Program: Budapest Fellowship Program
Year: 2023/24
Host Institution: Danube Institute
Research Focus: The symbolic stories of Hungarian identity-making in the media and arts
Quote: “I feel blessed to embark on this important journey of discovery and reflection with the support of my husband and anchor. Rick and I anticipate this immersive cultural experience to be transformational and are grateful that Isten hozott ide minket. [God brought us here].”
Read her introduction here: hungaryfoundation.org
Born to a family on the move, Meg grew up in Dallas, Texas, and the Middle East. Raised with a deep appreciation for knowledge and American tradition, she has had the fortune of living many lives. She began her professional career by training as a medical doctor (in an M.B.B.S. program) only to realize that she was called to serve with the pen – not the scalpel.
After graduating with an M.A. in the humanities from Dartmouth College, Meg actively engaged with New England politics. She has held progressively responsible leadership positions in the center-right public policy sphere, most recently serving as president of the Ethan Allen Institute in Vermont.
Meg created a politics-focused local television program called “Dialogues with Meg Hansen,” and has been a frequent columnist in regional newspapers. She owns a communications firm, which promotes civic engagement through multimedia initiatives and innovative art. Her love of aesthetics led her to earn a Master’s degree in material culture studies from the Polimoda Institute of Design in Florence, Italy along with work experience in the European sustainable fashion industry. She is a published poet and Romantic at heart.