The “Vistula Compasses” Competition
The “Vistula Compasses” Competition is organised periodically by the Vistula School of Hospitality. The Polish Chamber of Tourism,the Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry and MPI Poland Chapter are the partners. It is addressed to Polish and foreign graduates of the following universities:
- Vistula School of Hospitality;
- Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management;
- Warsaw University of Tourism, Food and Hospitality;
- Mieczyslaw Orlowicz College of Tourism and Recreation;
- College of Tourism and Hotel Management in Łódź;
- Vistula University – the faculty of Tourism and Recreation;
- Higher School of Economics and Information – the faculty of Tourism and Recreation.
The aim of the Competition is to select University graduates who have achieved significant success in the professional field related to the broadly understood tourist industry, in business activity in such sectors as: hospitality and HORECA, event management, sport and recreation management or other. Those persons are the University’s best ambassadors. Their professional achievements are a measure of our success, proof of high quality education and practical preparation. They have the enthusiasm and potential that allow the industry to develop dynamically.
The “Vistula Compasses” awards are granted in two main categories and one additional category:
I. Vistula Compass
II. Vistula Compass – Rising Star
III. Vistula Compass International
The competition consists of four stages:
Stage I – open applications of candidates – 12.11 – 15.12.2024
Stage II – nominations – 16 – 19.12.2024
Stage III – acceptance of the nomination and sending of competition documents – 20.12.2024 – 10.01.2025
Stage IV – a selection of finalists and winners – 20.01 – 28.02.2025
Application to the “Vistula Compasses” Competition is a two-step process:
- Candidate application – graduates may apply in person or their candidacy may be submitted by third parties, other graduates, lecturers, employers. Candidates who have at least five years of work experience may apply to the first category, and candidates whose work experience is shorter than five years may apply to the second category. The third, additional category is intended for foreign graduates who develop their professional career outside Poland (regardless of the length of work experience).
- Nomination acceptance – the nominated person sends the final application.
The competition winners are announced during the gala accompanying the Global Meetings Industry Day on March the 31st 2025. The Ministry of Sport and Tourism has taken the honorary patronage of the event and Minister of Science.
Patronage
Assessment of candidates, selection of the finalists and winners of the “Vistula Compasses” Competition is conducted by the Jury appointed by the Vistula School of Hospitality Rector. The Jury consists of:
- Magdalena Kondas, Editor-in-Chief of Meeting Planner – Chairman
- Edyta Brykała, Owner of Level +;
- Marta Chmielewska, President of the Board, Events Industry Association, President of the Mea Group
- Joanna Gorczyca, Director of the Sustainable Development Office, PZU Group
- Andrzej Hulewicz, Vice President of Mazurkas Travel
- Aleksandra Komosińska, Training Specialist, PWPW S.A.;
- Karolina Stępniak, Editor-in-Chief of Świat Hoteli, horecanet.pl, Publishing Director, co-owner of Brog B2B
- Izabela Stelmańska, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Promotion and Tourism, Marshal’s Office of the Mazowieckie Voivodship in Warsaw
- Bartłomiej Szmajdziński, Director of Talent Management and Organizational Culture, ORBIS S.A.
- Barbara Tutak
- Cezary Wilemajtys, President of the Board, SITE Poland and United Partners
- Ireneusz Węgłowski, President of the Polish Hotel Industry Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Orbis Supervisory Board;
- Anna Woda, Deputy Manager, Copernicus Science Center
- Dariusz Wojtal, Vice President of the Polish Chamber of Tourism
- Aida Bella, Director of Communications & PR Office, Spokesperson, Totalizator Sportowy Sp. z o.o.
- Grażyna Grot-Duziak, Meetings & Incentives Director for Central Europe, Weco-Travel Services Sp. z o.o., President of the Board SITE Poland;
- Olga Krzemińska-Zasadzka, CEO Power Agency, President of the Board, Polish Association of Incentive Travel Organisers
- Paweł Lewtak, General Director, Polonia Palace Hotel, Board Member of Syrena Hotels Group
- Emilia Melon-Olchowicz, Owner of Melon Catering
- Davide Odella, Board Member, Expo XXI Warsaw
- Paulina Zawadzka, Convention Sales Director, Crowne Plaza Warsaw – The HUB;
- Michał Maziarczyk, Director of Sales Poland & Baltic States, Liberty International Tourism Group;
- Adrianna Rogalska, Director Natura Mazur Resort & Conference;
- Krzysztof Celuch, Prorector of Vistula School of Hospitality.
