Article Archives

For our current Flinn Scholarship finalists—and all who hope to become one next year or the year after—here are some practical pearls of wisdom I would suggest you keep in mind in advance of your interview.

·      

    Dress for the occasion. Show the Selection Committee that you want the Scholarship. This isn’t the time for dad’s old corduroy pants or mom’s 80’s neon orange blazer. For men: Your belt should match your shoes, and if your socks are white, do not color the tops in with a sharpie to match your suit. Really. For women: Business attire never means your homecoming dress with a suit jacket. And keep in mind that neutral colors or classic black are strong choices for your professional wardrobe.

·       Don’t look lost. Despite the pressure you may be feeling, you want to appear comfortable with your surroundings. Focus your attention on the Selection Committee members with whom you are speaking. If your eyes keep darting around the room, you may appear unfocused or give the impression that you’d rather be anywhere but there. It will help to have arrived well before your interview time.

    Make eye contact with everyone. If you only look at one person on the Selection Committee, you sacrifice an opportunity to connect with the other interviewers. Start by speaking to the individual who asked the question, but remember that the other panelists care about your answer too. And there’s a lot to be said for good posture, not fidgeting, and resisting the urge to constantly brush hair out of your eyes. And, smile!

·       Answer the questions you’re given. Circling around a question, diverting to a prepared talking point, defaulting to “I really want this scholarship,” or telling a story that isn’t obviously related won’t reflect well on the fantastic person you are. If you need to ask for clarification, that’s fine. Additionally, if you can, identify a counterpoint to the question and address it in your answer. Then acknowledge the counterpoint to your answer.

·       Own your opinions. “I don’t know” is an acceptable answer when it’s true, but if you decline to disclose an opinion or answer, you are missing the whole point of the interview. In an effective interview, the Selection Committee will challenge you and make you a little uncomfortable. In an effective interview, you won’t be afraid to be yourself..

We look forward to seeing our finalists very soon! We know you will all deliver great interviews. 

Each year, Flinn scholars write letters of encouragement to students completing the scholarship application. Here is what Stephen has to say. 

Hey there,

My name is Stephen Bergauer, and I am from the Flinn Scholar Class of 2012 (and a 2016 Sun Devil, majoring in Math and Finance). At this point, it’s hard for me to believe that, just one year ago, I was sitting in exactly the same position you were in, reading a similar email encouraging me to finish my application, largely blank at the time. Growing up in Chandler, I had heard of the Flinn Scholars program in somewhat mythical terms – a benefit reserved only for students curing cancer in high school while holding down multiple full-time jobs and playing in eight sports. Reading through the Foundation’s website of past scholars only confirmed my suspicions: these people were traveling to Africa and Asia and Antarctica trying to cure world hunger, third-world dysentery/malaria/measles/cholera, and sociopolitical inequality—all at the same time.

As I’m sure many of you did, I attended one of the scholarship information sessions held during the spring of my junior year; if anything, this made me even less confident in my accomplishments. I thought that there was no way that I could be part of this select group—I had already made plans to attend an out-of-state school that was offering me a substantial scholarship and just finished my application out of a chance of a dream of a hope that I could be a Flinn Scholar. Six months later, after two rounds of interviews, I received that phone call in mid-March informing me that I was a scholar; I’m sure I wasn’t the first to laugh, cry, run laps around my house, and immediately accept all at the same time.

When you look over the Flinn program benefits, I’m sure you noticed the full-ride scholarship value, the extensive travel opportunities, and the networking events sponsored by the Foundation. While all of these are fantastic benefits, I want to stress one that can often be overlooked: the idea of a “community of scholars.” In high school, I was a complete and total nerd – president and state champion in Academic Decathlon, leader of my school’s We the People team, member of the Knowledge Masters club. Despite this, I had always felt like “the smartest man in the room” in my high school classes, like I could never truly fit in because I always seemed to know more than most of the people around me. As aspiring Flinn Scholars and excellent students, I’m sure some of you have felt a similar way and are afraid that you might face a similar situation at an Arizona university – still being the smartest person in the room, alone at the top, in a sense. Even though I’ve only been part of this program for a few months, I have already met more people that are not only dedicated to their studies but are also actively involved in issues that matter to them – whether on a global, national, or local scale. I’m not ashamed to admit that many of my fellow scholars are much smarter than I am and that I can only hope to equal their accomplishments. By being part of this “community of scholars,” you already have an established group of intelligent, dedicated individuals from day one on campus—an experience that no Ivy League or “better” school could ever match. Choosing to stay in-state and take the Flinn was probably the best decision I have ever made.

I’d like to close with a few pieces of advice, some specific, some general, about the application process. On the paper application itself, don’t hesitate to brag about yourself. If you’re applying for this scholarship, then you have obviously excelled in your classes and are involved in leadership activities both on- and off-campus; however, all the other applicants also have these same traits. What makes you different? What can you use the scholarship for that nobody else can? On the essays, try to think outside-the-box. Brainstorm a list of ideas about the essay, then cross off the first five; somebody else is already using them. To paraphrase my favorite physics teacher in high school, you need to “rise above the masses”—don’t be afraid to take a chance! The scholarship committee is reading hundreds of essays, and yours needs to literally jump off the page.

