Jurgis Sirusas’ Nominal Scholarship Foundation: 10,000 US Dollars for the Students at VMU Agriculture Academy
Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas, a long-standing active member of the Lithuanian community in the U.S., and his wife Gražina have established a foundation dedicated to the memory of Mr Jurgis Sirusas’ father and development of Lithuania’s economy.
The prerequisites for eligibility and initiative of the scholarship were discussed during a remote meeting between Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas, his wife Gražina, and representatives of VMU Agriculture Academy administration: Chancellor Prof. Dr Astrida Miceikienė, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Aušra Blinstrubienė, Head of the Museum of the Agriculture Academy Assoc. Prof. Dr Rasa Pranskūnienė, Head of the Administrative Team at the Agriculture Academy Laima Skauronė, Marketing Coordinator at the Agriculture Academy Deimena Montvydaitė, and representative of the Marketing and Communications Department at the Agriculture Academy Živilė Mediekšienė.
Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas, founder of the scholarship, shared the history of his family, their connections to agriculture and Lithuania, and the story behind the initiative to establish the scholarship for the students at the Agriculture Academy. Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas was born and raised in Lithuania, was attending an agricultural school by Plikšiai Manor in Mažeikiai district in the interwar period. The agricultural school was marked the beginning of Mr Jurgis Sirusas father’s professional path. During the meeting, Ms R. Pranskūnienė, Head of the Museum at the Agriculture Academy, presented the archive information about Plikšiai Manor where Mr Jurgis Sirusas worked after graduation of the Agriculture Academy. In 1944, the Sirusas’ family fled the country to escape the war and found themselves in a German refugee camp. In the refugee camp, Jurgis Saulius’ father founded and ran a Lithuanian school. In 1949, the Sirusas’ family emigrated to the U.S. where they started building their life by purchasing a small 30 ha farm and establishing a tree nursery. The story shared by Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas reflected strong connection of the family with agriculture, nature, development of crop production and horticulture. “There’s no better goal than to support Lithuania’s youth who love agriculture and nature,” – claimed Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas. Therefore, the founders of the foundation decided to dedicate the Jurgis Sirusas’ nominal scholarship to the students at VMU Agriculture Academy who prepares the specialists for agricultural sector in Lithuania.
The scholarship foundation of 10,000 U.S. dollars has been provided for 10 years, i.e. 500 EUR two times a year for two students who will have shown exceptional progress and motivation.
Allocation of the scholarship has been sealed in the Memorandum of Agreement signed by Mr Jurgis Saulius Sirusas, founder of the scholarship, and the representatives of the Lithuanian National Foundation.
The Lithuanian National Foundation is the patron of the Jurgis Sirusas’ nominal foundation. The organization uniting the Lithuanians all around the world has been operating since 1944 when it was founded at the refugee camps in Germany. Since 1955, the Lithuanian National Foundation has been operating in the U.S. and supporting the efforts to establish the democratic order and promote national awareness among the Lithuanian youth.