Vistula School of Hospitality awarded its best graduates. This year’s winners of the “Vistula Compasses” competition were announced on April the 8th during the virtual gala accompanying Global Meetings Industry Day 2021.
In the Manager category, the award was given to Paulina Zawadzka, a graduate of BA studies in the field of Tourism and Recreation at the University of Economics and Information Technology (2011), who was the predecessor of Vistula School of Hospitality. Paulina Zawadzka has created from scratch the Sales Department for Conferences and Banquets at Crowne Plaza Warsaw. Currently, she is pursuing the position of its manager.
Aleksandra Dubieniecka was awarded in the Entrepreneur category. She is a graduate of MA studies in the field of Business Tourism at the University of Economics and Information Technology (2009). She started working as a kitchen assistant in the family business. Currently, she is the owner and manager of hotel and catering facilities in Ustka.
The jury appreciated the courage and consistency of the winners, energy, and perseverance, which they show in such difficult times. Their professional path and achievements prove their comprehensive knowledge and practical preparation as well as the high competencies they acquired during their studies. They are the best ambassadors of the Vistula School of Hospitality and can show others the way.
Vistula School of Hospitality appreciates people who are persistent, able to communicate, have enthusiasm and potential. These are indispensable features in the industry, which will soon be dynamically developing again, because there is a strong need for people. Of course, the pandemic leaves its mark, changes take place, but leaders can predict, see and use them.
The “Vistula Compasses” competition is aimed at Polish and foreign graduates of VSH and its predecessors. Its purpose is to select and honor people who have achieved significant success in the professional field related to the broadly understood hospitality, working in sectors such as tourism, hotel, and HORECA, the meetings industry, sports management, or other sectors.
The initiator of the competition, which is held under the patronage of the Polish Chamber of Tourism, is the Business Council of the Vistula School of Hospitality, which includes entrepreneurs from the tourism industry and industry journalists.
The partner is the Chamber of Commerce of the Polish Hotel Industry and MPI Poland, the International Association of Meeting Organizers.
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The results were announced on September 17th, 2020, during a Grand Gala at the Novotel Warszawa Centrum Hotel.
Michał Maziarczyk and Adriana Rogalska were awarded in the Manager category.
Michał Maziarczyk is a graduate of Tourism and Recreation, specializing in business tourism. Today, he is the Director of Sales Poland & Baltic States in Liberty International Tourism Group, a global company that operates in 90 countries around the world offering a wide range of tourist services.
Adriana Rogalska is a graduate of Tourism and Recreation. She started her professional career as a receptionist. For three years she has been Managing Director of the Natura Mazur Resort & Conference hotel. It is a family company with Polish capital that employs about 100 people.
In the Entrepreneur category, the “Vistula Compass” was awarded to Diana Jabłońska, who graduated from BA studies in Tourism and Recreation at the Vistula School of Hospitality, and Management at the Vistula University.
She was a sales representative, a production worker in the production of packaging and an intern in the marketing department of ING bank. Today he is an entrepreneur, co-owner and managing director of DAN-Kart. It is a family business founded by the winner’s father. It produces corrugated cardboard packaging for fruit and vegetable producers.
The “Vistula Compasses” winners had a fantastic success. Their professional achievements prove the quality of education and practical preparation at the Vistula School of Hospitality. Our graduates are the best ambassadors of universities, at the same time showing others the way of development.
Congratulations to the winners!
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In this year’s edition of the competition, in the Manager category – the partner of which is the Polish Hotel Industry Chamber of Commerce – the jury awarded the winning prize to Dmytro Moiseienko, a graduate of BA studies in the field of Tourism and Recreation (2019). Dmytro is currently a Project Manager at EMEA, Meeting15 SA. It is an event platform that allows you to build and implement the most advanced events, both in the real and virtual world. Our laureate also works in the MPI Poland Chapter. He says that he devotes all his time to the event industry, which is his greatest passion.
In the Entrepreneur category, the partner of which is MPI Poland, the International Association of Meeting Organisers, Rafał Kupisz, a graduate of BA studies in the field of Tourism and Recreation of the Vistula University (2013), was honoured. He is the owner of Global Service Agencja Artystyczna and Food Park Skwer on Orlej Street. His company was founded as a start-up. He used to serve weddings, but now he successfully deals with music and artistic services for a wide variety of events. He emphasises that despite the pandemic, he has not recorded a drop in revenue, which he considers to be a huge success. Rafał Kupisz is not only an entrepreneur, but also a volunteer firefighter, and has recently, also acquired the status of a paramedic.
