In Memory of Grażyna Kawczyńska

07 05 2025

After a long and serious illness, on May 2, 2025, Grażyna Kawczyńska passed away — the long-time Head of the Dean’s Office at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, connected with the Faculty for over 30 years.

It is hard to accept that she is no longer with us, that she will no longer drop by the Dean’s Office, even for a moment, or offer us her help. Mrs. Grażyna oversaw everything, knew everything, and if she didn’t, she would find out. Deans came and went, but she ensured continuity — guiding each new dean through the intricacies of academic bureaucracy and softening the burdens of administration with her warmth and kindness.

Mrs. Grażyna never put things off, was extraordinarily open to people, and bore with astonishing patience and tolerance the various outbursts of frustration or dissatisfaction that we, the academic staff, too often direct toward administration. She was the good spirit of this Faculty, and she should remain for us a true role model — of a serious attitude toward work, of kind and respectful treatment of “clients,” and, above all, of a deeply humanistic understanding of the nature of administrative duties and responsibilities.

Her passing leaves us with an unimaginable sadness. We will remember her with great gratitude.