2024 Széll Kállmán Public Policy Fellows: Ádám Pólik, Málna Vámos, Katalin Kálnoky, Levente Takács
Ádám Pólik, Katalin Kálnoky, Levente Takács, and Málna Vámos were the four participants in this year’s Summer Széll Kálmán Public Policy Fellowship. The fellows spent eight weeks in Washington D.C., taking classes at George Mason University, interning at a host organization of their choice, and participating in extracurricular events, conferences, panel discussions, Congressional hearings, and meetings.
This summer Ádám Pólik was offered an internship position at Open Gov Hub in Washington D.C., a nonprofit intellectual hub that hosts over 70 international organizations and provides a platform for cooperation. In addition to interning, he took specialized classes in American economics and U.S. Foreign Policy at George Mason University. The extracurricular programs organized by the Fund for American Studies offered a better understanding of contemporary American policy debates. During his foreign policy class, he learned about the American perspective when it comes to foreign policy and history. It was interesting to see how American students viewed and learned history from a very different perspective. Besides his internship and his college classes, Ádám had the opportunity to attend briefings at the Organisation of American States, Chamber of Commerce, State Department, Senate, UK Embassy, World Bank, Brookings Institute, and other institutions.
“The Széll Kálmán Public Policy Fellowship was an incredibly enriching experience. I studied at a leading university while I could also intern at an amazing internship site. I am grateful for all the friendships and professional connections that I have made over this period. I had the chance to learn about the way of thinking and work ethic of American people that gave me a new perspective.” – Ádám Pólik
Katalin Kálnoky worked as a research intern at George Mason University this summer, and she focused on women’s economic freedom, the economic impacts of terrorism, and the political aspects of counterterrorism. Kati was also enrolled in Economic Problems and Public Policies classes at George Mason University to complement her internship. Kati had the chance to attend various events and conferences, which included engaging site briefings with international organizations and government offices, like the World Bank, the Institute of Peace, the National Press Club, the American Bar Association, etc. This allowed her to immerse herself in the field and gain firsthand insights. She also enjoyed meeting other young professionals from around the world, as well as students from the US and beyond.
“It was an eye-opening and life-changing experience. Understanding the American way of thinking, both politically, economically, and culturally, helped me understand what made the U.S. unique and great. These past two months not only helped me gain lexical knowledge but also made me a more open-minded and curious person by giving me a new perspective on life. The fellowship exceeded my expectations greatly.” – Katalin Kálnoky
During the fellowship program, Levente Takács spent two months as an intern at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) in Washington, D.C., and took an Internship Seminar and Economies in Transition class at George Mason University, these classes helped him gain an insight into how the federal government functions and it helped him understand the U.S. and it resulted in a more nuanced opinion on how the U.S. economy works. Levente had the opportunity to participate in meetings at Stateside Associates, in diplomatic simulations, and in congressional briefings, as well as congressional hearings. Among the most exciting extracurricular activities, Levente enjoyed visiting Georgetown, George Washington’s Estate at Mount Vernon, kayaking on the Potomac River, and the guided tour of Washington D.C.’s monuments.
“It was the best summer I could have, with endless lessons, new experiences and points of views. It exceeded my expectations and I did so much more than I expected. My most important conclusion is that the American spirit is very different from that in Europe, they organize themselves proactively and effectively and they usually see the government as a barrier in solving their own problems. My takeaway from the seminars was the realization of how little I truly understood about America previously and how much there is still to learn.” – Levente Takács
During the summer months, Málna Vámos served as a public policy and research intern on Capitol Hill at Knowledge Ecology International, a leading NGO focusing on public health issues and access to medicine. Besides her internship at KEI, she was enrolled in Economic Problems and Public Policy as well as U.S. Foreign Policy courses at George Mason University, focusing on the strong ties of public policy and economics in the context of the United States. Málna enjoyed participating in the extracurricular activities organized by TFAS, such as the Capitol Hill lecture series, the Career seminars, the meeting at The Organization of American States, and the visit to the British Embassy.
“I was reminded every day of the importance of learning and understanding, and I came home more passionate than ever about trying to make a difference. The two months felt like a whole semester, filled with events, conferences, and fun. To become the best version of yourself you have to be brave and America was the best place to cultivate that bravery. I’ve learned so much about myself, about the world I live in, and about the people I’m surrounded with. I felt the power of my words in Washington DC more than anywhere in the world before.” – Málna Vámos
