President Carter National Day of Mourning
In observance of U.S. National Day of Mourning, the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange would like to commemorate the legacy of the 39th President, James Earl (Jimmy) Carter.
His presidency left a significant mark on Hungary, where he is remembered for returning the Holy Crown to the people of Hungary in 1978. A symbol of a thousand years of Hungarian statehood, the Crown had been in U.S. custody at Fort Knox since the end of WWII.
The event and the resultant good feeling enabled the first Fulbright grants in 1979.
President Carter traveled to Budapest in 1996 as the keynote speaker of the Spirit of Global Understanding conference (picture) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Global Fulbright program.
His death marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, moral clarity, and service.
Conference of the Returned Hungarian Fulbright Grantees of 2023-2024 Part II
10 returned Hungarian alumni of The Fulbright Program of 2023-2024 academic year presented on their teaching/research and personal experience in a public conference.
Special thanks to US scholar section chairs Christopher Grayson ’24 and Grant Currier ’23 for their contribution.
- Kristóf Pap (’23 NYU School of Law): The reform of international investment law
- Eszter Szép (’23 University of Oregon): Graphic Narratives and Design
- Barnabás Szászi (’23 Harvard Business School): What are the most effective ways to increase happiness worldwide?
- Gabriella Lükő (’23 Colorado School of Mines): Surface heat exchange processes over the Great Lakes in winter
- Veronika Hornyák Gracza (’23 American University): The other side of the same coin: gender equality, military operations and defence policy across the Atlantic
- Judit Kis (’23 University of North Texas): Optomotry-based investigation of a novel anti-glaucoma agent
- Viktor Németh (’23 New York University): The importance and role of restorative mediation in cases of property crime
- Andrea Timár (’23 Brown University): Hannah Arendt and Literature
- Attila Császár (’23 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Caltech): Networking in spectroscopy and in California
- Krisztina Petra Gula (’23 UC Berkeley): On the Borderline of Criminal Justice and Mental Health: Mental Health Courts in California
Conference of the Returned Hungarian Fulbright Grantees of 2023-2024
9 returned Hungarian alumni of The Fulbright Program of 2023-2024 academic year presented on their teaching/research and personal experience in a public conference at Corvinus University of Budapest recently inaugurated, future-oriented new Gellért Campus with inspiring and innovative spaces.
The event began with opening remarks from Prof. Tamás Magyarics, Chair of the Fulbright Commission Board.
We were also honored to hear from Melissa Quartell, Cultural Attaché, U.S. Embassy Budapest, who shared heartfelt words of encouragement and appreciation celebrating knowledge, innovation, and the power of international collaboration.
Finally, Rodrigo Ballester, Ministerial Commissioner for Higher Education, Ministry of Culture and Innovation welcomed the audience on behalf of the Minister.
- Bálint Béres (’23 City of Hope Beckman Research Institute): Quantitative analysis of Extracellular Vesicles
- Kata Hubai (’23 Humphrey Fellowship Program at Vanderbilt Peabody College): Supporting novice teachers’ transitioning into in-service teaching
- Sára Török (’23 FLTA at Indiana University): My Year In Indiana
- Máté Szórád (’23 UCLA Extension): Budapest to Hollywood and Back: Production Services Across Continents
- Szilvia Néveri Varagya (’23 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology): What Voters Want? Political Polarization Through Leadership Preferences
- Patrik Pördi (’22 University of Maryland / Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering): Studying robotics in the greater DC area combined with dynamic drone startup collaboration in Utah
- József Balázs Fejes (’23 Rutgers University): Research on Motivation and a Researcher’s Motivation
- Andrea Soós (’23 Fulbright Schuman Grantee at Center for Architecture (AIANY)): Transatlantic Relations in Architecture
- Soma Papp (’23 Colorado State University): Scribing with lasers – novel sensor platform for diagnostic tests
Special thanks to US scholar section chairs Cynthia Horne ’24 and Peter Fuleky ’24 for their contribution.
US grantees monthly trip to North-West Hungary
#Fulbright monthly meeting in October: The Commission organized a 2-day trip to North-West Hungary for US grantees at the Fulbright Program.
The group visited Széchenyi István University in Győr hosted by Célia Szénássy, International Secretary who gave a presentation to the participants about the institution, highlighting the high-quality education offered across 9 faculties, 11 academic fields, and 200 programmes, as well as the University’s research and development activities.
Florida Polytechnic University Prof. Rahul Razdan ’24 talked about his activities at Zala ZONE, one of Europe’s most advanced automotive proving ground and Purdue University Prof. Zhiwei Zhu ’24 on his research on the development of business analytics and data science education.
The day continued with sightseeing in Győr and a guided visit to the Esterházy Palace in Fertőd: the Hungarian Versailles, the country’s second largest and most decorative palace featuring Baroque splendour, Rococo luxury and a romantic French garden, where Joseph Haydn once composed his music.
On the next day the tour continued with sightseeing in Sopron and visit to the Memorial site of the 1989 Pan-European Picnic considered a significant event contributing to the lifting of the Iron Curtain and the reunification of Germany.
One of the organizers of the Picnic, László Nagy gave an eyewitness account of the events and presented Matthew Longo’s 2024 The Orwell Foundation Prize for Political Writing winner book: The Picnic – A Dream of Freedom and the Collapse of the Iron Curtain
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Amplifying Human Stories through Public Art
Artist and Fulbright Hungary alum Isaac Campbell (’18 Fortepan / Museum of Ethnography) uses wheat paste murals to advocate for Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained abroad.
In 2022, his mural in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood received world-wide media coverage for the Bring Our Families Home Campaign, a group of families advocating for the safe return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. The mural featured photographs of their loved ones, many of which were the last photographs taken of them before their captivity.
Wheat paste is not a permanent material. Time and the elements cause pieces of the murals to fade, rip, and deteriorate. This is intentional, to serve as a reminder that over time, these Americans, and their families, are deteriorating. The first mural was removed due to decay, but was refreshed on July 16, 2024. The family-led BOFH Campaign is supported by the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation that also serves as its fiscal sponsor.
“My Fulbright experience in Hungary laid the groundwork for this project. I am truly grateful for the Fulbright program – it changed the trajectory of my entire life. Without that experience, this mural would have never happened.”
As of now, 15 of the 19 people from the original mural have been released. #BringThemHome
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Building Study Abroad Programs in Hungary for Students and Faculty from Appalachia
The Commission organized the 5th U.S. Study Abroad Capacity Building tour for 10 representatives of 4 U.S. universities (Western Carolina University, East Tennessee State University, University of Louisville and University of Tennessee, Knoxville) from Appalachia between June 8-15, 2024
DAY 1
Lecture on History of Hungary
Lecture on American Hungarians in the Appalachia: Anna Fenyvesi (’24 West Virginia University)
City tour by bus
Visit to Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design: Anikó Illés (’19 Montclair State University)
DAY 2
Visiting the Heritage House – Hungarian Folk Culture and Folk Art: Péter Árendás, Professional Leader for Folk Music
Visit to Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music: Ágnes Lakatos (’23 Columbia College) and Gyula Fekete (’94 Northwestern University & ’04 Chicago College of Performing Arts), Vice Rector
Hungarian folk evening with the Sarjú Band and Historical Gypsy Music and Dinner
DAY 3
Visit to Eszterházy Károly Catholic University in Eger: Campus Tour, Archdiocese Library, Roma Residential College, University Winery, Innoregio Knowledge Center: Ilona Tari, Rector; Kálmán Váczy, Vice Rector; Györgyi Kovács Majorosné, Office for Int’l Relations Head
City walk, Observatory, Eger Castle, Egerszalók Salt Hill
DAY 4
Visit to University of Miskolc, Campus Tour: Péter Galbács (’18 University of Chicago)
Lecture on Social and Historical Overview of the Region: Virág Havasi and Attila Papp, Institute of Applied Social Sciences
Miskolctapolca, Cave Bath, Lillafüred
DAY 5
Visit to University of Debrecen: Elek Bartha, Vice Rector
UD Faculty of Humanities: Péter Csatár, Vice Dean and Gábor Biczó
UD Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Environmental Management and Economics: László Stündl, Dean; Péter Kőmíves and Troy Wiwczaroski
Mead making and tasting: Valter Pfliegler (’19 Harvard University), Faculty of Science and Technology
Hortobágy, Mátai Stud farm, Puszta Tour by horse carriage, Tiszaszőlős Falusi Patika Distillery
Read the blog post of a participant, Olivia Adinolfi, a student from East Tennessee State University.
Thirty five Hungarian Fulbrighters on their way to the US AY 2024-25
Fulbright Hungary held its annual Pre-Departure Orientation and farewell cruise for 35 Hungarian Fulbrighters selected for grants during Academic Year 2024-25.
The Commission said goodbye to US scholars and students the same day, May 10, 2024, during the cruise.
The class of 2024-25 has 35 members and includes 2 Humphrey Fellows on the way to Arizona State University and Penn State / 16 students from all types of fields / 1 Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) / 15 scholars (4 lecturers and 11 researchers) and 1 Fulbright Schuman Program grantee.
A large proportion of these grantees came from the University of Szeged, Eötvös Loránd University and Budapest University of Technolgy and Economics. All in all, 19 different public institutions, universities, private firms and research organizations are represented including the Hungarian Defense Forces, and each person comes from a different academic field.
The students and scholars are headed to the following public and private universities in the US: Bard / UC Berkeley / Texas A&M U / NYU / UCLA / U of Minnesota / U of Hawaii / Michigan State U / Virginia Polytechnic Inst / Yale / U of Rhode Island / U of Wisconsin / California State Polytechnic U / U of Texas / UCSB / Adelphi U / U of Alaska / IU Bloomington / Columbia / Metropolitan State U of Denver / U of Maryland / U of Utah / West Virginia U / U of Arizona / Arizona State U / Alliant Int U / U of Denver / U of Pittsburgh / U of Virginia / Oregon State U / U of North Texas / BYU.
Pre-Departure Orientation program
- Opening remarks by PAO Jonas D. Stewart, U.S. Embassy
- Cultural adaptation- How to prepare? Tips and tricks by Nóra Petneházy (’22)
- Visa Application by Nathan J. Shuler, Consular Officer, U.S. Embassy
- Practical Issues for Fulbright Grantees on Travelling to the U.S. by Fulbright staff
- Cultural and Educational Differences between the U.S. and Hungary by Patrick Leech (’23) and Sabrina Pasztor (’23)
- Experiences and Practical Advice of 8 Former Fulbright Grantees
A separate mini-orientation was held on May 30 for 5 grantees who could not attend the regular orientation.
Congratulations and we look forward to hearing about the great things they will do during their grant years.
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Fulbright European Staff Meeting in Sofia 2024
The Bulgarian Fulbright Commission hosted a meeting between March 13-15, 2024 for Program Officers from all over Europe, representing 23 different countries, to foster the exchange of best practices and a foundation for continuing collaboration, networking and knowledge-sharing. During the sessions led by staff members across the continent, participants heard about well-honed strategies for success and shared about any common challenges, experiences and insights they face together.
Thank you Fulbright Bulgaria for hosting and welcoming our staff members!
International Education Week 2023
Nov 13 AC Pécs
INSPIRÁLÓ BESZÉLGETÉSEK — inspiráló magyar fiatalokkal: Pördi Patrik ’22
Nov 13 AC Szeged
My Fulbright Experience with Anita Kéri ’22 – Instagram LIVE
Nov 13 AC Veszprém
Instagram Live: FLEX ösztöndíjjal Amerikában
Nov 13 ELTE Bárczi
Fulbright scholarship opportunities and how EducationUSA can help by Brittney Klein ’23
Nov 14 EdUSA HU
College Sports in the USA
Nov 15 AC Debrecen
Studying in Texas – Presentation by FLEX alum Yermek Azbergenov
Nov 15 EdUSA HU
Tanulj Amerikában 4 évre szóló ösztöndíjjal: Sewanee
Nov 15 AC Veszprém
Instagram LIVE: My Fulbright Experience by Emmy Todd ’23
Nov 16 AC Debrecen
Personal Essay and CV Writing Workshop with Grant Currier ’23
Nov 16 EdUSA HU
The Great State of Texas by Patrick Leech ’23
Nov 16 BME FIEK
Fulbright scholarship opportunities and writing workshop by Brittney Klein ’23
Nov 17 AC Debrecen
Insta Live with Eszter Varga, Hungary’s first female aerospace engineer
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John von Neumann 120 Conference
The John von Neumann 120 Conference at NYU Langone Health was co-organized by Consulate General of Hungary in New York with contribution of 10 alumni of the Fulbright Program to celebrate the scientific legacy of John von Neumann, the greatest integrator of pure and applied sciences.
Can we survive Technology? Among the panel members: Katalin Fehér (’21 Drexel University) and Bence Ságvári (’14 Indiana University)
The Fulbright John von Neumann Distinguished Award in STEM by former Chairs The Ohio State University Prof. Robert Baker ’22 & Viktor Chikan (’22 ELI ALPS Laser Research Institute) and ED Károly Jókay
AI in Healthcare – Are We Going to Live Forever? Among the panel members: Imre Varjú (’16 Boston Children’s Hospital) and Dr. Peták István (’97 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)
Student perspectives – Among the panel members: Orsolya Mózner (’23 Columbia University) and Zsuzsanna Gedeon (’14 New York University)
Special thanks to Viola Kántor (’23 The Graduate Center, CUNY) and NYU Grossman School of Medicine Andrea Hines (’99 Karinthy Frigyes High School) for the organization.
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