Tina Horvath, BA in Culture Politics and Society
My name is Tina Horváth and I am from Kazincbarcika, Hungary. Currently I am a second year BA student at CEU where my intended majors are Sociology and Social Anthropology and Philosophy. However, I am not only passionate about these fields; I also have a deep love for history, philology, literature, music and the arts. In the current academic year, I have co-founded the CEU Student Think Tank with another student. I have always been interested in research and education, thus the STT really is a passion-project where we can bring together CEU students from all degree levels to work on research projects relevant for NGOs and governmental organisations. I am hoping to participate in more community engagement related projects until the end of the year.
I like being part of a community; hence, by my early teens I was already actively volunteering here and there. As a first-generation, Romani, and low-income student, my main motivation is to help others in a similar situation like me. I think it is crucial for Romani people to be more present and better represented in the Hungarian cultural and political life. I am trying to work towards this goal, whether the help is quality entertainment or my upcoming research project on meritocracy, high education, and Romani integration.
Since I co-founded the CEU Student Think Tank, I have learnt a lot from its current Directorate. I believe the skills I have gained from and with them will greatly benefit my academic career. The STT accommodates students' skills and needs from all degree levels and the diversity of students' backgrounds in our initiative fosters an environment for learning through practice and exchange among peers. Such context equips students to successfully create policy papers that address problems in an innovative way. By doing so, students are also contributing to the social goals of our partners. The CEU-STT mobilizes engagement not only within CEU but also with a series of community partners, helping to consolidate students' future careers and CEU's presence in Vienna.
Dorottya Fekete, Gender Studies MA
My name is Dóri, I am enrolled in the one year Gender Studies program at CEU. Volunteering has always been a very important part of my life so I was eager to get involved with the activities that the Community Engagement Office offered when I started my studies at the university. I had the privilege to be selected as an English tutor and prepare a teenager for the Hungarian school leaving exam. This program is different from a normal tutoring session because we conduct our session through an online platform. Despite the challenges that arise from the nature of the online session, my student always greets me with a smile and pays attention throughout the entire class. I enjoy teaching and it makes me proud when my tutee uses the words and phrases we learned at the previous classes.
Kossi Atchrimi, International Relations MA
I’m engaged in different volunteer activities since I’m a student at CEU. My favorite one is teaching English at Deak Diak elementary school. I have session with the kids once a week and it’s very good to see how much they are motivated in the kind of activities I engage them and how much they are appreciating my presence in the class. Volunteering is important to me. I did it in my home town as well. This is the best way how you can learn about the people and culture while living in a foreign country. Teaching at this program enables me to learn more about the Hungarian educational system as well, which I’m interested in. I also feel responsible to show different cultures to the kids, in order to open their eyes to the word.