András Cunningham is a Hungarian American who grew up in Bucharest, Romania, and attended the Ady Endre Preschool. Currently, he is a high school senior enrolled in the Visual and Performing Arts Program at Albert Einstein High School, Kensington, MD. Additionally, he is a member of the National Honors Society and has studied digital and studio art throughout high school. Moreover, he will begin his studies at the University of Maryland in the College Park Scholars program his major in Immersive Media and Design.

András’ passion for the digital arts developed when he first opened Adobe Photoshop and began to experiment with the tools within the program.

András speaks Hungarian, English, and Spanish. He has been spending his summers in Central and Eastern Europe to visit family and friends.

In his spare time, he enjoys fishkeeping, fishing, and skateboarding. He is interested in developing a career in digital art and design.

The Hungary Foundation is a solely charitable 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Foundation pursues its mission and goals by supporting Hungarian-American organizations and by supporting programs that strengthen interaction and cooperation between Hungarian and American citizens and institutions. In particular, the Foundation is focused on supporting cultural, educational and scholarly activities. The Foundation does not participate in political activities, political or election campaigns.

Barna Péterfi experienced his first intercultural exchange in high school where he participated in the American Field Service (AFS) Intercultural Programs’ exchange year organized in Russia. Since then, he has been an advocate for the importance of understanding national and transnational cultural characteristics from both the Eastern and Western parts of the world. Finishing his high school in Hungary this has led Barna to apply to the University of Edinburgh where he is currently a 2nd-year student majoring in Russian Studies and Politics. For his third year, he will be participating in a university-led placement program where he will live and gain professional experience in the Baltic states.

Founded in 1913, ASLRRA proudly represents the entrepreneurial owners and operators of short line and regional railroads throughout North America. These approximately 600 small businesses play a vital role in the hub-and-spoke transportation network, often providing the first-mile/last-mile connection between farmers and manufacturers and the ultimate consumer.

Prior to her internship at AEI, Annamária gained valuable experience at Case Solvers, a Forbes 30 under 30 startup. As a Student Ambassador, she played a pivotal role in enhancing problem-solving skills for students, contributing to a more innovative and entrepreneurial future for Hungary. Additionally, Annamária’s dedication to sustainable development led her to be selected for the prestigious Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Program, an initiative of the United Nations. As part of this program, she joined a network of young professionals who are passionate about shaping a sustainable future through global cooperation. Through her involvement in these initiatives, Annamária has shown her unwavering commitment to innovation and creating positive change in both the entrepreneurial and sustainable development realms.

She has a strong commitment to widening educational opportunities and supporting underprivileged talents. Her involvement as a Student Ambassador for Widening Participation at LSE showcases her dedication to enabling prospective students from diverse backgrounds to pursue their educational goals. She has been volunteering for various organizations in Hungary for the last three years to improve future prospects of children in impoverished communities.

The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The work of our scholars and staff advances ideas rooted in our belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength and global leadership, solidarity with those at the periphery of our society, and a pluralistic, entrepreneurial culture.

Márton’s enthusiasm for European affairs and economic integration studies is also reflected in his academic activities. He is currently writing his thesis on the assessment of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Funds after having finished his third year at the Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest with a 4.0 GPA, majoring in International Business Economics. His other research interests are also related to the economics of the European Union, with a special focus on European budgetary issues.

Márton always strived for challenging himself in competitive international environments. He successfully completed a course on European affairs at the prestigious SciencesPo Paris Summer School last July. He has also actively participated in international conferences such as the Future European Leaders Forum in Prague or the ConSIMium program in Brussels. Therefore, he is well equipped with the toolset to achieve his goals in the politically most vibrant city in the world.

The ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force is dedicated to researching and promoting sound policy aimed at creating a pro-growth atmosphere in state economies. Policies that promote economic growth and increase state competitiveness are achieved by reducing excessive government spending and limiting the overall tax burden. The Task Force’s legislative members are at the forefront of developing sound, fiscally responsible, and free market tax and fiscal policies to address the needs that the states now face.

The Task force has pioneered policies that increase budget transparency, promote state spending limitations, require super-majorities for tax increases, implement dynamic revenue forecasting, and many more. The Task Force has several Subcommittees that examine specific policy areas in detail. These areas include fiscal policy reform, internet taxation, education finance, and public pensions.

The ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force is working to provide economically viable, fiscally responsible, and free market solutions to promote economic growth.

Rebecca Ajtai is a senior studying international relations with a focus on foreign policy and national security with the German language minor at American University. She has a great interest in EU policy, and immigration issues, and has conducted research on the democratic decline and other relevant topics over the course of her undergraduate education.

Growing up with strong ties to her Hungarian heritage, she was a member of the Hungarian Scouts in Buffalo, NY for many years, where she learned about Hungarian history and culture, going on to eventually teach younger troop members. She also travels to Hungary annually to visit family and friends.

