Hungarian Heritage Review, 1987 (16. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1987-07-01 / 7. szám
=....== TOP STUDENT IN HUNGARIAN STUDIES PROGRAM AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY AWARDED TRIP TO HUNGARY NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY -Cecilia Kovach of Springfield, New Jersey, a sophomore at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, was recently selected by the Director and Faculty of the university’s new Hungarian Studies Program to be the recipient of a free trip to Hungary. The co-sponsors of the award were the HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW and TRAVEL GUIDE in cooperation with MALÉV HUNGARIAN AIRLINE. Dr. William W. Derbyshire, the Director of the Slavic Program within the university’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Chinese, Comparative Literature, and Slavic Languages and Literatures, and Mrs. Margaret Erdei of Travel Guide, a travel agency in Clark, New Jersey, specializing in Hungarian travel arrangements, presented the award to Miss Kovach at a semester-closing reception held in Scott Hall. The re-emergence of a Hungarian Studies Program at Rutgers University after a lapse of more than 17 years was made possible by a donation from Dr. and Mrs. Leslie Agh, a matching grant from the American Hungarian Foundation, and a few contributions from individual Hungarians concerned with the preservation and perpetuation of the Hungarian language in America. The program's first year was so successful that plans have been made to augment the teaching of Hungarian with courses in Hungarian history, culture, etc. that Miss Cecilia Kovach with smiles after being presented with a free trip to Hungary. will be taught by professors from Hungary. A fundraising campaign to help bring this into realization and to help support the program until it qualifies for funding by Rutgers University after three years has been launched in connection with the Hungarian Studies Fund of the Rutgers Foundation. Cooperating in this drive are the HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW and the RÁKÓCZI FOUNDATION-INTERNATIONAL (USA). In explaining the reasons why the Hungarian Studies Program must be financed by outside sources, Dr. Derbyshire said: “First of all, if we can get the financial support of the Hungarian community in the United States to help cover the costs of our program for the next two years, we can look forward to qualifying for funding from the university for the long pull. Secondly, if the support of the Hungarian community is substantial enough, we can certainly establish a Hungarian Chair of Studies at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.” An interesting aspect of the Hungarian Studies Program at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey is that most of the students enrolled for the first year were not of Hungarian lineage and studied the language to enhance their chances after graduating of qualifying for jobs with the United States Department of State and other governmental agencies. Others, plan to go on to graduate studies at such universities as Georgetown in order to prepare themselves to take the examinations for acceptance by the U.S. Diplomatic Service. Miss Kovach, of course, is of Hungarian parentage, but like she said: “When I was younger, my mother used to drag me to a lot of things. I dreaded taking Saturday classes in Hungarian. But, now, I’m seeking them out myself!” She sure is, and that is why she is going to Hungary! Just a few Hungarians concerned about preserving and perpetuating the Hungarian language helped to fund the establishment of the Hungarian Language Program at... THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY RUTGERS FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE. COMP. LIT. AND SLAVIC LANG. AND LITERATURES Now, your help is urgently needed to keep it alive, well, and growing for the next two years until the Hungarian Language Program can qualify for university and grant fundings. So, if you really care about fostering the teaching of the “Mother Tongue” in America, here is your opportunity to do so and by sending your tax-deductible contribution to: THE HUNGARIAN STUDIES FUND % Rutgers Foundation, Rutgers University 191 College Avenue New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903 2 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW JULY 1987
