The memorable 21st year

This year, the Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education graduates English major students for the 21st time. The number 21 is believed to be a lucky one; however, in 2020 nothing is the same as before, nothing happens in the usual way. It happens for the first time at our college that our graduate students have to take their final exams in an online mode instead of face-to-face examination.

The college first graduated English major students in 2002, the first year in January and the second year in June. This was repeated in 2007, when the Year 4 students got their Bachelor’s degrees for the first time, and the Year 5 students obtained their Specialist’s degrees for the last time. We hope that in 2021, two grades can leave our institution at the same time as recent graduates: one grade with a Bachelor’s degree and another grade with a Master’s degree in their hands.

We have experienced a lot of things in recent years, good and bad things as well. Now we just want to remind you of the beautiful things, because the occasion is still a celebration, in the life of our graduates for sure, because for the first time they will receive the higher education certificate for which they have worked hard for four years. It is unfortunately unusual, depressing and saddening that at the end of the school year they cannot receive their well-deserved diplomas in front of their teachers, fellow students, loved ones, friends in an elevated, festive mood at the ceremony organized in the Reformed Church in Beregszász. Nevertheless, we hope that our 26 newly graduated students, with their degrees in their hands, will take with them on the journey they have just begun the spirituality, work ethic, desire to act and, last but not least, the faith that has been experienced within the walls of the institution. Although we will not be able to be present in the usual way personally at the degree-issuing ceremony, we sincerely want our graduates to experience in spirit of the joyful feeling that they can hold the fruits of their labour in their hands. And whether this is a relief or rather a little anxiety about what the future will bring, we do not know, but we want them to succeed and always return boldly to their alma mater. We also hope that the future will bring more familiar conditions and that we will be able to return from the online space to the walls of our institution, which provides security and a homely atmosphere.

We hope that in the last four years (2016-2020) we managed to achieve our main goal and train our 26 English graduates to be competent English teachers, who will manage to cope with the difficulties in the Hungarian schools in Transcarpathia, teaching the beauties of English to their learners.

Such hopes are empowered by the performance of students in recent years. For example, at the Scientific Student Conferences organized for our English major students, Karolina Bárány, Viktória Szoboszlai and Andrea Kohutics achieved outstanding results by presenting their empirical research.

Working together in everyday life, preparing for various institutional events (e.g. Christmas, Carnival, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations), domestic and international conferences (e.g. Multiculturalism and Diversity in the 21st Century organized by our department, a conference with the participation of representatives of 16 countries), study trips abroad, on recent occasions to Budapest and Pécs), all evoke a pleasant memory and feeling in us, which helps to overcome and solve everyday problems and sometimes work difficulties. We are convinced that the adventures of the college years are irreplaceable for our students and have provided many experiences e.g. exchange programs and scholarship opportunities, thanks to which many of our graduates were able to spend weeks, sometimes months, at foreign universities (in Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia).

We would like to wish all our graduates a lot of professional success so that, although their teaching careers start in an unusual way due to the coronavirus pandemic, they will still be able to realize all their dreams and pass on their knowledge to their future students at a high level.

Huszti Ilona, Lizák Katalin, Nagy-Kolozsvári Enikő
Teachers of English
Department of Philology
Ferenc Rákóczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian College of Higher Education