal to honor them through my studies.
AMELIA GERRINGER
Despite having no Slovak heritage, I have discovered such a welcoming group of people that I would love to continue to be a part of. It is a dream to go to a foreign country and be able to meet more of the people I am learning about. I declared myself a Slovak minor because of the connection I found with this community and culture. Learning that Eastern Europeans have such a rich history in Pittsburgh is one of the other reasons I am excited to study abroad. I have moved to Pittsburgh and want to stay here as my career blooms, so learning about the development of this city and where those built it came from is important to me.
SHANNON SZIROS
My family came to America in 1948 after World War II on the Queen Mary. They settled in Toledo, OH where my family still lives today. As I got older, I became more curious about our family. I knew plenty already, but not everything. In November 2024 I submitted my application at the DC Embassy and later took my oath to become a Slovak citizen in December 2025. My primary goal is to be able to speak fluent Slovak so I can communicate with my family in Slovakia. I also look forward to trying all of the Slovak traditional dishes, and seeing the beautiful country.After this summer studying and traveling abroad with the University of Pittsburgh, I plan on writing a book about my family, their journey to America, my journey to becoming a Slovak dual citizen, studying abroad in a foreign land where my family came from and mentioning all that made it possible.
EMILY MATTA
Emily Matta is a speech-language pathologist from Texas who is excited to deepen her connection to her Slovak heritage through language and cultural immersion. This summer, she will attend the Slovak Language Institute to strengthen her Slovak language skills and learn more about contemporary Slovak culture. Emily looks forward to exploring Slovakia, building connections, and continuing her lifelong journey of learning about her heritage. Next year, she will begin law school with plans to focus on special education law, combining her passion for advocacy with her professional experience supporting students and families. She is incredibly grateful for the support that has made this opportunity possible.
TOM LENCH
I am a third-generation Slovak-American with all four grandparents having emigrated from the then Austria Hungary. My church in Ambridge was Divine Redeemer, a Slovak parish. My mother was from Chicago, and all of their friends and family were also involved in the Slovak Community there. I have always been interested in my Slovak heritage. In the late 1980’s, I took 2 years of Slovak classes at the University of Pittsburgh. My teacher then was Sylvia Galova Lorinc. I had previous textbooks from my Mom’s sister who kept me in contact with my maternal grandfather’s family in Czechoslovakia.
The classes and schoolwork at Pitt years ago were intense. No computers nor visual aids to view, only a textbook by Jozef Mistrik. The first year there were a about a dozen students and the second year there were three of us plus the teacher. At the end of the second year there was discussion of attending SAS at Comenius University in Bratislava. There were about six or so students from Pitt that were planning to attend, and I thought it would be a wonderful experience. It was 1990 and the year after communism ended in the Eastern Bloc. Some travelled ahead and I travelled solo, finding my way without a computer, nor mobile phone, just looking at maps, not really knowing where I was going. It was interesting to me, since there were numerous second or third generation Americans of Slovak decent also attending. I met many great friends then and I hope to do so this summer travelling to Slovakia.