The Chapter of ‘Vistula Compasses’ appreciated the flexibility and creativity of this year’s winners, their courage, consistency, energy, and perseverance. These features are especially important, nowadays. Without them, it is impossible to survive in the industry and plan a good future.
The Vistula School of Hospitality appreciates people who use their knowledge and competences gained during their studies, can communicate well, notice changes, and predict trends, and who have a passion for that. These are the winners of this year’s ‘Vistula Compasses ‘. They are the best ambassadors of our university, and they can show the way for others to follow.
The patron of the “Vistula Compasses” competition is the Polish Chamber of Tourism.
Congratulations to the winners!
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In this year’s edition of the competition, in the Manager category, the partner of which is the Polish Hotel Industry Chamber of Commerce, the jury selected three finalists. These are: Mateusz Lewandowski, sales director for Poland, Louvre Hotels Group, Nadzeya Melnik, incentive manager at United Partners and Katarzyna Melnyk, senior convention sales manager, Crowne Plaza Warsaw – the HUB and Holiday Inn Express Warsaw – the HUB. The winner was Mateusz Lewandowski, a graduate of Tourism and Recreation programme, where he chose the Organisation and Management in Hotel and Gastronomy specialisation.
In the Entrepreneur category, the partner of which is MPI Poland, the International Association of Meeting Organisers, awards were given to Agata Pemberton, who is now a co-owner of the Kos company, European Bartender School, and Dominika Polus-Dąbrowska, a mental trainer in the company bearing her name. Both ladies are graduates of the Organisation and Management of Business Events in Tourism and Recreation programme.
The jury of “Vistula Compass” appreciated the flexibility and creativity of this year’s winners, courage, consistency, energy, and perseverance. These are the qualities necessary to survive in the industry and plan a good future.
The Vistula School of Hospitality appreciates people who are able to use the knowledge and competences acquired during their studies, who are able to communicate, notice changes and anticipate trends, and who also have passion. These are the features that distinguish the winners of the “Vistula Compass. They are the best ambassadors of the university and can show the way to others.
Congratulations!
The patron of the “Vistula Compasses” competition is the Polish Chamber of Tourism.
The event was held under the honorary patronage of the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Andrzej Gut-Mostowy.
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In this year’s edition of the competition Sebastian Nasiłowski, owner of the Tourist Polska office, was honored in the Tourism category. The winner is a WOPR rescuer, tourist guide, tour leader, sailor, and qualified tourism instructor. He works on the POT Council and the Tourism Team at the MiSP Spokesperson.
In the Hotel Management category, the award went to Aneta Lewandowska, general director of the Sofitel Warszawa Victoria Hotel, who has over 20 years of experience in managing prestigious hotel facilities.
Vistula – Open Compass was awarded to Aneta Książek, head of the Meetings and Events Office, Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourist Organization. For years, the winner has been successful in promoting Poland as an attractive place for organizing congresses, conferences, incentive trips, and events.
This year, among the graduates of the VSH, rising stars were also distinguished, i.e. people who are at the beginning of their professional path and have already proven their enormous potential. Vistula Rising Star Compass was won by Paulina Szymczak from Fit Pralinka. The winner is a dietician, psychodietitian and trainer. She organizes camps for women with insulin resistance and successfully creates educational content for social media.
For the first time, the competition jury also awarded the title “Vistula Compass International”. It went to Mariam Metivishvili. She is the manager of Club InterContinental, InterContinental Dubai Festival City, IHG Hotels & Resorts.
The people with passion, courage and energy are the winners of “Vistula Compasses”. The jury appreciated their creativity, flexibility, and perseverance. These are the features necessary to develop in the industry and achieve success.
Congratulations to the winners, but also to all the finalists of the “Vistula Compasses” competition. They prove at every step that they can use the knowledge and competences acquired during their studies. They include:
- Paulina Ewa Czerwińska, deputy manager for flight services, Coral Travel Poland,
- Marta Klamar, managing director, Julinek Park,
- Yana Korzh, president of the Hotelmania Association,
- Paula Matecka, coach, Albert Heijn Online,
- Adrianna Komorowska, marketing specialist (Poland & Baltics), Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence,
- Dominika Polus-Dąbrowska, mental coach, presenter, senior marketing & event manager at Dell Technologies,
- Karyna Krykotun front office supervisor, Marriott International.
The competition partners are: Polish Chamber of Tourism, Polish Chamber of Commerce and MPI Poland Chapter.
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