A ceremony honoring former Polish President Lech Walesa, for whom Lech Walesa Hall was named, was held in the former Classroom Building as part of the two day Polish-American Conference. On Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. Vice President for Institutional Advancement Carla Knorowski opened the ceremony in Lech Walesa Hall in front of nearly 100 attendees.
As part of the ceremony, Knorowski presented two plaques. One plaque pays tribute to the platinum founding donors of the Lech Walesa endowment at Northeastern Illinois University, and includes their names. Prior to the ceremony, several other people stepped forward and pledged that they would like to donate. Their names will be added to the plaque at a later date.
The second plaque commemorates Lech Walesa’s visit on May 19 and includes his quote “The supply of words on the world market is plentiful but the demand is failing. Let deeds follow words.”
Of the quote, Knorowski said “This quote was specifically selected because it mirrors the ‘can do’ work ethic of our students who are people of action. We hope it will stand as a constant reminder from President Walesa to them that words are not enough, but through active, purposeful living, so much can be accomplished.”
After the unveiling of the plaques, Head of the Polish Arts Club Dr. Walkosz spoke on the club’s behalf of the importance of the ceremony and presented a bust of Lech Walesa to NEIU. She explained that the bust was made by a Polish artist that refused to sell it and decided after the Classroom Building was renamed Lech Walesa Hall that it should be there. Knorowski then announced that President Walesa would be sending a personal, unknown item of his own to join the bust and plaques.
“Through this collection, generations of Northeastern Illinois University students will learn and benefit from the stories and histories conveyed by these beautiful pieces of sculpture,” Knorowski said.
Following the ceremony, President Hahs was asked if she thought the presence of Walesa’s bust would help the name of Lech Walesa Hall catch on.
“I think because it’s very expressive, and if we put it in a central place, people will see it and be inspired and hopefully [the name] will catch on,” said Hahs.
The plaques presented at the ceremony are currently locked away until their permanent hanging hardware arrives. Following that, they will be on display in the same place they were during the ceremony.