Jessica Urban. Throughout her life, Jessica has committed herself to preserving and promoting Polish Folk Culture. She began taking Polish language classes in middle school and continued her studies at Wayne State University. After college, she studied at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. Jessica danced with the Wawel Folk Ensemble for almost 30 years, participating in Polish Folk Dance workshops across the U.S., Canada, and Poland. She performed five times at the renowned Polish Folk Dance Festival in Rzeszów. In the late 1990s, she was presented as a debutante at the Polish Women’s Alliance Ball.
Her love of Polish folk and dance led her to become Director of the PRCUA Gwiazda Dancers, a role she has held for 14 years. In 2016, Jessica received the Central Citizens Pulaski Award. In 2018, she organized the group’s performance at the Children’s Polish Folk Dance Festival in lwonicz Zdrój and a week-long tour through Poland. In 2024, she coordinated a dance trip to Macedonia and Greece. She has also organized performances in Chicago, Minnesota, and Michigan and chaired Polish Night events with the Detroit Lions, Red Wings, and Pistons.
Professionally, Jessica has taught science for 25 years, from Chemistry to Human Anatomy. She earned Teacher of the Year at the Middle School level in 2016 and at the High School level in 2024. As an educator, she has led a Polish club at her high school, teaching students about Polish culture and organizing trips to the Polish Museum of America.
Jessica has appeared in several Polish documentaries and TV interviews to discuss Polish traditions, including the “Pierogi Polka” video on GrowTown PBS and interviews about traditional dance. She is a member of the Friends of Polish Art, Polish National Alliance, PRCUA, Slavic Women’s Association, and Morskie Oko Nr. 4. In 2019, she presented on Madam Curie at the unveiling of her bust at Wayne State University.
In her spare time, Jessica organizes fundraisers, community events, and chairs the Hamtramck Labor Doy Parade. She enjoys traveling, reading, playing sports, and spending quality time with her daughter, Lucyna, her partner, Brian, and loved ones.
Jessica would like to thank the Piast Institute for recognizing those dedicated to sharing and promoting Polish culture, and congratulates all the recipients of the Top 25 Polish American Leaders of 2025.
Source: Booklet “Top 25 Polish American Leaders in 2025 Awards Banquet”.