As far as the interviews are concerned, the best advice I can give you is to be authentic and passionate. The questions will range from your resume and accomplishments to interesting ideas presented in your application essays to your thoughts on current social, political, or economic issues, on scales ranging from global to local. Because this range is so wide, there’s simply no way that you can adequately prepare for them, so beyond learning about the world around you and current hot-button events (read a newspaper!), there’s not much you can do to prepare. What I think the committee is really looking for is passion and authenticity – two qualities that are fairly difficult to fake. You’ve been involved in many activities throughout high school; what drove you to choose those? What did you hope to get out of them? What did you get out of them? What issues are you passionate about, and how do you think the Flinn can help you achieve your goals? If you can answer these questions, I think you’ll be an excellent candidate for the scholarship.

I wish you all the best, and I hope to see you join our newest class of scholars next year! If you have any questions about ASU, business majors, the Scholars program, or transitioning to college in general, please don’t hesitate to email me.

Thanks,

Stephen Bergauer

sbergaue@asu.edu

Scholar Jeannie Wilkening reassures us that radioactive spiders aren't necessary to become a Flinn.  

Dear Flinn Applicants,

My name is Jeannie Wilkening and I am a freshman Flinn Scholar majoring in Chemical Engineering. Just one year ago, I never would have imagined myself writing that sentence.  For a number of reasons, I was convinced that the Flinn was not for me. My only real motivation for even finishing the application was just to make my parents stop bothering me about it. Since you are all undoubtedly intelligent people, I am sure that you can tell things have changed since I submitted that application.

Coming from a high school without many Flinns, I was sure that Flinn Scholars were all mythical super humans who were pretty much the closest thing to a real world Justice League.  Feeling that I was more ordinary than extraordinary, I didn’t think I stood a chance. After actually meeting Flinn Scholars, however, I can tell you that my original idea is only partially true. Yes, all the Flinn Scholars I have met are awesome people who do incredible things. They are, however, still human. All Flinns have awkward moments, make mistakes, and possess their fair share of faults. So if you are still looking for that radioactive spider to give you an edge in the application process, you can stop. We aren’t perfect. We aren’t good at everything. And we definitely would not be able to pull off all that spandex. Don’t worry about not having some fantastical achievement on your application. Just let them get to know the real you.

The other main reason that I discounted the Flinn initially was that I was sure I did not want to stay in Arizona. I knew I wanted research experiences, access to faculty, and a challenging and stimulating academic environment. I thought the only way I could get that was to go out of state. As I went through the application process, however, I learned more about both myself and the opportunities available to me in Arizona. I could not be happier with my choice to stay. After only being on campus for six weeks, I have already discussed environmental issues with award-winning faculty, analyzed trace contaminants in water samples in a research lab I work in, and met countless other students who share my passion for learning. I have truly found everything I wanted and more right here in Arizona. 

For me, the Flinn application process was really about discovering more about myself, the Flinn community, and Arizona as a whole. I know the same will be true for you. Even if you aren’t sure the Flinn is right for you, I encourage you to finish the application.  Write the essays. Fill out the forms. Think about what you really want from your college experience and where you can find that. You might not change your mind, or you may be like me and realize what an incredible opportunity the Flinn Scholar program is. Either way, just do it and give yourself the opportunity to find out.

Good luck,

Jeannie Wilkening

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Olivia Marie Valencia (’11)

Sunday, the final 24 hours of our nearly month-long trip, served as the last ditch effort day for all the Budapest activities that we had talked about but still hadn't gotten around to. The morning started with the usual rummage for clean-enough clothes and a trip to the Hotel Medosz breakfast buffet. Groups then splintered off and ventured here and there in the hot and humid weather: some hunted for last minute souvenirs, some relished gelato molded in the shape of roses, and some took one last sight-seeing lap around the city.

After an afternoon of hitting the pavement, we traded tank tops and gym shorts for dresses and slacks and attended our farewell dinner. We were hosted in a local art gallery and treated to live Hungarian-Spanish flamenco music and tasty appetizers and entrées (buttered dough balls and ginger ale, anyone?). As is tradition, Ben and Aubri then presented us with our personalized certificates which ranged from the “first-world daddy” award (Paul) to the “most unlikely to like rap music but actually does” award (myself, as many of my fellow Flinns were surprised to learn).

Those who avoided a crème brûlée coma (or those who succumbed and woke up) wrapped up the night a “Fleepover” (a sleepover Flinn-style, meaning polishing off the remaining cheese-flavored Lays chips and Nutella in our pajamas). Conversations revolved around a month’s worth of YouTube jokes (“put the team on your back!”) and the incredibly fast pace of the trip. We mapped out the various post-Hungaromania travel plans (train trips to Prague and flights to London and Benin) and began our bittersweet goodbyes with those not leaving for Phoenix with the group. One by one, we reluctantly trudged back to our rooms for a final Battle of the Bulge with our overstuffed duffel bags. Although our hotel departure was only two or three hours away, we set our alarms and took a short nap before loading the bus for the last time.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Paul Thomson (’11)

You know, it's one of those things where you hear everyone say, "The time flies by!" and, "It'll be over before you know it!" and you never really believe them until you wake up one morning to sunshine streaming through your window and the sound of a car alarm just outside and you realize, "Hey! It's my blog day!" and then, "But I'm at the end of the list!" and then, "Oh my gosh, we only have three days left." But, time stops for no one on the Central European Seminar, and so it was with this stunning realization that I greeted the day. