News Archives

Three Fulbright alumni have been awarded the prestigious Prima Award in 2015: Gyula Kodolányi ('84 University of California, Santa Barbara) received the Prima Primissima award and Imre Oravecz ('85 University of California, Santa Barbara) received the Prima Award both in the Hungarian literature category.

Gábor Stépán ('94 California Institute of Technology) has been awarded the Prima Award in the Hungarian science category. The Award was created by businessman Sándor Demján and financed by OTP Bank since 2013.

New book on ‪Fulbright‬ grant experiences of Monica Housen ('11 Dual Language High School, Balatonalmádi), Christine Tapu ('11 Teleki Blanka High School, Székesfehérvár) and Sherry Marx ('11 Eötvös Loránd University)

What makes a person pack up and move to another country? What does she or he hope to gain from the experience? How do children fit into the picture? Our International Education presents the stories of three American women, a university professor, a high school math teacher, and a high school English as a second language teacher, who move to Hungary for a year to teach. Each woman brings her young children and enrolls them in local Hungarian public schools though none of them speak Hungarian at the beginning of the experience.

The weekend of Nov. 27-28, Roma English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) Susanne Liaw ('15 University of Debrecen & AC Debrecen) and Rachel McVey ('15 Jesuit Roma Residential College / Romaversitas Foundation) visited Uszka, a small village located in eastern Hungary along the Ukrainian border at the invitation of István Sértő-Radics ('01 University of Mississippi & '91 Johns Hopkins University), mayor of Uszka. The town has a population of 400, and is notable for its large population (80%) of Roma residents who live in harmonious integration with non-Roma Hungarians. Zsuzsanna Lakatos, a graduate student in the North American Department at the University of Debrecen, where Susanne Liaw teaches, accompanied the ETAs to serve as a translator.

There, the trio immersed themselves in the local culture by interviewing residents, such as a young father of two who was teaching himself English and web design. One of the village councilwomen prepared traditional foods for the ETAs, such as vakaró, a Roma-style flat bread. The ETAs also attended a church service and observed the central role religion played in the life of the community, and toured some of the new facilities built under an economic development project that has been going on for the past two years. The weekend provided valuable insight into the struggle and progress of the Roma population in overcoming social and economic barriers.

For the 4th consecutive year U.S. Fulbright scholars have been visiting the Talent Development Program Community Houses of the Csányi Foundation nationwide.

On November 6, 2015 Ellen Litwicki ('15 University of Szeged) visited the Community House of Szeged and spoke about Halloween & Day of the Dead with the students.

On February 6, 2016 Robert Mevissen ('15 Eötvös Loránd University) visited the Community House of Pécs and spoke about his PhD research: Natural Identities in the Habsburg Monarchy: State, Society and the Danube with the students.

On February 19-20, 2016 Susanne Liaw ('15 University of Debrecen & AC Debrecen) visited the Community Houses of Kaposvár & Nagybajom and spoke about the cultural aspects of her Los Angeles hometown, its celebrity and car culture, but also about her work as an urban educator working with underprivileged youth.

College banners and American flags, plenty of handshakes and smiles, great alumni involvement: these are just a few snapshots from International Education Week in Budapest, Hungary. Though we are exhausted from all of the fun and hard work that went into making IEW 2015 happen, we are still inspired by the excitement of having so many impressive participants.

One of the many highlights of the week was the annual US Study Abroad and College Fair held on Tuesday, November 17th. We had almost one hundred visitors to meet and mingle with former students, scholars, and college representatives from both private and private universities across the United States. With the power of social media and the aid of the US Embassy, we were able to attract visitors from all over Hungary! There were students who had traveled more than three hours to our offices to discuss campus life and the possibilities of admission with representatives from both big name and lesser known universities.

We are thankful to the many former and current Fulbright grantees—both to America and to Hungary—who volunteered their time. Their energy and enthusiasm for their universities did not go unnoticed; they had captive audiences all evening. The success of the week-long outreach programs illustrates that the Fulbright EducationUSA Advising Center is truly helping Hungarian students discover which American college or university is right for them—and that we represent universities from coast to coast!

The worldwide leader in One-to-One MBA events is coming to Budapest on November 21, 2015.

Now the world’s top business schools are within your reach!

Date: November 21^st

Time: From 9:30 to 15:30 (upon invitation)

Place: Novotel Budapest Centrum

Each participant will have the chance to benefit from:

• One-to-One* and small group meetings with MBA Admissions Directors
• Thematic panel discussions featuring B-schools and Alumni
• Individual consulting sessions and GMAT test preparation
• Many scholarship opportunities

By registering for the One-to-One MBA event, your profile will be carefully matched and selected for individual meetings with the business schools that correspond to your expectations.

*Individual 20 minute long meetings to discuss your MBA project

Get ahead with an MBA !

Among the prestigious business schools participating in the Access MBA Tour: Bentley University Graduate School of Business, CEU Business School, Copenhagen Business School, ESSEC, Esade, European School of Management and Technology, IE, IESE, MIP Politecnico di Milano, SDA Bocconi, University of St. Gallen MBA-HSG, Vienna University of Economics and Business WU Executive Academy           

Places are limited for One-to-One meetings and early registration is recommended. To receive your free invitation.

REGISTER TODAY

The University of Szeged and Fulbright Hungary signed a joint grant agreement in Szeged on Tuesday, November 10, 2015. Rector Gábor Szabó and Fulbright Director Károly Jókay made brief remarks in a ceremony officiated by Fulbright Alumna Prof. Dr. Katalin Nagy ('02 Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center). The University agreed to support one US scholar per year by sharing in the cost of housing, local and airport transporation, as well as providing office space for visiting US scholars. Prof. Nagy shared her experiences, while Rector Szabó recalled his own times in the US as life-changing.

The City of Szeged and the University are hosts to an EU-funded laser research infrastructure (ELI-ALPS: Extreme Light Infrastructure - Attosecond Light Pulse Source) scheduled to be on-line in late 2017 or 2018. Director Jókay noted the laser facility could be an excellent host for a US scholar in AY 2017-18, and Rector Szabó and Fulbright Hungary will make every effort to recruit representatives of all fields for a Fulbright at the University of Szeged.

For more information (in Hungarian) see here: www.u-szeged.hu and szeged.hu

Photos of the event courtesy of the University of Szeged.

Central European Film Days featuring Hungarian and Polish films (with subtitles in English) at Cleveland State University organized by Dénes Mátyás ('15 ‪CSU).

Where : Budapest, Novotel Budapest Centrum, Rákóczi út 43-45
When : November21^st, 12:30 -17:45

Each year the Access Masters Tour gives thousands of prospective students the unique chance to meet Admissions Directors of prestigious Masters programmes from around the world.

 A Master degree can offer young professionals many opportunities for personal, academic, and career development. The professional skills gained at an international business school are extremely valuable to potential employers and the experience of studying abroad can be life-changing. Therefore, selecting the right Masters programme is of utmost importance!

Access Masters Event participants will have the chance to benefit from:

• Many leading international business schools in one place
• Individual meetings and workshops with Admissions Directors
• Advising sessions with Masters consultants to discuss your Masters project
• Open fair sessions and interactive Masters conferences
• Specialised Masters programmes in Business & Strategy, Management & Organisation, Finance & Accounting, Marketing & Communication, and others.
• Many scholarship possibilities

Places are limited and early registration is recommended. To receive your free invitation,

REGISTER  TODAY.

 News, helpful articles, tips, videos, Q&A, ask questions in the Forum and in the Blog. Find all the answers about your MBA and Master's application process for FREE at www.prepadviser.com

Ed Loo, as well as new Fulbright Board members Eric Watnik, the new Public Affairs Officer, and Chris Machin, the new Cultural Affairs Officer, introduced themselves and welcomed the US grantees, both students and lecturer/researchers.

New Fulbright Hungary parters such as the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Renyi Instutite of Mathmatics, along with Szent István University (Gödöllő) were also in attendance.

Thank you to the Embassy for this nice event.

Pál Rutkai, Fulbright-Hungary Initiatives Foundation student grantee at New York School of Interior Design (AY 2014-15) successfully graduated and received The Chairman's Award to recognize his outstanding creative achievements in the Master of Professional Studies in Healthcare Interior Design Program.

Mr. Rutkai will return to Zoboki, Demeter & Associates Architects in order to share his newly acquired experience and knowledge.

The Alfred Renyi Institute of Mathematics (Hungarian Academy of Sciences) and the Fulbright Commission in Hungary agreed to establish joint grants to support both students and scholars as early as the 2016-17 academic year. In the past, quite a few US mathematics graduate students have done research and audited courses at the Budapest Semesters in Mathematics, a third party to this agreement. US students and faculty researchers will be jointly supported by Renyi and Fulbright to spend their grant periods at Renyi and BSM. We encourage you to apply by the August 3rd deadline for US faculty, and the October 13th deadline for US students. For more more information see www.renyi.hu or contact BSM at www.budapestsemesters.com.

András Jókúti, our LLM student at George Washington University Law School (AY 14-15) not only graduated with honors (a GPA of 3.89), but was also selected for the Thelma Weaver Memorial Award last week. This award is given to the "foreign LLM student who who contributed the most to the intellectual and professional life of the law school."

Mr. Jókúti earned his LLM in Intellectual Property Law. We look forward to welcoming him into our Fulbright Hungary community and we wish him all the best down the road.

On Friday, May 15th, 2015, after a long day of orientation for our 32 Hungarian Fulbright grantees for AY 2015, US Ambassador Colleen Bradley Bell addressed a boatload of Fulbrighters, family and friends.

Ambassador Bell helped us say goodbye to our 9 student and 4 scholar grantees from the States who will depart Hungary soon, and in the words of many, will be back many a time.

Our 32 Fulbright grantees leave for the US in August, some in January. They represent 18 students and 14 scholars, who will be hosted by some of the best international and regional universities in the States. We will miss them all and look foward to their return very soon.

Harmony Foundation, the U.S. Embassy in Budapest and the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission cordially invite you to the performance in Nádor Hall, Institute for Visually Impaired Children (Budapest, XIV., Ajtósi Dürer sor 39.) by Rita Hoffmann & Mária Flamich ('11 University of California, Berkeley) at 7.30 p.m. on​ May 5, 2015 to promote Equality to come true, like Gottfried Heinrich’s Dream.

European Day of Equal Opportunities is celebrated on May 5th according to the European Social Charter. Although it is a day especially dedicated to minorities including persons with disabilities in Europe, it is also the European day of Independent Living. As the idea of independent living was born in the City of Berkeley, we have thought to combine the day and the idea to highlight the supranational understanding of dignity of persons with disability.

Similar to the this January presentations, a conference was held on April 28, 2015 for the Returned Hungarian Fulbright Grantees AY 2013/2014. The purpose of the conference - attended by Jaye Chen, Executive Vice President, IIE New York and Daniel Kramer, Director, IIE Fulbright U.S. Student Program - is to give an opportunity to 10 returned Hungarian grantees to present on their Fulbright experience in the U.S.

In this conference the student grantees gave a 15-20 minutes presentation on their Fulbright project and research in Hungary. The presentations included a great variety of interesting topics. Please find the detailed program here.

New agreement signed between the University of Pécs and Fulbright Hungary on Friday, April 10 in Pécs. The agreement supports US ‎Fulbright‬ scholars who would like to teach or do research at Hungary's first university founded in 1367, Pécs, in 2016-17 and beyond. We look forward to receiving many applications over the next few years.

Pécs' Rector Prof. Dr. József Bódis greeted the visiting U.S. Fulbright grantees and highlighted the internationalization of the University through its very long and active affiliation with Fulbright. Pécs is one of the most active sending and receiving universities in Hungary and we intend to continue this into the future.

Roma in Contemporary Europe Symposium at Duke University by Angéla Kóczé ('12 Wake Forest University) on April 7-8, 2015. The Symposium on "Global Governance, Democracy and Equality: Roma/Gypsies in Contemporary Europe" gives a recognition and visibility for a newly emerging scholarly theme of the struggle of Roma as a racialized ethnic group, which has been under- researched and theorized in the academic context.

Iconic Places: Elsewhere - TOPOS 3 Conference at English and American Studies Institute, University of Pannonia featuring 4 Fulbright alumni: Ildikó Limpár ('02 Study of the US Institutes), Éva Federmayer ('07 University of Illinois), Tibor Glant ('00 George Washington University) and Károly Pintér ('03 Texas Christian University) on March 27-28, 2015

33rd György Ránki Hungarian Chair Conference: Transformations of Urban Social Fabric in East Central Europe, 1880 to present on March 28 -29, 2015 at Indiana University, Bloomington featuring Ambassador Réka Szemerkényi ('93 Johns Hopkins University), László Borhi ('12 Indiana University, Bloomington & '96 Dartmouth College), Erika Szívós ('95 Boston University), Lynn Hooker ('11 Hungarian Academy of Sciences & '95 Institute of Musicology), Robert Nemes ('94 Eötvös Loránd University) and Bence Ságvári ('14 Indiana University, Bloomington)

The Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission and Bard College Conservatory of Music are pleased to announce that they have signed an agreement to establish a jointly funded grant in Advanced Performance Studies for a student from Hungary starting in the Academic Year 2016-17. The agreement was presented in a ceremony held in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY on March 24 by Dr. Robert Martin, Director of Conservatory and Fulbright Executive Director Dr. Károly Jókay.

Hungarian music students who have completed the bachelors degree (by July, 2015) and are interested in joining the Advanced Performance Studies (APS) Program of the Bard College Conservatory of Music in September 2016 should apply to the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission for Educational Exchange by September 1, 2015. Those accepted for the Fulbright award and by the Bard Conservatory APS Program will receive two years of financial support, the first year from Fulbright and the second year from the Bard Conservatory.

TechTea: After Digitization: Using Digital Humanities to Explore Art History at MOME - Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest with Kelly Cannon ('14 Hungarian House of Photography - Mai Manó Ház) on March 26, 2015

Ambassador H.E. Réka Szemerkényi, Embassy of Hungary in Washington DC and Fulbright Hungary co-hosted a concert, presentation and reception by and for Fulbright alumni from the US and Hungary on Friday, March 20th in Washington, D.C. About 70 Fulbrighters, family and stakeholders attended. Ambassador Szemerkényi shared a few thoughts about her own experience as a Fulbrighter studying at Johns Hopkins, and Károly Jókay, Executive Director, announced several new grants available to US applicants interested in coming to Hungary during the 2016-17 academic year.

Shelby and Daniel Sender ('10 Liszt Academy of Music) played the piano and violin to get us in the mood. Scott Campbell ('07 University of Pannonia), Brittany Carlino-Marburger ('13 Veres Pálné Gimnázium), Jozsi Jalics ('13 Wigner Research Center for Physics) and Eric Lopez ('08 Central European University) gave powerful, personal and convincing testimonials about the impact of their time spent in Hungary, and the way in which their lives have been changed by their experiences there.

All attendees enjoyed a sumptuous feast prepared by the Embassy's chef and catering staff.

Thank you to the Ambassador and to Dávid Singer, First Secretary, Cultural Affairs for their support and organization, and to all Fulbrighters and stakeholders who joined us that evening. Kudos to Annamaria Sas for her work with past, present and future US grantees to Hungary.

Lisa Romain ('14 Liszt Academy of Music) performed at the Gala Concert of the 61th Annual Berlin Seminar for American Fulbright Grantees, March 15 – 19, 2015 organized by the German Fulbright Commission.

3 Fulbright alumni: Jason Wittenberg ('14 Central European University), Daniel Nyikos ('13 University of Szeged) and Megan Small ('14 National Széchényi Library) participated in the 8th America Week, March 23-26, 2015 at the University of Pannonia, Veszprém in the framework of Hungarian Days - Hungarian Diaspora in the West

The annual event dedicated to the study of American culture and the strengthening of US-Hungarian ties was initiated by Scott M. Campbell ('07 University of Pannonia) program director of the joint Pannonia-Nazareth American Studies master's program.

New Hungarian Ambassador to the U.S. Réka Szemerkényi ('93 Johns Hopkins University) presented her credentials to President Barack Obama.

U.S. Ambassador to Hungary Colleen Bradley Bell and Hungarian Ambassador-desginate and Fulbright Hungary alumna Réka Szemerkényi ('93 Johns Hopkins University) addressed a capacity crowd at ‪Amcham‬ Hungary's Business Forum. Ambassador Bell took a moment to pose with current ‪Fulbright‬ grantees Kai Schafft and David Pitt (both '14 Central European University), as well as with former AmCham Hungary president and Fulbright Board member William Benkő.

Géza Jeszenszky, a Fulbright Hungary alum who taught and did research at UC Santa Barbara in the mid-1980s, served as Hungary's Foreign Minister and as Ambassador to the United States and more recently to Norway, keynoted the 3rd Annual RETURN - U.S. Alumni in Hungary Conference held on January 31, 2015, in the grand hall of the Faculty of Law of Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest. The Return conference featured students, faculty and professionals who participated in US Embassy-sponsored exchange programs. Newly arrived Ambassador Colleen Bradley Bell greeted the audience on behalf of the United States.

Ambassador Jeszenszky's comments follow.

"Dear Fulbright Alumni,

Please accept my sincere apologies for my failure to address this RETURN – U.S. Alumni in Hungary Conference personally. Today I cannot be in Budapest, so I can great you only with this written message.

I am one of the early birds of the Hungarian Fulbright scholars; in 1984, 18 years after my graduation, when I was already a historian of some standing and an experienced teacher, I successfully applied for a grant to teach Central and Eastern European history at the Santa Barbara campus of the University of California. By that time I visited a few Western European countries and was able to do some historical research in the United Kingdom, but visiting the great adversary of the Soviet Bloc and teaching there, was simply incredible. Incredible even for close friends and relatives who asked me if I had joined the Communist Party, so that I received the permission to accept such a grant and to spend 10 months in the United States. But “the regime” (“a rendszer”) in Hungary in the mid-1980s was already in a crisis and gradually giving up its ramparts, it was indeed “the jolliest barrack in the communist bloc.” The twenty-seven months I spent at UCSB, teaching modern history, provided me with a lot of experience and tools which, upon my return to Hungary, I could use not only in teaching, but also in the political movements that led to the political earthquake in Hungary. A little later, when I was called upon to direct the foreign policy of my country, I found that quite a few “new” politicians from Central and Eastern Europe had also been Fulbright scholars. Foreigners visitors to the U.S. coming from non-democratic countries, exposed to the smooth working of the American political, economic and administrative system, were all upset by the contrast with their home country, and they were keen to introduce all what they found good in their own country. In that way the Fulbright Program contributed to the historic changes, to ending the Cold War and to the collapse of communism quite substantially. Many of those returned Fulbright alumni, having acquired language skills and gained experience in the operation of free societies, played a role in the intellectual ferment which preceded the changes emerged as political leaders and, following the free elections, became members of Parliament, came to serve in the new, non-Communist governments, in major diplomatic posts, in the civil service and in local government. It would be worth while collecting the names of all who rose to positions of prominence in the formerly communist-dominated countries who had been Fulbright scholars.

In the last thirty years hundreds, even thousands of Hungarians were beneficiaries of Fulbright grants. In all the countries involved in the Fulbright Program it contributed to great advances in the home country in politics, economics, science and scholarship. By taking home many results in science, by overcoming ignorance, intolerance, old prejudices; by opening the world for many people who can influence the thinking of new generations, by building friendships, the Fulbright Program made history.

We, who had the privilege to spend considerable time in the United States, learned not only much in our own special field; we came to know North America. The U.S. is not perfect, I am sure we had also some bad experiences there, but I’d be much surprised if we all had not become friends, and in many ways admirers of that country. Today the U.S. is no longer as popular as it had been during the Cold War behind the Iron Curtain. In Hungary, to my regret, there is much ignorance about the “American way of life,” and especially about the policies of the U.S. It is one thing to disagree with certain steps and conduct; that often happens between friends. It is quite another to spread false rumors and unfounded accusations about a country which – in my opinion – continues to be a force for good, and fighting evil systems and practices. I consider it as my duty to enlighten the Hungarian public, as much as I have opportunities, about the values and true intentions of the United States. I hope most of us also feel like that.

Realizing both the great potentials and the great dangers of our new, post Cold War era, we, the beneficiaries and advocates of the Fulbright programs, can give our share to ensure that the 21st century avoided the many dangers and pitfalls it is facing, and realized the great hopes that filled mankind at earlier ages.

I wish all of you a pleasant reunion and a very successful conference."

The 15th Educatio International Education Fair, January 22-24, 2015 is the biggest education professional exhibition in Central-Europe. Nearly 30,000 visitors: students and people intending to study, educators, educational institution directors and decision-makers visited the exhibition over 3 days. Fulbright EducationUSA staff promoted U.S. higher education among 100 other exhibitors.

Fulbright Hungary has broken the 10 year record for the number of US applicants: up 47% to 115 for Academic Year 2015/16 (versus a total of 78 for the current Academic Year)!

Most signfificantly, the number of applicants to our English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program more than tripled from 13 to 46 as a consequence of our Roma Student Initiative program. Overall US student applications were up 80%, while scholar applications increased by 8.3%. We look forward to completing the selection and nomination process very soon.

AMERICANA eBooks, a publishing label at the Department of American Studies, University of Szeged, has just released Miklós Radnóti's 'Eclogues and Other Poems', translated by the late Jack Roberts ('02 University of Szeged).

On December 4, Megan Small ('14 Budapest Music Center) and her husband, Daniel, went to Letkés on the northern border of Hungary with Bohócok a Láthatáron (Clowns on the Horizon). Founded by Yvette Feuer ('01 Sarah Lawrence College), Bohócok a Láthatáron is a non-profit group of Hungarian actor-clowns whose mission is to bring joy to and develop the culture and life of impoverished and marginalized communities all over Hungary. Megan and Dan assisted the clowns with their educational activities using movement, painting, coloring, music and dance. Megan also taught the children the American dance, the Bunny Hop.

Mr. Zsolt Németh, chairman of the Hungarian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee hosted a delegation of Hungarian and US Fulbrighters in the Committee's ornate conference room in the Hungarian Parliament, on Wednesday, December 10, 2014.

Five US grantees currently in Hungary presented their projects and shared impressions. They included students Megan Small ('14 National Széchényi Library, Budapest Music Center) and Jan Alexander Wessel ('13 Corvinus University of Budapest). Hanni Thoma, our English Teaching Assistant who works with Roma students at the Jesuit Roma College, the St. Ignatius College as well as Pazmany Peter Catholic University, described her work. Scholars Mary Durfee ('14 Corvinus University of Budapest) discussed her studies and lectures regarding water regulation, while John Cox ('14 University of Szeged) shared his impressions of students and colleagues in Szeged, and indicated he would be setting up new exchanges with his home institution, North Dakota State University, Fargo.

Four Hungarian alumni were also present, including breast cancer researcher Attila Marcell Szász ('13 University of Chicago), internet bullying researcher Katalin Parti ('13 Bridgewater State University), nuclear and chemical disarmament researcher Anna Péczeli ('13 Federation of American Scientists) who finished her dissertion on Fulbright grant at the Federation of Nuclear Scientists, as well as human computer interaction expert Tamás Csapó ('13 Indiana University, Bloomington).

Mr. Németh, impressed with the delegation, looks forward to meeting more Fulbrighters in the future.

La Frontera: Borderlands Multidisciplinary Symposium on December 4, 2014 at Eszterházy Károly College, Eger featuring Gabriel Meléndez ('14 Eszterházy College), Zoltán Abádi-Nagy ('87 University of Minnesota & Oklahoma), Kenneth Stevens ('14 University of Debrecen), Mary Durfee ('14 Corvinus University), Tamás Vraukó ('13 University of Texas-El Paso), Zoltán Peterecz ('14 Yale University).

See here the detailed program.

Building Community_2014: an exhibition at the Association of Hungarian Architects on a bio briquettes factory built in Monor. The project was financed by a 2013 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund grant to the Hungarian International Exchange Alumni Team coordinated by Katalin ​Fazekas ('12 Portland State University) and Miklós Oroszlány ('11 Auburn University).

The aim of the grant was to develop a self-sustaining program based on utilization of bio briquette in order to empower a Roma community and at the same time to strengthen the commitment of young designers toward public interest design.

The bio briquettes factory project was featured at the Think Global, Build Social! exhibition in Budapest on March 23, 2016.

Who is Afraid of Primaries? Chromatic-Achromatic Monochromia exhibition by Péter Paizs ('10 Hunter College, CUNY) at Fuga Budapest Center of Architecture.

On November 14, 2014 U.S. ‎Fulbright‬ grantees to Hungary visited the AIT-Budapest Aquincum Institute of Technology and met Gabor Bojar, founder of AIT and Graphisoft. The group also visited the world’s first statue of Steve Jobs and the Aquincum Museum of roman relics.

The public lecture of György Baffy ('14 University of Debrecen) President of Hungarian Medical Association of America on November 26, 2014 is organized by the Fulbright Alumni Szeged Chapter.

With the support of a Fulbright research award, Nick Rubashkin ('13 Semmelweis University) collaborated with Imre Szebik and many members of the Institute of Behavioral Sciences to adapt the American survey Listening to Mothers to the Hungarian context. The survey, called the "Mother-Centered Pregnancy Care" project, obtained 1250 responses. The survey explores women's satisfaction with different pregnancy care options in Hungary. This lecture will review the methodology and preliminary results, exploring informed consent; health care decision making; informal cash payments; overuse of care.

Date: December 10, 2014 8:30am
Place: The Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Library, 20th floor

The EducationUSA Advising Center will be hosting an Open House for students to familiarize themselves with U.S. higher education and provide a chance to speak with more than 20 alumni of various U.S. universities as well as other scholarship and work opportunities.

The 3rd Hungarian Film Festival of San Francisco by Hungarian Film in San Francisco at Central European California Cultural Institute is moderated by Steven Kovacs ('02 University of Theater and Film Arts) and Jason Wittenberg ('14 Central European University) on the November 14-16 and 21-22 weekends.

Kenneth Stevens ('14 Institute of English and American Studies at Debrecen University), professor of history at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas gave a talk at the American Corner Debrecen entitled Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States on October 22, 2014.

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences CSS Institute for Legal Studies will host a lecture on The U.S. Supreme Court and the Problem of School Segregation in the United States on November 13, 2014.

Crossing the World benefit concert by Lisa Romain ('14 Liszt Academy) at the Hungarian House in New York on November 6, 2014

King Felipe VI of Spain honored the Fulbright Program with the 2014 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation in recognition of the Program's educational and cultural exchange that has strengthened links and mutual understanding between the world's citizens. The King, who is the former Prince of Asturias, presented the award at a grand ceremony in Oviedo, Spain on October 24, 2014. Executive Director Károly Jókay attended the event.

The Commission organized a two-day visit to Eger and surroundings for U.S. Fulbright grantees on October 10-11, 2014. Half of the group participated in a workshop on Internationalization of Higher Education at Eszterházy Károly College. The final event of the day was a wine tasting at Sike Winery in the Valley of the Beautiful Women. The next day the group visited the 18th century De la Motte Mansion in Noszvaj, the former forced labor camp at Recsk, now National Memorial Park and an 11th century church at Feldebrő.

The Commission sponsored a reception at the closing ceremony of the "From Kamenetsk Podolsk to Auschwitz" international scientific conference commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Hungarian Holocaust. Several U.S. and Hungarian Fulbrighters were among the speakers of the conference organized by the John Wesley Theological College (Budapest), Nazareth College (Rochester, New York) with the support of the Budapest University of Jewish Studies.

Fulbright Specialist Steven Fischer, currently posted at the Institute of English and American Studies, University of Debrecen, screened his documentary "Freedom Dance" at Central European University on October 13th. The screening was co-sponsored by CEU's Center for Arts and Culture (CAC). CAC Director Lilla Földy was a most welcoming host.

Steven Fischer is a two-time Emmy® nominated writer/producer and digital cinematographer of fiction, non-fiction, and animated stories. His credits include the films Freedom Dance (2007) featuring Mariska Hargitay and Old School New School (2010) with Brian Cox. In 2010, The Daily Record included Fischer on their list of 60 Influential Marylanders. His films have received numerous awards including: Two Emmy Award nominations, CINE Masters Series Award, 7 Telly Awards, 2 CINE Golden Eagle Awards, and 2 Gold Remi Awards. Fischer is a Fulbright recipient in Hungary, and sought internationally to speak on creativity.

Freedom Dance (animated documentary, 29 mins, 2007) documents four months in the lives of artist Edward Hilbert and his wife, Judy, as refugees defiantly leaving Communist Hungary during the violent 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Along the way, Edward kept a journal in cartoon form detailing a trip defined by adventure. This animated documentary attempts to re-tell the Hilberts' eventful escape by inter-cutting original character-driven animation with recorded interviews and photographs.

Discussion followed with Steven Fischer director, Fulbright Alum ('06 New York University) Csaba Békés historian (Hungarian Academy of Science, Corvinus University of Budapest), and Brigitta Iványi-Bitter art historian (MOME Animation) moderated by Károly Jókay (Executive Director of the US-Hungary Fulbright Commission).

Balázs Mikusi ('02 Cornell University and current host of Megan Small '14) discovers original Mozart manuscript of the Piano Sonata in A, K.331 (Rondo alla Turca) at National Széchényi Library, Budapest.

Congratulations to Ágnes Fülemile ('92 UC Berkeley; '98 Rutgers) for receiving the Order of Merit of Hungary, Officer's Cross on the occasion of the Hungarian national day.

For a 3rd consecutive year U.S. Fulbright scholars have been visiting the Talent Development Program Community Houses of the Csányi Foundation nationwide.

On September 20, 2014 Megan Small ('14 National Széchényi Library; Budapest Music Center) visited the Community House of Jászberény and presented on her research on Frigyes Hidas.

On October 17, 2014 John Cox ('14 University of Szeged) visited the Community House of Szeged and presented on how knowledge accumulates throughout history.

On November 15, 2014 Lisa Romain ('14 Liszt Academy of Music) visited the Community House of Pécs and presented on her violin studies.

On February 21, 2015 Katie Shuford ('14 Kodály Zoltán Pedagogical Institute of Music) visited the Community House of Nagybajom and presented on her musical studies.

On April 13, 2015 Annyce & Kai Schafft ('14 Central European University, Institute for Advanced Study) visited the Community House of Jászberény to judge an English competition there.

The conference this Saturday is organized by the Institute of English and American Studies, University of Debrecen. Among the presenters are Tibor Glant ('00 George Washington University), István Vida ('03 University of Maryland) and Tibor Frank ('87 University of California, Santa Barbara; UCLA; University of Nevada-Reno)

Rita Gárdosi ('14 Cleveland State University) is the first ‎Fulbright‬-CSU-United Hungarian Societies joint grantee. A welcome reception in honor of Dr. Rita Gárdosi was held on September 5. Cleveland State University, the Department of Modern Languages, and the United Hungarian Societies invited guests in order to introduce the visiting Fulbright instructor of Hungarian Language and Culture for the 2014-2015 academic year.

Book launch this Thursday: History of the U.S. Foreign Policy by Amb. Tamás Magyarics ('01 University of Texas, Austin & '08 CSIS) talks with Réka Szemerkényi ('93 Johns Hopkins University) Tibor Frank ('87 University of California, Santa Barbara; UCLA; University of Nevada-Reno)

After the opening session of Fulbright's orientation for the AY 2014-15 US grantees to Hungary, ED Károly Jókay and the rector of the Jesuit Roma College István Antal signed a cooperation agreement.

For the second academic year running, the Roma Residential College will host an American Fulbright student, who teaches CV skills, interviewing, English and American culture.

Starting in AY 2015-16, there will be two English teachers working with two of the Christian Roma residential colleges in Hungary. Fulbright Hungary has been awarded extra funding by the US State Department to kick off the Roma Student Initiative in AY 2015. For more details, see below.

Fulbright Hungary’s Roma Student Initiative

The Roma Student Initiative is designed to help meet the higher education goals, and strengthen leadership, of the Roma student population in Hungary, who are disadvantaged due to their poor economic situation and have suffered discrimination over the years. The goal of the Roma Student Initiative is to work with Roma students who have already gained admission to one of Hungary’s colleges or universities and are prospective Roma Residential College residents that were set up in order to support first generation students, often from underprivileged families.

A very small percentage of Hungary’s Roma youth population complete their high school studies, and only a few hundred are enrolled in a higher education institution. The Hungarian Government’s Roma Integration Program, as well as private efforts supported by the Roma Education Fund, Romaversitas, and other private initiatives will serve as our partners in identifying qualified candidates.

During the past year, one Fulbright English Teaching Assistant was assigned to pilot the Roma Student Initiative at the Jesuit Roma Residential College in Budapest, Hungary. His goal was to

• Conduct outreach to high school students in general, in areas with significant Roma presence

• Conduct advanced English classes for groups of 5 students at the Jesuit Roma Residential College with similar numbers at the other 4 Residential Colleges

• Establish an “English club” for cultural immersion activities that reach out to a broader and younger audience.

In collaboration with EducationUSA, provide educational advising to those students who seem skillful candidates for U.S. study programs, including, but not limited to, grant-writing, interview skills, researching educational institutions etc. Up to 10 Roma students per year could be fit to apply for graduate and undergraduate admissions and take standardized tests. The peer group involved would be an approximate number of 40-50 students in Budapest and three other regional centers that are served by American Corners and Roma residential halls.

Fulbright Hungary held its orientation week for 17 US scholars and students during the week of September 1, 2014. Our new scholars and students were briefed on the practicalities of living in Hungary, and were treated to a panel discussion on current Hungarian politics chaired by ED Károly Jókay, with two guest speakers, Péter Krekó of the consulting firm Political Capital and Ákos Balogh, editor of the on-line political portal, Mandiner. Former Finance Minister Csaba Laszló, currently senior partner with KPMG, led a discussion on economic issues.

Our scholars and students also got a taste of dining along the Danube, and visited Szentendre, an artists' colony, as well as the medieval and renaissance fortress of Visegrád.

The George Pólya Prize in mathematics, awarded by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics in evenly numbered years, is named after Hungarian mathematician George Pólya.

The Fulbright Commission, Hungary, and the University of Debrecen signed a memorandum of understanding on cost sharing on July 4, 2014, to establish a joint lecturing grant for US scholars starting in AY 2014-15. The agreement was presented at a graduation ceremony held for the Faculty of Medicine, by Dr. András Nábrádi, Vice-Rector, and Dr. Károly Jókay, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission.

Balázs Vedres ('00 Columbia University & '14 Northwestern University) participated in the Northside Trade Show, New York City at the Budapest Urban Zoo booth as co-founder of GraviTalent startup team.

Michele G. Shedlin, Fulbright '12 fellow from New York University, College of Nursing has held a course "Suffering and Comfort in Narrative Medicine" at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Szeged. She has actively participated in curriculum development as well. Her lectures are internationally well-known and scientifically recognized.
The honorary professor appointment expresses the gratitude and appreciation of Professor Michele G. Shedlin for showing commitment and dedication toward the Faculty of Dentistry.

On June 3, 2014 Mr. Kolos Gálffy, Head of Department for International Relations in Education from the Ministry of Human Resources and Fulbright Board member met American Fulbright exchange teachers Alaina Kinney and Brittany Carlino Marburger as well as their Hungarian mentor teachers, Nóra D. Nagyné Kecskeméti and Gabriella Kiss to discuss the American teachers' experiences of teaching in Hungary. The exchange teachers talked about how important this year has been for their personal and professional development, and how they plan to continue collaboration between their American school and their Hungarian host school. Through their own enriching experience of living and teaching abroad, they wish to expand their students' world view in the future to help them become knowledgeable, global citizens. Mr. Gálffy expressed his appreciation for the excellent job the Fulbright exchange teachers did all through the past school year in Hungary. He hopes that exchanges of US and Hungarian educators at the high school level will continue even if in a different format in the future too.

The Fulbright Commission, Hungary, and the University of Pannonia (formerly know as University of Veszprém) signed a memorandum of understanding on June 20, 2014, to establish a joint lecturing grant for US scholars starting in AY 2015-16. The agreement was presented at a graduation ceremony held for the Faculty of Information Science, by Prof. Dr. Ferenc Friedler, the University's Rector, and Dr. Károly Jókay, Executive Director of the Fulbright Commission.

US scholars in all fields taught by the University of Pannonia are encouraged to apply by the August 1, 2014 deadline. Information Science, a particularly strong specialty at Pannonia, is one of the priority fields being sought during the three year duration of this agreement through the 2017-18 academic year.

On June 20th, The Hungarian American Fulbright Commission sponsored the first meeting of the Hungarian Archaeological Research Circle (HARC). The meeting brought together an international group of renowned researchers - among them 3 Fulbrighters: Roderick Salisbury ('07 Mihály Munkácsy Museum), Danielle Riebe ('13 Hungarian National Museum) and Györgyi Parditka ('14 University of Michigan) - dedicated to advancing the field of archaeology and developing methods for ensuring regional comparability in Hungary: BAKOTA: The Bronze Age Körös Off-Tell Archaeology Project

Andrew Gatti ('13 Jesuit Roma College & EducationUSA Hungary ETA) and his students just published Cook Roma Style! Please contact us or the Roma College for a hard copy!

The following is a translation of an article in Hungarian from the website of the Jesuit Roma Residential College:

The Jesuit Roma College (JRC) was cordially invited to a Fulbright Cultural Evening on May 24th, 2014 held at the Brody House. JRC was the host institution of Mr. Andrew Gatti, an American Fulbrighter, and teacher of the advanced English class at the College.

For our end-term project we decided to create a cookbook together. Though, this cookbook is not like any other. It is special because it contains traditional Hungarian-Roma recipes, titled Cook Roma Style.

As the end product of our joint efforts, the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission along with the Jesuit Roma College published our work through 600 copies. Its purpose is to present traditional gypsy specialties to the general public, especially foreigners. The contents are in English. First, we collected the recipes in Hungarian then we translated them into English together. Students who contributed to the work were Krisztina Balogh, Alexandra Bangó, Réka Szénási, Ágnes Zubor, and Kitti Zsigmond.

We would like to thank the Fulbright Commission for making this project possible.

We may read the following in the Introduction of the book:

“We are six university students from Hungary who are not just Hungarian, but Roma people as well. We were thinking about how we could introduce our Roma culture in different settlements and countries. We all come from different places but we all have the same goal, besides graduating, to put an end to hatred, which has been formed because of stereotypes. We want to show and also prove to others who we actually are.

As a first step, we believe that this cookbook is a way to achieve our goal. We have learned from our parents and grandparents that we could influence men through their stomach and also that the biggest decisions in life were made at a great lunch or next to a fantastic dinner. Both lessons, revolve around cooking.

The Roma or gypsies’ situation is a serious problem nowadays in Hungary. Many people don’t know our culture or where we come from, not to mention the fact that we are actually colorful characters. According to history, Roma people come from India. The Roma culture is rich with its own language, music, traditions, and of course, cuisine. As students of the Jesuit Roma Szakkollégium (dormitory), we have been provided an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and our culture. We are surrounded in a community that fosters a healthy self-image and helps form out the ‘double identity’ that many Hungarian-Roma students deal with here.

We would like to thank Andrew Gatti for the possibility to establish and edit this cookbook. We have tried to convey all of the practices and skills that we have learned from our relatives and also from that specific prowess, which is the Roma people’s possession. Enjoy cooking, eating, and discovering the Roma culture. Jó étvágyat!”

To view the booklet, see issuu.com/fulbrighthungary/docs/cook_roma_style

To download the booklet, see www.fulbright.hu/doc/Cook_Roma_Style.pdf

The Fulbright Program for educational and cultural exchange has been bestowed with the 2014 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.

Dr. Károly Jókay, the executive director of the Hungarian Fulbright Commission and Mr. Péter Antall, the director of Antall József Knowledge Centre of Political and Social Sciences signed a cooperation agreement on starting the Fulbright- Antall József Fellowship program for U.S. students.

The Fulbright-Antall Jozsef Fellowship is available to US students interested in Economics, International Relations, Security Policy and other social sciences. Mr. Jan Alexander Wessel, Fulbright student in Hungary AY 2013-14 has been selected as the first Antall Fellow for the Fall Semester, 2014. The Fellow will be based at the Antall Jozsef Knowledge Centre's office at Corvinus University, and will take part in organizing conferences, publications and other activities. US students are encouraged to apply for this fellowship for AY 2015-16 by the October 15, 2014 deadline.

Dániel Szabó ('03 New England Conservatory) - Péter Erskine - Edwin Livingston Trio Jazz Workshop at the MÜPA Palace of Arts, Budapest on June 24.

25 Fulbright alumni will give a talk at the 10th Biannual Conference of the Hungarian Association for American Studies (HAAS) organized by the Institute of English and American Studies, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, May 30-31, 2014.

The 4th annual George Gerbner Conference on Communication, Conflict and Aggression is co-organized by Rebecca Chory ('08 Budapest College of Communication, Business and Arts) from West Virginia University and Jolán Róka ('96 Texas A&M University) vice rector.

Spring Piano Concert by Tünde Krasznai ('13 UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music) at the Embassy of Hungary in Washington DC on May 22, 2014.

The Commission organized a trip to Eszterházy Károly College in Eger for US grantees. The group also visited the famous fortress of Eger.

Holocaust Remembrance Day: There Was Once...-special guest Gabor Kalman ('93 Academy of Theater and Film Arts, Budapest) on April 23 in New York and May 28 in Debrecen.

What does the Fulbright Program mean to you?

The event was originally launched in 2008 at the initiative of then guest Fulbright professor Dr. Scott Campbell from Nazareth College, Rochester, NY. America Week has since become an annual tradition in Veszprem and 2014 will already bring us the 7th America Week.

Diving Normal a film co-written by Ashlin Halfnight ('05 National Theater, Budapest) won the 2014 Audience Choice Award for Best Feature at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

David Degge's ('13 Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music) free solo concert at the Kupolaterem of Liszt Academy this Sunday!

Fulbright Specialist Jon Van Til's ('10 ELTE) inaugural lecture, University of Jewish Studies, Budapest

The meeting was convened by Dr. Zoltan Haberman, who welcomed the attenders and introduced Prof. Van Til. Van Til presented a lecture, the notes for which are attached to this memo. The presence of Judith Komoly, Vice-Rector of the University of Jewish Studies, was warmly acknowledged. In the lecture, Van Til indicated the importance in developing, in Hungary and elsewhere,
1) Emerging Philanthropy;
2) A truly Independent Third Sector; and
3) A civil culture within civil society organizations.

A lively and productive workshop followed the lecture, attended by ten participants from the earlier session. Fulbright Scholar Prof. Elemer Boreczky recalled the use of public arts in Philadelphia to advance the cause of intergroup understanding and diversity. Prof. Gabor Hegyesi noted the invitation in the lecture to discuss the development of a research and applied educational focus at the Jewish University that might advance the goals described in the lecture. Dr. Haberman mentioned the emergence of the group “Memento70”, aiming to raise philanthropic resources required by the Jewish community's refusal to accept public funding, in light of its opposition to the proposed monument to the German occupation of Hungary in 1944.

Discussion then focused on modes of public research that might bring light to the significance of this emerging movement within the Hungarian Jewish and other communities in opposition to the construction of the monument. Since this case is receiving world-wide attention, development of an academic case study would appear as a priority.

The possible convening of a quickly-organized “quasi-flash” conference was also discussed, and this idea will be presented by members of our group to the Tranzit organization.

Contributions to the workshop were also received from returned Fulbright Scholars such as Prof. Ágnes Kövér ('98 New York University), Prof. Ágnes Boreczky ('00 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), and Krisztina Tury ('12 Maxwell School of Syracuse University), economist Dr. Eva Kuti, journalist and author Gergely Nagy, and ELTE student Denes Domjan.

Dr. Haberman and Prof. Van Til were asked by the group to confer following the session and to convene, if possible, a follow-up meeting where these matters of enhancing philanthropy and civil society might be further discussed and effectively advanced.

The Showcase Concert on May 10, 2014 at Rajkó-Talentum Dance and Music School is organized by Micah Huang ('13 Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music). This FREE concert aims to showcase this wonderful school and to cultivate friendship between the Hungarian Roma and International Communities.

The Commission organized a visit for U.S. Fulbright grantees to Prezi Budapest Headquarters guided by Drew Banks, Head of International. Prezi recently joined President Obama's ConnectED Tech Initiative for U.S. classrooms committing $100 million in Edu Pro licenses to hundreds of thousands of high schools and educators

Solo debut album of Charity Sunshine Tillemann Dick ('07 Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music) American Grace is available for pre-sale.

The Fulbright Alumni Association organized a visit to the Hungarian President's Office at Sándor Palace for U.S. grantees on April 10, 2014.

Please find the detailed program here.

Guest speaker next Tuesday at American Corner Debrecen: Esther T. Thyssen ('06 University of Debrecen)

The Commission organized a 2-day trip to the University of West Hungary, Győr and Mosonmagyaróvár campuses for US grantees. The group also visited the first Lipóti Bakery in Lipót and the Futura Interactive Science Adventure Centre

The Hungarian Cultural Association and Department of Central Eurasian Studies of Indiana University hosted an inaugural & interdisciplinary conference on topics related to Hungary on April 5-6, 2014. Economist and Visiting Fulbright Professor István Benczes ('13 Indiana University, Bloomington) delivered the keynote address: From goulash communism to goulash populism: Path-dependence in Hungarian economic transformation.

The Contemporary Hungary: Cultural and Linguistic Issues session was chaired by László Borhi ('12 Indiana University, Bloomington). Katalin Parti ('13 Bridgewater State University) talked on Stories of My Grandfather: Historical Milestones of Life in Hungary during the 20th Century while Tamás Csapó ('13 Indiana University, Bloomington) on Comparison of tongue contour extraction methods from ultrasound images for use in text-to-speech synthesis. The Hungarian Legacies and Hungarian Identity session was chaired by Lynn Hooker ('95 & '11 Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Musicology).

The conference complemented the Russian and East European Institute’s Roundtable on Post-Communism: Cyberlink in the Post Communist Era: The International Politics of the Internet, Cyberspace, and Cybersecurity. Anna Péczeli ('13 Federation of American Scientists) gave a talk entitled The Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone and Other Regional Treaties and Models for the Middle East.

The following is a translation of an article in Hungarian from the website of the Jesuit Roma Residential College: America, A dream for many

On the 20th of March, as tradition has it, at the Jesuit Roma College the customary Thursday night community dinner took place with a special presentation from representatives of the Hungarian American Fulbright Commission.

We had a chance to familiarize ourselves with the Fulbright program through the joint presentation of Agnes Raboczki, Fulbright EducationUSA Adviser, and Andrew Gatti, Fulbright ETA (whom many of our students may recognize as one of the college’s English language instructors). Using a Prezi presentation, Agnes explained the brief history of the Fulbright program, the importance of bringing together Hungarian and American cultural relations, and the main conditions of the scholarship.

Hungary joined the Fulbright Program in 1978 and established the Fulbright Commission in Hungary in the year 1992. As students, we were presented with an incredible opportunity to study at any higher education institution of our desire. Undoubtedly, this can only be achieved with excellent grades, English language knowledge (i.e. a sufficient TOEFL exam score), a Bachelor’s degree at minimum, and the submission of the Fulbright application form. The latter is followed by the institutional TOEFL language test (if the applicant does not already have a TOEFL score) and an interview which will take place in June-July. The application process takes a time period of approximately one year. Sounds complicated, right? We felt a little intimidated as well, but it turns out that the Fulbright application process is easily understandable and through hard work and perseverance we may become one of the Fulbright program’s student grantees. Therefore, it is exceptionally important that we concentrate even harder on our studies.

To experience America is a dream for many, and with this scholarship we have a chance to do so. The college was buzzing with excitement after the presentation. We discovered that we have the possibility to study at highly esteemed institutions such as Harvard or Yale University. To help turn our dreams into realities our college is ready to offer a wide variety of assistance to its students in accordance with the support of the Fulbright Commission.
Afterwards, a cheerful dinner followed the presentation at which most of my college mates for already thinking of which university they would like to attend, what field of research to pick, and how they would be able to utilize the results of their research in Hungary.

Consequently, our Thursday night was once again spent usefully. Our presenters shed light on new paths, as well as making us realize that our dreams are just an arm’s length away and it is never too late to start working towards them. All in all, it is clear to many of us that the compensation for pouring our time and energy into our studies will be innumerable.

The Commission organized a Roma Cultural Evening at KuglerArt Szalon Gallery for U.S. Fulbright grantees hosted by József Rostás ('13 Summer Institutes for European Student Leaders – Institute on Social Entrepreneurship) on March 18, 2014.

Group show of 5 US Fulbright visual artists in Europe exploring the notion of international exchange: EXCHANGE Berlin Fulbright Exhibition curated by Galen Gibson-Cornell ('13 Hungarian University of Fine Arts) and Nannette Vinson ('11 Intercultural Dialogue Foundation) opens on March 25 at the Staycation Museum in Berlin, following a similar show, BORDERS last year.

HOME Exhibition at Galerie Michael Schultz, Berlin by Damian Stamer ('07 Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art, Budapest) between March 1-April 5, 2014.

Gibson-Cornell, Galen ('13 Hungarian University of Fine Arts) gave a talk at Euroacademia Re-Inventing Eastern Europe Conference, Berlin entitled Budapest (Re)imagined: Creatively Examining Urban Street-Poster Aesthetics in Hungary’s Capital.

Dawn's Glow, The Resurgence of Zsolnay Eosin Glaze: the show Julia Kunin ('12 University of Pécs) co-curated at Iliad Gallery, NY is now being shown at International Ceramics Studio in Kecskemét until April 15, 2014.

International Education Fair 2014 at Szent István University, Gödöllő on March 26, 2014.

Concert by Rita Hoffmann & Mária Flamich ('11 University of California, Berkeley) on March 21, 2014 at the Institute for Visually Impaired Children.

The Commission organized a guided tour to explore the Art Nouveau in Budapest for U.S. Fulbright grantees on March 7, 2014. The group visited the Geological and Geophysical Institute of Hungary and the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest.

Budapest/Washington, March 14, 2014

The Boards of Directors of the Fulbright Commission, Hungary and of The Hungary Initiatives Foundation (HIF), Washington, are pleased to announce the signing of a multi-year cooperative agreement, in which the parties agree to jointly promote mutual understanding, educational exchange, scientific and cultural contacts between the people of Hungary and the United States of America. HIF’s grant to the Institute of International Education’s Fulbright Assistance Fund will enable Fulbright Hungary to support Hungarian and American scholars and students in the 2013-14 and the 2014-15 academic years for research and study in both the United States and Hungary.

The Fulbright Program, established in 1946, is the flagship worldwide international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. Hungary joined the Program in 1978. Based on a bilateral agreement between the governments of the U.S. and Hungary signed in 1990, the Hungarian-American Fulbright Program is administered by the Fulbright Commission in Hungary and by worldwide cooperating agencies such as the Institute of International Education in New York. The Hungary Initiatives Foundation is a U.S.-based, non-profit organization committed to strengthening the understanding and cooperation between Hungary and the United States of America. In line with its mission, the Foundation wishes to take an active part in the educational, academic, personal, and professional exchange between Hungary and the United States.

In the 2013-14 academic year, two additional students and one additional scholar from Hungary will carry out projects in the US. Also during this academic year, three more scholars from the US will be able to study and teach in Hungary.

HIF’s generous support continues in the 2014-15 academic year, when Fulbright Hungary is able to nominate a constant number of grantees. In the 2014-15 academic year, three scholars and four students from Hungary will be supported from these funds, and one additional US scholar can be nominated to work in Hungary. A broad range of academic subjects will covered during these two years, including, for example, US constitutional law, business studies, engineering, mathematics, architecture, communications, US studies, economics as well as theater and film arts.

Press contacts:
HIF Washington: Dr. Tamás Fellegi, President and CEO, hif@hungaryfoundation.org
Fulbright Commission, Hungary: Dr. Károly Jókay, Executive Director, jokay@fulbright.hu

5 Fulbright alumni will deliver lectures at Florida Gulf Coast University, The Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies, from March 16-18, 2014:

• Tamás Stark ('13 Nazareth College of Rochester)
• György Csepeli ('89 UCLA)
• András Gerő ('93 University of Pennsylvania)
• David Frey ('12 Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History)
• Richard Esbenshade ('98 Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of History)

The conference is free and open to the public.

Paul Hanebrink ('97 Hungarian Academy of Sciences) participated in The Holocaust in Hungary: 70 Years Later conference on March 19, 2014 at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Tamás Stark ('13 Nazareth College of Rochester) gave a talk on The Hungarian Holocaust in Historical Memory at Nazareth College on April 1, 2014.

László Borhi ('96 Dartmouth College & '12 Indiana University - Bloomington) and Tibor Frank ('87 University of California, Santa Barbara; UCLA; University of Nevada-Reno) presented at an international conference on Crime, Responsibility – Memory, The Hungarian Holocaust after 70 Years organized by the Research Centre for the Humanities of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Holocaust Memorial Centre, Budapest

The 2014 Fulbright Film Festival is a day long event designed to share and celebrate the motion picture work of U.S Fulbright Program grantees and alumni. The event will feature a series of screening programs, filmmaker Q&As, a panel discussion with industry experts and a networking lunch, all structured to facilitate opportunities for networking and exchange with Fulbright filmmakers from around the world.

Submission Guidelines: Project total run time must less than 20 minutes. Preference will be given to filmmakers who can attend the festival event on May 3, 2014.

Dr. Peter Szende is an associate professor of the practice at Boston University School of Hospitality Administration, Boston, MA. He is currently completing a Fulbright Grant in Hungary and he is a visiting faculty member in the Department of Economic Geography and Tourism Competence Center at Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary.

Between February 21-22, Peter offered a two-day workshop on contemporary business practices and supervisory challenges in the hospitality industry to students at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium in Budapest.

On March 4th, 2014, Peter visited the Department of Tourism at the University of Pannonia in Veszprém. First, he delivered a lecture to students majoring in Tourism and Catering. After the lecture, Peter participated in the faculty meeting and provided with an overview of his new educational concept, the 'Hospitality Management Learning Modules'.

On March 31, 2014, Peter visited the College of Commerce, Catering and Tourism at the Budapest Business School. He delivered a lecture to students specializing in Catering and Hotel Management about current challenges US food service managers face.

The Embassy of the United States, Budapest, in cooperation with the U.S. Commercial Service and EducationUSA invites you to attend our

American College and University Fair

This is a unique opportunity to meet representatives from 15 different U.S. colleges and universities visiting Hungary.  EducationUSA will also be there to answer your questions and offer you additional information on studying in the U.S.A.

When: Monday, April 7^th, 15 – 19h

Where: Budapest Marriott Hotel (Corso A + B)

             1054 Budapest, Apáczai Csere János utca 4.

Entrance is FREE! Just register under the following link to guarantee your attendance

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/american-college-university-fair-registration-10670885907

The following schools will be represented at the fair: 

• Bellevue College
• Herzing University
• Highline Community College
• New York Film Academy
• Northeastern University
• Northeastern Illinois University
• Oregon State University
• Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
• California State University - San Jose State University
• Southern New Hampshire University
• The University of California, Riverside
• University of California, Irvine Extension
• University of Central Florida
• University of Colorado
• University of the Potomac

In case of any specific questions, please contact us under: office.budapest@trade.gov

We look forward to seeing you at the fair!

The Fair in the press: See What Happened @ American College & University Fair In Budapest

ICAN Hungary presentation on obstetric care in the U.S. and Hungary by Nicholas Rubashkin ('13 Semmelweis University).

Photo exhibition by Tamás Vraukó ('13 University of Texas-El Paso) between February 24 - March 31, 2014 in Nyíregyháza County and City Library.

Jan Wessel ('13 Corvinus University of Budapest) and Andrew Gatti ('13 Jesuit Roma Residential College and Fulbright EducationUSA Advising Center) participated in the Fulbright Seminar on European Union and NATO organized by the Belgian Fulbright Commission.

Click here to register for this free virtual college fair event with over 100 U.S. colleges & universities 11:00am-1:00am CET February 19, 2014

The Meet the Scientist Fulbright community service project was announced at the First Hungarian Fulbright Day on September 24, 2010. The Hungarian Innovation Association, Fulbright volunteers and the U.S. Embassy in Budapest are working together to keep the program running.

András Dinnyés ('92 National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution) received the prestigious Dennis Gabor Award in the Hungarian Parliament Building for his outstanding researches in the field of biotechnology. He is the third Fulbrighter to be awarded following Balázs Sarkadi ('00 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) in 2006 and István Peták ('97 St. Jude Children Research Hospital, Memphis) in 2012.

• On October 19, 2013 Beth Mattingly ('13 Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Kodály Institute, Kecskemét) visited the Community House of Jászberény and presented on her research on the Kodály-method.
• On October 25, 2013 Daniel Nyikos ('13 University of Szeged) visited the Community House of Szeged for an unconventional discussion on literature.
• On November 15-16, 2013 Holly Streekstra ('13 University of Kaposvár) gave two lectures in Kaposvár and Nagybajom on her artworks.
• On November 22, 2013 David Degge ('13 Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music) visited the Community House of Pécs for a talk on different musical instruments and about instrumental music.
• On April 4, 2014 Jamie Hoversen ('12 Eötvös Loránd University and FEAC) practiced English with the children in Nagybajom.

Annamária Sas ('89 Language Development Magnet School, TX) U.S. Program Officer, a Fulbright alumna herself participated in all of the events.

The Csányi Foundation, founded by Dr. Sándor Csányi, Chairman and CEO, OTP Bank plc supports gifted, socially disadvantaged children through each milestone of their lives, assisting them to overcome socio-economic obstacles and to develop their innate talents. One of the keystone of the Foundation’s Lifelong Advantage Program is language acquisition.

Kedves Fulbright Alumni Barátaink!

Karácsony és az év vége közeledtével szeretnék a Fulbright iroda minden munkatársa nevében áldott, egészséges és megelégedettséggel telt karácsonyi ünnepeket, boldog új esztendőt kívánni!

Itt egy füst alatt pedig beszámolnék arról, hogy az elmúlt hónapokban milyen új lehetőségeket nyitottunk meg magyarországi potenciális Fulbrightosok számára!

1. Magyar nyelv és kultúra oktatása a clevelandi Cleveland State University-n: a 2015-16-os tanévtől egy közösen finanszírozott Fulbright lecturer lehetőséget hoztunk létre a CSU-n most novemberben. Erről a clevelandi magyar sajtó is beszámolt részletesen.

2. Az Indiana University-Fulbright közös oktatói ösztöndíjat megerősítettük, meghosszabítottuk.

3. Korábban beszámoltunk a Southern Illinois University-n létrejött "water science" diák ösztöndíjról, amely szintén a 2015-16-os tanévtől él. Ezen túl a Quinnipiac University MBA ösztöndíjáról is beszámoltunk, s nagy valószínűséggel meghosszabítjuk a Florida Institute of Technology, a University of Houston valamint a Texas Christian Universityvel való régebbi egyezményeinket.

4. Kilátásban van még a Purdue University-vel is egy közös diákösztöndíj létrehozása is.

Ezúton is szeretném hálánkat kifejezni azok felé, akik mint volt ösztöndíjasaink ajánlólevéllel, pályázatok bírálatában való részvétellel, interjúkon közreműködésükkel segítették munkánkat.

2014. február végén jelenik meg a magyar állampolgárokat megcélzó pályázati kiírásunk, amely a honlapukon elérhető lesz. Kérjük segítségüket abban, hogy a lehetőségről minél több kiváló potenciális pályázó értesüljön!

Egy-két szóban szólnék az amerikai ösztöndíjasok számára létrehozott, új magyarországi lehetőségekről is. Öt, de lehet hogy több, közös ösztöndíj jelenik majd meg a CIES Fulbright Opportunities for US Citizens katalógusában.

Ezek röviden:

• Az AIT (Aquincum Institute of Technology) "data mining" lecturing grant
• Az MTA Jogtudományi Intézetével egy alkotmányjogi kutatói poszt
• A Magyar Külügyi Intézetnél néhány kutatói poszt
• A CEU-n 2 kutatói, 2 oktatói poszt (egy-egy szemeszteres)
• Az egri Eszterházy Károly Főiskolán egy oktatói-kutatói poszt és erről egy rövid videó.

Folyamatos tárgyalásban vagyunk még 2 magyarországi felsőoktatási intézménnyel, ezért a változtatás jogát fenntartjuk!

További intézményes együttműködések kialakítására nyitottak vagyunk, várjuk az ötleteket, észrevételeket.

Barátsággal,
Jókay Károly, Ügyvezető Igazgató

I would like to thank all of you who have volunteered to be peer reviewers this past summer, hosted our Hungarian colleagues, have sat in on interview panels, written letters of recommendation or have simply sent us some of your outstanding students and scholars as applicants.

As 2013 draws to a close, I want to point out several new, jointly-funded opportunties for US scholars that will appear in the CIES catalog in February, 2014, for the 2015-16 Academic Year.

• AIT (Aquincum Institute of Technology) "data mining" lecturing grant
• Hungarian Academy of Sciences Institute of Legal Studies research position in Constitutional Law (1 or 2 semesters)
• Researcher positions (2) at the Hungarian Insititute of International Affairs
• Two research positions at Central European University's Institute for Advanced Studies and 2 lecturing posts at any CEU department.
• Teaching and research position in Eger at the Eszterházy Károly College.

Stay tuned, as we are still negotiating with two further Hungarian institutions of higher education!

The Fulbright Hungary US class of 2012-13 was very active, and you can listen to their experiences in long and short videos.

We are very pleased with joint grants we have signed for the 2015-16 academic year for your Hungarian counterparts at

• Cleveland State University
• Southern Illinois University
• Quinnipiac University

as well as renewals with Indiana University, Florida Institute of Technology, TCU and University of Houston.

We are in the midst of several other negotiations but are very open to entertaining forms of cooperation with your institution in the years ahead.

With best wishes for all the Holidays, Merry Christmas and have a healthy 2014! We look forward to hearing from you and to your visits as well.

With Friendship,
Károly (Charles) Jókay, Executive Director

Read more: ED Year-End Letter to the Hungarian Alumni

Gábor Tamás Nagy, (Fidesz) president, Hungarian-American Friendship group; vice president, Foreign Affairs Committee greeted the delegation, then engaged in an active Q & A session.

Other MPs present were:

• János Horváth, (Fidesz) member, Foreign Affairs Committee; president, IPU Hungarian Division and a U.S. Fulbright alumnus himself ('58 University of the Philippines)
• Katalin Ertsey, (LMP) member, Foreign Affairs Committee
• Erzsébet Lanczendorfer, (KDNP) member, Human Rights Committee

BRIEFERS:
Greg Sadlek, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Cleveland State University
Károly Jokay, Executive Director, Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission, Budapest
Endre Szentkirályi, Vice President, United Hungarian Societies, Cleveland

The press conference featured the signing of a cooperative agreement establishing a Fulbright Visiting Professorship in Hungarian Language and Culture at Cleveland State University.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Cleveland State University has a history with Hungarian Studies. The university first offered courses in Hungarian language and literature in the 1980’s, and also published Susan Papp’s exhaustive history in 1981, Hungarian Americans and their Communities of Cleveland. To honor this support of Hungarian culture, the university was awarded the Abraham Lincoln Award by the American Hungarian Foundation in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
It is appropriate to reestablish Hungarian Studies in Cleveland, because it is home to one of the largest Hungarian communities outside of Hungary. Indeed, Cuyahoga County, in which Cleveland resides, boasts around 44,000 people of Hungarian ancestry. Moreover, according to the latest census figures, around 3,500 of those speak Hungarian in their households. When adjoining counties are added, that yields about 105,000 people of Hungarian ancestry and about 6,000 who speak the language in their households. Cleveland's Hungarians have a rich local history and a vibrant current community, with many churches and social organizations, each with strong pride in their cultural heritage. A program at Cleveland State would build upon this extraordinary regional support. Important first steps had already been taken. In the summer of 2011, Cleveland State University and the University of Szeged signed a Memorandum of Understanding to chart future cooperation between the two universities. In October of 2011, Dean Sadlek and several others from the university met with Hungarian Ambassador György Szapáry. Moreover, the Michael Schwarz Library at Cleveland State has taken possession of the archives of the late Miklós Kossányi, an audiovisual collection of Cleveland’s Hungarian community events from the 1970’s through the present day, and once finalized, will offer scholars and researchers access to its many sound recordings, video footage, and print material.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Finally, after receiving pledges from eight Cleveland Hungarian community organizations, including the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Society, the Cleveland Hungarian Development Panel, the Hungarian Association, the American Hungarian Friends of Scouting, the Hungarian Cultural Center of Northeastern Ohio, the Cleveland Hungarian School, the William Penn Association, the Hungarian Community of Friends, and a private donor, Cleveland State University invited a Fulbright lecturer from Hungary for an entire academic year to start fall of 2014. In addition, according to terms signed by the university and the Fulbright Commission (Hungarian-American Commission for Educational Exchange), the Fulbright Visiting Professorship in Hungarian Language and Culture was established to run for three academic years starting 2015/2016.
Following the press conference, a roundtable discussion was held, featuring local and international Hungarian language instructors reflecting on Hungarian Studies at North American universities. Taking part in the roundtable discussion were Susan Papp, lecturer at the Munk School for Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, Imre Márkus, instructor at Lakeland Community College in suburban Cleveland, and Mártha Pereszlényi-Pintér, chair of Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures, John Carroll University.

Press release (Sajtóközlemény) in Hungarian

Media coverage in Hungarian
Tanulj magyarul az egyetemen! | bocskairadio.org | 2014.03.26
Beszámoló az 53. Magyar Találkozóról | bocskairadio.org | 2013.12.07
Újraindítják a magyar tanulmányokat a Clevelandi Állami Egyetemen | hirado.hu | 2013.12.03
Magyar oktatás indul a clevelandi egyetemen | hvg.hu | 2013.12.03

• Why Hungary?
• What did you do during your free time?
• What will you do when you return to the States?
• What is your favorite food?
• What did your family do all day?

Dr. A. J. Timothy Jull
Lecturer, Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences
Home institution: University of Arizona

Dr. Gabriel Loiacono
Lecturer, History, University of Pécs
Home institution: University of Wisconsin

Dr. Christopher M. Scherpereel
Lecturer, Business Administration, University of Debrecen
Home institution: Northern Arizona University

Dr. Michele G. Shedlin
Lecturer, Medical Sciences, University of Szeged
Home institution: New York University

Dr. Bettina G. Fabos
Researcher, Communications, Open Society Archives at Central European University
Home institution: University of Northern Iowa

Dr. Julia M. Kunin
Researcher, Art, University of Pécs
Home institution: Independent scholar

Mr. Trevor Amery
Student, Installation Art, University of Pécs
Home institution: Maryland Institute College of Art

Mr. Adam Z. Levy
Student, Creative Writing, Eötvös Loránd University
Home institution: Columbia University

Ms. Vajra Alaya-Maitreya
Student, Musicology, University of Szeged
Home institution: Mills College

Ms. Linnea West
Student, Art History, Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art
Home institution: At-Large, NY

Mr. Ryan Occena
Student, Education, Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
Home institution: University of Missouri

Mr. Roger Edward Garret
Student, Agriculture, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture
Home institution: At-Large, California

Mrs. Jamie E. Hoversen
Teaching Assistant, TEFL, Eötvös Loránd University and FEAC
Home institution: Northwestern University

Mr. Zack Boatman
Teacher Exchange Program, Literature, József Attila High School, Budapest
Home institution: Santa Fe High School, NM

These nominations will be considered and hopefully confirmed by the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington in the first quarter of 2014. Subject to the continued availability of funding, the nominees will contracted during the second quarter of 2014.

Background information:

For Hungarian students, lecturers and researchers, the 2014-2015 Fulbright competition the application deadline was May 13, 2013.

A total number of 147 applications were submitted, out of which 139 were eligible; 83 students, 51 scholars and 5 Humphrey applicants.

Each eligible application was evaluated by two independent Hungarian and American subject-expert peer-reviewers. Altogether 67 professional peer-reviewers took part in the evaluation process.

We conducted 108 personal interviews. 55 students, 47 scholars (researchers and lecturers) and 5 Humphrey applicants were interviewed over 13 interview days.

In the 2011/12 academic year, 283,332 American students studied abroad (Hungary: 682) for academic credit, an increase of 3 percent. The United Kingdom remains the leading destination for American students, followed by Italy, Spain, France and China. Study abroad by American students has more than tripled over the past two decades, from only about 71,000 students in 1991/92.

Ms. Jamie Hoversen, Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) will give an informational seminar on the graduate application process to US higher education institutions. She will focus specifically on masters and PhD studies.

Ms. Abby Degge will be presenting on her own experiences as a University of Pennsylvania master’s degree graduate. The Graduate Application Guide will be followed by a presentation on the Fulbright Scholarship.

Attendance is free but pre-registration is kindly requested through educationusa@fulbright.web2.vhost.hu, or 462-8050.

Click here to register for this free virtual college fair event with over 100 U.S. colleges & universities 11:00am-1:00am CET November 13, 2013

• János Pintz ('99 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
• Gábor Stépán ('94 California Institute of Technology)
• András Váradi ('07 Thomas Jefferson University)

In a ceremony held in Carbondale on October 10, Fulbright Executive Director Dr. Karoly Jokay was presented the agreement signed earlier on behalf of Southern Illinois University by Dr. Rita Cheng, Chancellor.

The Watershed Science student grant is for multidisciplinary studies in the broad areas of water science, an area of focused research and teaching expertise at SIU. Building on SIU's IGERT project, Professor Nicholas Pinter would like to attract a Hungarian student from fields such as civil engineering, hydrology, biology, zoology, geographic information systems and others related to the study of rivers, watersheds, river restoration and sustainable biodiversity.

The grant will provide the student with full tuition, a housing and living stipend, start-up expenses, health insurance as well as travel expenses.

Jokay and Pinter hope that this opportunity will encourage Fulbright programs in other countries in the Tisza river basin (Serbia, Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia) to establish similar grants with SIU in the near future.

The grant will be announced in February, 2014 with an anticipated application deadline of mid-May, 2014, for the Academic Year 2015-16.

During a Gala Dinner at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences held on September 17, 2013 and co-hosted by the Embassy of the United States of America, the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission celebrated its 100th Board Meeting since 1992 by signing new cooperative agreements with three Hungarian and one American educational and research institution.

Starting in academic year 2015-16, the Fulbright Commission will jointly fund opportunities for American scholars at Central European University, the Aquincum Institute of Technology, and the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs. In addition, Fulbright and Quinnipiac University (CT) will share in the cost of sending one Hungarian student to Quinnipiac’s business school to earn an MBA degree.

Fulbright Hungary’s Executive Director Dr. Károly Jókay co-designed these programs with these new partners over the course of early 2013. These new jointly funded awards to will appear in our call for applications in February, 2014, are as follows:

Fulbright Business Studies Grant at Quinnipiac University
This grant will provide a Hungarian student free tuition, a significant stipend, discounted university-owned housing, travel and insurance during an 18 month MBA program that includes an internship requirement. The student will join several other Hungarian counterparts who will be supported by QU's other funds. Professor Christopher Ball, Director of the Central European Institute, Istvan Szechenyi Chair in International Economics, signed on behalf of QU.

Fulbright-Central European University Teaching and Research Grant
CEU offered to host one junior or senior lecturer from the US per semester in any of its academic departments. CEU will provide a high-standard apartment at the Raoul Wallenberg House located on the slopes of Castle Hill in Buda. The grant also offers a generous stipend, travel, insurance, and visa support benefits. In addition to the lecturers, the CEU Institute of Advanced Studies will host one junior or senior research fellow per semester. The call for applications will be designed to meet CEU's and CEU IAS’s academic needs, and evaluation will be done in full accordance with Fulbright regulations. Provost and Academic Pro-Rector, Professor Katalin Farkas, will be the point of contact for CEU.

Fulbright-Aquincum Institute of Technology Teaching Grant in Information Technology
Founded by architectural software entrepreneur Gábor Bojár, AIT offers intensive, interdisciplinary "Budapest" semesters for US faculty and students from elite universities. Students from computer science and related hard sciences fields combined with entrepreneurship interact with their Hungarian counterparts in a campus located in a business park surrounded by Roman ruins. This grant is for a part-time lecturer from the US in the area of data mining and other aspects of cutting-edge information technology that will be defined in the call for applications by Mr. Bojár and his head of academic affairs, Professor András Recski. This Fulbright lecture grant will be shared with another Hungarian academic institution, so the scholar will have an opportunity to do research at another institution as well.

Fulbright Foreign and Regional Policy Research Grant at the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs
The Fulbright Commission, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs agreed to co-sponsor researchers (any rank) to spend up to one academic year (9 months-subject to funding) at HIIA to study foreign policy issues related Hungary’s security, Balkan affairs, Central European affairs or Baltic politics. The researcher will have access to an office at HIIA, a studio apartment if unaccompanied, as well as monthly visits of up to 4 days each to Balkan, Visegrad4, Baltic or CIS states to do lecture series hosted by Hungarian Embassies and perhaps other Fulbright Commissions. The grant announcement will be done in coordination with HIIA based on their strategic needs, but in full accordance with the usual Fulbright procedures for selection, processing and feedback. State Secretary Iván Bába from MFA and András Király, Executive Director of HIIA, represent the host institution.

Humphrey nominee and alternate 2014-2015
Komuves, Anita
Csuday, Gabor

Student Ranking with University Preference 2014-2015
Nemeth, Daniel - Nominated for 2013-14, involuntarily deferred to 14-15
Szegletes, Luca
Lengyel, Zoltan
Toth, Andrea
Gedeon, Zsuzsanna
Neray, Balint
Juhasz, David
Nemeth, Adam
Rutkai, Pal
Parditka, Gyorgyi
Varady, Zsuzsa
Huszak, Tamas
Balatoni, Sandor

CONDITIONAL NOMINEES (SELECTED IF OUTSIDE FUNDING WERE SECURED)-rank order
Magyarkuti, Andras
Jokuti, Andras
Karkus, Peter
Zala, Miklos

ACADEMIC ALTERNATES (RANK ORDER)
Szokonya, Istvan
Dojcsak, Dalma
Kiraly, Martina
Nemes, Akos
Kovari, Csilla Margit

Scholar Nominees for 2014-2015
Fodor, Andras
Vamosi, Gyorgy
Povedak, Istvan
Kotlan, Beatrix
Gagyi, Agnes
Peterecz, Zoltan
Toth, Tihamer
Vas, Gabriella
Vedres, Balazs
Sagvari, Bence
Kovacs, Tamas
Mezei, Balazs
Nagy, Andras

CONDITIONAL NOMINEES (SELECTED IF OUTSIDE FUNDING IS SECURED)
Gardosi, Rita
Csato, Peter
Deak, Nora

ACADEMIC ALTERNATES
Szentgyorgyi, Szilard
Imre, Zoltan
Hasznos, Andrea
Racz, Istvan
Kocsis, Janos

Besides meeting with current U.S. and Hungarian grantees, she also visited 3 Fulbright alumni: Ryan Smith ('12 ELTE Apáczai Csere János High School and Teacher Training Center, Budapest); Chris Jones ('11 Budapest University of Technology and Economics), currently Rice University Fellow at the Executive Office of the President, Office of Science & Technology Policy and Eric Lopez ('08 Central European University, Budapest) and his fiancée.

• Paul Hanebrink ('97 Hungarian Academy of Sciences)
• Erika Sólyom ('03 DDRA Fellow, Hungarian Academy of Sciences)
• Marguerite Allen ('08 Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest)
• Louise Vasvari ('94 & '09 Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest)

• Ágnes Fülemile ('92 Metropolitan Museum of Arts, NY & '98 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
• Ilona Kovács ('94 Kent State University & '01 Library of the American Hungarian Foundation)
• Nóra Deák ('07 Library of the American Hungarian Foundation)
• Lilla Szabó ('11 Library of the American Hungarian Foundation)

During the 3rd season of the Meet the Scientist Program 9 high schools (5 in Budapest and 4 in the countryside) were visited by former Fulbright scholars and current U.S. grantees. Lectures were followed by spectacular experiments presented by the Palace of Miracles.

Lecture by Bettina Fabos ('12 Open Society Archives at CEU) this Friday.

11 returned Hungarian Fulbrighters of AY 2011-2012 presented on their experiences during their Fulbright grant periods. See part I. here

Picture: From the left, Gábor Ulakcsai, International Relations Department, Semmelweis University; Dr. István Vingender, Vice-Dean; Károly Jókay, Executive Director, Fulbright Hungary; Professor Dr. Judit Mészáros, Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences; and David Hill, M.D, Professor and Director of Global Public Health, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, CT.

This is the 2nd Fulbright related Hungarian premiere of a play following Ashlin Halfnight's ('05 National Theater, Budapest) God's Waiting Room last year in Kőszeg.

Tibor Frank ('87 University of California, Santa Barbara; UCLA; University of Nevada-Reno), former Chair of the Fulbright Board in Hungary and István Vásáry ('88 Smithsonian Institution) have been elected corresponding members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. There are 21 Fulbright Alumni members of the Academy to date.

Following the presentations the U.S. student group and guests were invited to join the Hungarian Fulbright Alumni Association's event at the Constitutional Court, where Judge Péter Kovács ('02 University of Denver) delivered a special lecture.

Please find the detailed program here.

Following the visit, Dr. Shedlin was pleased to donate three 17th century (1639) parchment books to the Library’s ancient books department, as well as a signed copy of the famous orientalist Ármin Vámbéry’s book on India which was dedicated by the author to her great-grandfather Vilmos Goldzieher, a reknown ophthalmologist in late 19th century in Budapest.

9 returned Hungarian Fulbrighters of AY 2011-2012 presented on their experiences during their Fulbright grant periods. See part II. here.

Six Fulbright alumni: James Oberly ('12 Károli Gáspár University), Paula Brown ('12 Eötvös Loránd University), Monica Weis ('11 University of Pannonia), Gabriella Vöő ('09 State University of New York), Szilárd Szentgyörgyi ('01 University of Iowa) and Zoltán Kész ('00 Diamond Bar High School, CA) participated in the 6th America Week March 11-14, 2013 at the University of Pannonia, Veszprém.

The annual event dedicated to the study of American culture and the strengthening of US-Hungarian ties was initiated by Scott M. Campbell ('07 University of Pannonia) program director of the joint Pannonia-Nazareth American Studies master's program.

Mr. Károly Jókay, director of Fulbright Hungary talked about the success of the Fulbright program and recognized lot of Fulbright Alumni in the audience. He emphasized the added value of the program on both sides of the Atlantic.

"I'm happy to tell you that I have a daughter who is now a doctor who was a Fulbrighter. And she went to the London School of Economics and studied public health. And now she is working on global health issues and just came back from Uganda a week ago with another person who's here. [...] I cannot tell you how many leaders I've met - prime ministers, finance ministers, foreign ministers, presidents and others – who once upon a time either were Fulbrighters or went to school in the United States and have affection and a connection as a consequence of that, and vice versa." - Secretary of State John Kerry in his remarks at the Fulbright Foreign Student Enrichment Seminar in Washington D.C.
Tamás Tófalvy and Júlia Richter (both '12 Columbia University) were among the students from 70 countries in the audience.

The second-ever Atlanta enrichment seminar focused on the American Civil Rights Movement and the remaining challenges to equality and freedom of opportunity in the U.S. Tímea Oláh ('12 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) had a unique opportunity to hear the iconic Lonnie C. King speak, a leading figure of the 60's civil rights student protests in Atlanta still active in the movement.

After a guided tour of the Parliament building, including visiting the Holy Crown, the Fulbrighters held a briefing for several important MPs invited by MP Horváth, a US Fulbright alumnus himself ('58 University of the Philippines). State Secretary Zsolt Németh (Foreign Ministry), former EU Commissioner and former Foreign Minister MP László Kovács, and MP István Józsa greeted the delegation, then engaged in an active Q & A session chaired by Fulbright Executive Director Károly Jókay. We were honored to also have been joined by Jenő Megyesy, special advisor to the Prime Minister, and György Such, former Humphrey Fellow ('99 University of Missouri, Columbia) and currently General Administrative Director of the Parliament. Fulbright Board member Gabriella Kereszty was also in attendance.

In the afternoon Nicholas Pinter met separately State Secretary for Environment Zoltán Illés, a Humphrey Program alumnus ('95 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) at the Ministry of Rural Development.

István Tarrósy ('12 University of Florida), director of IDResearch Ltd. were given honorable mentions among the top 10 finalists out of more than 500 organizations from 92 countries with Immigropoly, a unique Internet-based character-game to increase the understanding of migration and integration in our global world, and targeted towards youth communities. It intends to encourage openness towards immigrants in a European and global context and enhance intercultural dialogue in an indirect way. It is not only a free-time activity, but also a versatile educational tool touching on various issues from the fields of Social Sciences.

Recent article by Linnea West in 2Paragraphs: Art and Awakenings In Budapest.

On April 10, 2013 James W. Oberly ('12 Károli Gáspár University) visited the Csányi Foundation.

Thank You Fulbright is an international campaign that was done for the first time in 2012. Over a two-week period, more than 1,300 Fulbrighters (among them Reinhold Hill '04 University of Debrecen) submitted a thank you letter addressed to 138 different ambassadors in Washington, DC.

You can join the 2013 campaign at www.thankyoufulbright.org

The volume was presented by Tibor Frank ('87 University of California, Santa Barbara; UCLA; University of Nevada-Reno) and Miklós Kontra ('92 Indiana University & '02 Michigan State University) on December 18, 2012. Dr. Huba Brückner, Director Emeritus also attended the event.

Ambassador Kounalakis presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Brückner, Director Emeritus for his outstanding service to the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission promoting American Higher Education and strengthening the friendship between the United States of America and Hungary.

Dr. Lonnie Johnson, Executive Director, Austrian-American Fulbright Commission presented a Certificate of Recognition to Dr. Brückner in his capacity as Chair of the Conference of Fulbright Program Executive Directors in Europe.

The venue was featured by the presence the USAFE Touch & Go Air Force Band.

The Csányi Foundation, founded by Dr. Sándor Csányi, Chairman and CEO, OTP Bank plc supports gifted, socially disadvantaged children through each milestone of their lives, assisting them to overcome socio-economic obstacles and to develop their innate talents. One of the keystone of the Foundation’s Lifelong Advantage Program is language acquisition.

On November 5, 2012 Christopher Berchild ('12 University of Pécs) visited the Pécs Community Center in order to meet Csányi students aged 12-16 years participating in the Foundation's Talent Development Program.

On 10 November, 2012 David Frey ('12 Institute of History, Hungarian Academy of Sciences) and Annamária Sas, Fulbright American Program Officer traveled to Jászberény to speak with over 20 upper level Csányi students about the history and traditional celebrations of Halloween and Thanksgiving in North America. Ms. Sas ('89 Language Development Magnet School, TX) a Fulbright alumna herself baked a very traditional Thanksgiving food, a pumpkin pie for this occasion.

Among others, the following MPs asked questions on the activities of the Hungarian Fulbright Commission at the meeting:

• Mihály Balla (Fidesz) president, Foreign Affairs Committee
• János Horváth (Fidesz) member, Foreign Affairs Committee; president, IPU Hungarian Division and a U.S. Fulbright alumnus himself ('58 University of the Philippines)
• Lajos Pősze (independent) vice president, IPU Hungarian-American Friendship group
• Vilmos Szabó (MSZP) member, Foreign Affairs Committee
• Andor Nagy (KDNP) member, Foreign Affairs Committee
• Katalin Ertsey (LMP) member, Foreign Affairs Committee

Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars will take place at various colleges, universities, and institutions throughout the United States over the course of six weeks beginning in or after June 2013. The following topics will be covered:

• American Politics and Political Thought
• Contemporary American Literature
• Journalism and Media
• Religious Pluralism in the United States
• U.S. Culture and Society
• U.S. Foreign Policy

Application Deadline: December 10, 2012

See also: Study of the U.S. Institutes for Secondary School Educators

Dr. Jókay succeeds the retiring Dr. Huba Brückner, who has superbly led the Commission since it was formed in 1992. Under Dr. Brückner’s leadership, Fulbright concludes the 20th Anniversary Year of the Commission in Hungary, commemorating the academic and professional exchange of over 900 scholars, students, high school teachers and professionals with their US counterparts. Dr. Jókay expects to build upon this heritage of excellence by expanding Fulbright’s reach to traditionally underrepresented scholars from rural areas, the Roma community as well as to people with different disabilities. Furthermore, strengthening ties with private sector donors as well as establishing new relationships with American universities are both important objectives for the new Director.

An expert in municipal finance and bankruptcy, Jókay taught courses in municipal finance, public budgeting and public management in the Department of Public Policy at Central European University since 2005. Jókay has extensive consulting experience in Central and Eastern European countries, including Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Romania. Previously as a regular consultant to the World Bank, Jókay has completed projects on municipal bond disclosure standards, public utility transformation and regulation in the municipal services sector, as well as municipal debt regulation. Of Hungarian extraction, he was born in Chicago, earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and has an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Illinois. Jókay, who moved to Hungary in 1994, is active in several civil society organizations, established a family foundation to support the education of poor, rural children in the High School of the Reformed Church in Pápa.

Press release in English
Sajtóközlemény
Interview in Lánchíd Radio

Open Doors, supported by a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, is a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the United States, and U.S. students studying abroad for academic credit at their home colleges or universities.

Join us on November 13th for EducationUSA International Virtual College Fair, a free online event devoted to answering your questions about the admissions process, program information, and student life. You'll have a chance to text chat with university and college representatives, explore more than 150 schools, and watch live presentations from experts from EducationUSA and the U.S State Department on how to choose the right university, the visa process and funding options. And enter to win a $1,000 scholarship!

Learn more about new and exciting topics from American Fulbright grantees, as well as get answers to your questions about American higher education from our EducationUSA advising staff!

Interview in ATV and Lánchíd Radio.

The Fulbright EducationUSA Advising Center is pleased to present the Council of International Schools (CIS) Tour.

We warmly invite you to join us in meeting with the below listed internationally acclaimed schools, within the CIS Tour presentation series. You are welcome to invite your friends and family along to this exciting and informative afternoon.

Date: November 8, Thursday

Time: 3:45-5:00

Venue: 1082 Budapest, Baross u. 62., Díszterem

The tour will contain 20 American and international universities:

• Chapman University (Orange, CA)
• Foothill & De Anza College (Los Altos Hills, CA)
• Hawaii Pacific University (Honolulu, HI)
• Longwood University (Farmville, VI)
• Pace University (New York, NY)
• Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA)
• St. Edward's University (Austin, TX)
• St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN)
• State University of New York -- Plattsburgh (Plattsburgh, NY)
• University of California, Davis (Davis, CA)
• University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)
• Wentworth Institute of Technology (Boston, MA)
• Whitworth University (Spokane, WA)

• Glion Institute of Higher Education (Clarens, Switzerland)
• Hult International Business School (London, UK)
• IE University (Segovia, Spain)
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology -- Carl Benz School of Engineering (Karlsruhe, Germany)
• Webster University -- Geneva (Bellevue, Geneva, Switzerland)
• Yale-Nus College, National University of Singapore (Singapore)

A signing and discussion event on her book Cultural Appropriation in Recent North American Literature will be held on December 6, 2012 at the UNM Bookstore.

The host institution for this program will be the Institute for Training and Development (ITD) in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Application Deadline: November 1, 2012

A Fulbright Bizottság örömmel hirdeti meg tanárcsere programját a szaktárgyukat angol nyelven oktatni tudó középiskolai tanárok számára, a 2013-2014-es tanévre. A programban résztvevő tanár egy tanévet taníthat az Egyesült Államokban, míg amerikai cserepartnere Magyarországon taníthat egy tanévet a kiutazó magyar tanár intézményében.

Pályázati beadási határidő: 2012. október 19.

The Board of the Hungarian-American Fulbright Commission

There Was Once... received the Audience Award at the 2014 South East European Film Festival.

He directly applies the educational techniques that he sees at the best universities of the world to the Science Club of his former high school in Gyöngyös, Hungary, and based on this successful example, he initiated a nation-wide Science Club movement in Hungary. Dr. Csörgő, among other duties, has been serving as the volunteer manager of the Hungarian Fulbright alumni listserv for many years. He also volunteered for the Meet the Scientist Fulbright alumni initiative, promoting science, innovation and study in the U.S. to Hungarian high school students.

Dr. Csörgő is proud of his humble beginnings and strongly feels that coming from a modest, small village in the countryside should not impede anybody`s ability to succeed and build an international career. Besides the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Csörgő commutes to work at Brookhaven National Laboratory, at Harvard and at CERN in Switzerland but he also finds time to volunteer in the Hungarian Fulbright community and in his own community in the countryside. He still lives in his small village of Visznek, two hours from Budapest, which he considers the best place for creative work.

He has been serving his local community, his village and his former high school for four years providing summer camps in his own home for the children and attracting scientists and researchers from home and abroad to come as speakers. He has been at the forefront of a drive in Hungarian education towards self-education, currently runs five science clubs in high schools in the country and in Budapest involving alumni. He is a passionate proponent of personal responsibility in cultivating one’s own mind.

In August 2011, Dr. Csörgő received the Knight Cross from the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic from the President of Hungary for organizing the Hungarian participation in international collaborations like PHENIX in the United States, for supporting young talents and for his commitment to education. In September 2011, he was elected, for his scientific achievements, as a member of the Academy of Europe (London), a prestigious and highly selective non-governmental organization promoting learning, education and research on the European level.

Ambassador Kounalakis recognized Fulbright grantees

Klub Radio interview on March 13, 2013 and Mobility International USA article: The Story of Gershwin and Kodály: Our Berkeley Experiences in Three Acts on their scholarship period at UC Berkeley.

László Andor

"A Fulbright scholarship is probably a milestone in the life of every beneficiary. I am not an exception. I was invited to Rutgers University in 1997. The New Brunswick campus of Rutgers is famous with its Hungarian Studies Centre. My courses were: Hungary and the European Union, and Transition Policies in Hungary.

Much of the students came from the Hungarian diaspora. It was interesting to see how different is the approach to history and social sciences on the other side of the Atlantic. The structure of the classes and the assessment were also different. I needed to prepare for my lectures differently than in Budapest, but I gathered such detailed materials from my preparations that I decided to publish a book on the basis of my Rutgers work. To my surprise, it did not take long to make progress. Having read one sample chapter, Greenwood sent a contract in January, and eventually in 2000 my book was published under the title Hungary on the Road to the European Union: Transition in Blue.

New Jersey was an ideal place for travelling on the East coast. New York City was very close, so I could go there regularly to museums, book shops and university events. I managed to visit friends and colleagues at Princeton, Yale, Binghamton etc. and many visited me too. I even organised a trip for a group of my Budapest students, with a programme that was relevant to their studies.

At Harvard I attended a conference on the East European transformation, and wrote a report about it for the social science journal Társadalmi Szemle. At American University, I attended a conference on the European monetary integration, where some of the leading experts of the area spoke. I found all this useful later, when I had to deal with the practical side of the same subject.

Within the 9 months at Rutgers, there were a lot of memorable events in university life and opportunities to learn about American culture. What should not be left without mentioning is college soccer with men and women playing together, which does happen in Europe too, but in the US it seemed to be the standard – with compulsory shin guards."

Dr. Elemér Hankiss

Dr. Hankiss now serves as a Senior Fellow in the Institute of Political Science of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Outside of his position, he has created a social travel guide to list active non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Hungary, initiated the "Adopt a Village" program to bring attention to poor rural villages, and compiled a "Talent Map of Hungary" to link community leaders and small grassroots businesses throughout the nation.

On the Fulbright program, Dr. Hankiss, in his own words, "gained courage to take part in public life and say no to things that were inhuman or not democratic." Praised for his modest spirit, Dr. Hankiss has exemplified his strong commitment to encourage the development of democracy in Hungary tirelessly since his exchange.

Zoltán Illés

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship was a particular, life long experience with several positive effects on my personal and professional development. From among the many, I would like to mention three very important positive component of the program.

Being a Humphrey fellow meant to be a member of an international group of highly qualified people from all over the world. It gave us the possibility to earn a quite diverse view of the world; we had the chance to live, work, study in a multicultural environment, to experience different ways of thinking. Besides learning a lot from our professors and professional partners, we learnt a lot from each other, too.

The program was quite flexible professionally, applicable to personal needs and opened all doors. We received all assistance in arranging our professional activities and in applying possibilities offered to our personal needs.

The Humphrey Program has a high prestige in the U.S. and all over the world. Being a Humphrey Fellow gives a magic password. It's a life long experience, it means being a member of an elite club - which brings devotion, too. As a Humphrey Fellow, I experienced a lot of help and now as a Humphrey Alumni I am devoted to provide help and assistance to future fellows, to the Fulbright Program.

NAFSA, the Association of International Educators is a member organization promoting international education and providing professional development opportunities to the field.