Katalin Káloky
Katalin is a fourth-year law student at Pázmány Péter Catholic University. Her profound curiosity has led her on an exciting academic and professional journey. With interests in law and public life, she aspires to use her expertise for the public good, transitioning from the private to the public sector as a legal professional. Her involvement in public life initially started as a podcaster, which later led to hosting events for over ten thousand attendees as an MC. In 2024, she spent two months at the European Parliament in the office of Ernő Schaller-Baross, which broadened her professional and international perspective and sparked her interest in EU law and European institutions. This experience culminated in a comparative study of European and American law that won first place at her faculty’s scientific student conference (TDK).
Her desire to understand the institutional operations of the American federal system and the free-market capitalist approach has taken her to Washington D.C. Here, she is going to work as a research intern at George Mason University on the side of Professor Anne Bradley. Kati’s research will focus on women’s economic freedom, the economic impacts of terrorism, and the political aspects of counterterrorism. Kati is also enrolled in two economics courses at George Mason University to complement her internship.
Katalin Káloky
Kati’s first international experience was during a gap year in Luxembourg, where she learned German and gained insights into the functioning of EU institutions, reaffirming her career choice. Her commitment to her studies has earned her a position among the top five students in her faculty. In the diverse world of law, Kati has seized numerous academic opportunities to refine her career path. In her second year, she participated in the 36th OTDK as an opponent, where she won first place in both financial law and info-communications law.
However, her enthusiasm for collaboration became more important than individual competitions, leading her and a friend to successfully compete in a national media law moot court competition (2nd place), which also helped her secure a spot on the university’s moot court team that will compete in the prestigious Willem C. International Arbitration Moot in 2025. To integrate theoretical knowledge with practical experience, Kati spent a year at an Austrian international law firm, where her superiors taught her the practical application of basic legal institutions.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Kati dedicates time to community service. Since 2018, she has volunteered with the Order of Malta, playing a significant role in establishing and leading a nearly 40-member youth team focused on aiding those with disabilities. Additionally, she shares her passion for literature as a volunteer teacher in the university’s Gradus ad Facultatem student organization.
Kati’s future plans include serving her community as a leader with a solid professional reputation, whether as a politician, diplomat, or professional leader, aiming to make the world a better place.
“I am happy to be here and to learn in – and from – the city that influences all of our lives. I hope that at the end of the program I’ll understand what makes the US great and with this perspective I’ll be able to make a difference in Hungary, whether in the short or long term.” – Katalin Kálnoky