Living across the Atlantic, the Kazickas family has remained closely connected to Lithuania – nurturing not only a sense of heritage, but also a commitment to invest in the country’s future. The 30-year collaboration between the Kazickas Family Foundation and Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is a clear example of how ties to one’s homeland can become practical, long-term support for young talent. At the same time, it is a form of patriotism that helps strengthen Lithuania as a whole.
“The Kazickas Family Foundation collaboration with KTU has, over the past 30 years, grown into a strong and adaptable partnership that responds to changing national needs and keeps academic knowledge closely connected to real societal and technological challenges,” says John Algirdas Kazickas, secretary and treasurer of the Kazickas Family Foundation and the youngest son of the foundation’s founder.
According to John Kazickas, this continuity has strengthened the educational ecosystem, supported generations of capable, technically skilled, and forward-thinking students, and created lasting value not only for the university community but also for Lithuania as a whole.
Support amounts to 30,000 euros
The Kazickas Family Foundation scholarship at KTU is awarded twice a year, in the spring and fall semesters, through a Sponsor Scholarship competition.
The Kazickas Family Foundation is also the main sponsor of the Dr Juozas Petras Kazickas Programming Competition for 6th–12th grade high school students, organised by the KTU Faculty of Informatics since 1997.
KTU Vice-Rector for Education, Assoc. Prof. Dr Kristina Ukvalbergienė says that such an example of patriotism among the Lithuanian diaspora has a motivating and inspiring effect on the academic community and students. In addition, it fosters a sense of national pride among Lithuanians both at home and abroad and demonstrates that even those living far away can contribute to their country’s prosperity.
The greatest aspiration – to inspire others
J. A. Kazickas says that, when he looks back over the years, he is most proud of the fact that the family foundation has inspired thousands of students and children to explore opportunities and think creatively about what is possible.
“Not every participant wins the competition or receives direct support but sparking that curiosity and encouraging reflection on social responsibility and moral values is invaluable. Reaching and inspiring so many young minds over the years is truly the most meaningful result of our work,” says Kazickas.
According to J. A. Kazickas, it was his father’s, Dr J. P. Kazickas, philanthropic mindset – seeing financial support as an opportunity to give back and encourage others – that made the partnership with KTU feel especially meaningful and close to the family values.
According to the KTU Vice-Rector for Education, the scholarships provided by the Kazickas Family Foundation serve as an additional incentive for students to engage in philanthropic activities and participate in various social initiatives and organisations.
“Meanwhile, supporting doctoral students and young scientists directly contributes to the development and strengthening of the University’s science, allows students and researchers to focus on conducting research, and acts as a means of encouragement and motivation,” says Ukvalbergienė.
J. A. Kazickas hopes that as students go through their careers – at KTU or afterward – they might look back and realise that the support they received was a turning point, a moment they understood there’s something more important than just their own field of study: a responsibility to give back and help others.
Representatives of the Kazickas Family Foundation regularly organise meetings with KTU Sponsor Scholarship recipients. One such meeting took place recently, on January 19, at KTU Santaka Valley, where J. A. Kazickas, together with the Foundation’s project manager, Monika Zavistanavičiūtė, met with scholarship recipients and representatives of the KTU administration.
