Introducing HIF Graduate Scholar: Alíz Nagyváradi

by | Nov 13, 2017 | We Proudly Support

Alíz Nagyváradi is a graduate student at the University of San Diego in its Peace Studies program. Ms. Nagyvarádi is one of five scholars who received an HIF Graduate Scholarship for Fall 2017. The Scholarship supports talented young Hungarians who pursue graduate studies in the United States.

Alíz Nagyváradi

Alíz Nagyváradi is currently studying at the University of San Diego Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, which is the first stand-alone school in the U.S. focused on peace and justice. The Kroc School provides students with an exceptional and inspiring environment for learning from leaders and peacemakers from all over the world.

“At the Kroc School we not only learn about the theory of conflicts, but we also acquire a set of tools and skills on how to apply them and put them into practice by focusing on our area of interest.” – Alíz Nagyváradi 

Before coming to the Kroc School, Ms. Nagyváradi worked in Hungarian Public Administration. While there, she was trusted with communicating with representatives of different countries and making decisions on high quality regional development projects. She hopes to build upon this experience and the skills she is developing at the Kroc School to work in the field of transnational cooperation for victims of human trafficking.

Ms. Nagyváradi’s interests in working on behalf of disadvantaged children are rooted in her volunteer work. At UNICEF in Hungary, she provided classes on children’s rights to kids in elementary and high schools, with the aim of informing children about their rights and empowering them with the knowledge and tools to seek help out of abusive situations.

“Volunteering has played a significant role in my life. I worked with abused children and taught children’s rights to kids. These have been the most rewarding experiences in my life and furthered my desire to help vulnerable children through my career, such as by tackling trafficking and the resulting traumas.”

As a Fulbright Visiting Researcher, Ms. Nagyváradi had the opportunity to work at the Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI), which is one of the most widely recognized academic, research, and advocacy organizations in the US, working to improve the lives of all children and youth.

In accordance with the HIF Scholarship, Ms. Nagyváradi has begun working on a specialized project. She will be assisting CAI’s team on a human trafficking legislative recommendation for California. The recommendation focuses on the treatment of commercially sexually exploited children.

Ms. Nagyváradi has already had the opportunity to learn about the approaches different states take to combat sex trafficking and has acquired a solid knowledge of the specialized services and programs that states provide to victims. She met survivors and read stories of victims and realized that the problem is much bigger than what is on the surface. After graduating from the Kroc School, she would like to further help victims of sex trafficking by facilitating collaboration between countries and working on treatment programs.

In completing her special project, Ms. Nagyváradi has developed an extensive network in San Diego by regularly attending meetings on Human Trafficking. Knowing experts in this field in a trans-border region of the US, she would like to develop a space to connect experts and facilitate collaboration between them.

“I am extremely grateful for the educational scholarship provided by the Hungarian Initiatives Foundation. Without this support, I would not have been able to cover all my expenses incurred while studying and living in Southern California.”

Alíz Nagyváradi at the Children’s Advocacy Institute

 

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