The Hungary Foundation is a solely charitable 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Foundation pursues its mission and goals by supporting Hungarian-American organizations and by supporting programs that strengthen interaction and cooperation between Hungarian and American citizens and institutions. In particular, the Foundation is focused on supporting cultural, educational and scholarly activities. The Foundation does not participate in political activities, political or election campaigns.

Emily Gyetvai is currently a student at Budapest Business School University of Applied Sciences, Hungary, where she is in her 4th semester of studying International Business Economics.

Emily comes from a small town high school in Salgótarján, where she had the chance to take part in everything from academic competitions to art projects and sports events. She tried herself out in every possible field until she found her interest in languages and then later in Economics. She has always been fascinated by different languages, nations, and cultures. Emily started studying several different foreign languages including English, German, Spanish, and Italian, and even took a short course in Hebrew and Esperanto. Her love for the English language resulted in her graduating from this subject two years earlier than usual.

Emily likes spending time with younger children. She always had this urge to help people and bring the best out of them.

The Hungary Foundation is a solely charitable 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The Foundation pursues its mission and goals by supporting Hungarian-American organizations and by supporting programs that strengthen interaction and cooperation between Hungarian and American citizens and institutions. In particular, the Foundation is focused on supporting cultural, educational and scholarly activities. The Foundation does not participate in political activities, political or election campaigns.

Miklos Leszko obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Obuda University in 2020. During his bachelor studies, he gained experience in development and project management roles at Knorr–Bremse Fékrendszerek Kft and Vincotech Hungára Kft. At the end of his bachelor studies he earned a Campus Mundi Erasmus Scholarship at Hochschule Esslingen University of Applied Sciences and spent a semester in Esslingen am Neckar, Germany. After finishing his degree, he worked full–time as a sales support engineer at Reynaers Aluminium Kft in Hungary. He started his Master’s studies as a full–time Mechanical Engineering Modelling student at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics parallelly with his full–time job. He obtained his degree in Mechanical Engineering Modelling in 2022.

His technical skillset and interest in business drove him to take a role as an Aftersales Zone Manager at Ford Motor Company where he worked till he joined the Hungarian American Business Leaders Scholarship Program.

Quinnipiac University

is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution in Hamden and North Haven, Connecticut, offering more than 140 programs to an estimated 6,800 undergraduates and 3,000 graduate, medical and law students. Quinnipiac prepares graduates as enlightened global citizens equipped for the challenges and opportunities of 21st-century careers.

Viktor obtained his first master’s degree in history and aesthetics in 2008 at the Faculty of Humanities of Eötvös Loránd University (ELU). Two years later, he earned his second degree in security and defense studies from the Miklós Zrínyi National Defense University. In the meantime, he started his Ph.D. studies at the ELU Doctoral School of Modern History, and defended his dissertation, which examined the Somali state building after decolonization, in 2014.

From 2010-2011, Viktor worked for the Hungarian Ministry of Defense. Since 2012, he has been working for the University of Public Service, first as a junior lecturer, later as an assistant professor, and now as an associate professor. In 2017, he won the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He also got a position at the Budapest-based Migration Research Institute (MRI) in 2017. He became the research director of MRI in 2019, and director in 2022. His main research areas focus on the migration trends of the African continent, African migration toward Europe, and the security aspects of migration. He is the author of three books and more than 160 book chapters and papers in academics, including Q-ranking journals.

The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit, research organization. Since our founding in 1985 by Otis Graham Jr., they have pursued a single mission – providing immigration policymakers, the academic community, news media, and concerned citizens with reliable information about the social, economic, environmental, security, and fiscal consequences of legal and illegal immigration into the United States. Our staff has testified before Congress over 130 times.

They are the nation’s only think tank devoted exclusively to the research of U.S. immigration policy to inform policymakers and the public about immigration’s far-reaching impact. The Center is animated by a unique pro-immigrant, low-immigration vision which seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted.

Bálint received his legal education in Romania and Hungary, obtaining his LL.B. diploma from Babeș-Bolyai University (Romania), and subsequently an M.A. in Private Law of the European Union from the same institution. He also graduated from the European and International Business Law LL.M. in a joint program of Debrecen University (Hungary) and Sapientia University (Romania), which then led to his enrollment into the University’s Ph.D. program.

During his bachelor’s degree, he was an active member of The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA), organizing local, national, and international moot court competitions, as well as competing in local and national ones. He gained essential experience working as an intern at a local law firm for nearly two years before graduating. This experience put him on a path to working in the field of business law after obtaining his bachelor’s degree.

Subsequent to starting his Ph.D. studies, he was invited to teach seminars on international economic law to fourth-year LL.B. students at Sapientia University (Romania) as a teaching assistant. Balint also teaches international commercial arbitration at the LL.M. program of Miskolc University as a visiting lecturer.

The spirit of American University, Washington College of Law lies in the hearts and minds of their community members, who are dedicated to the professional advancement and well-being of their students and alumni, and who strive to “Champion What Matters,” locally, nationally, and internationally.

At American University Washington College of Law, people meet the world where they will practice their profession. The world has become essentially borderless, where economic, political, and social changes require innovative legal analysis and solutions.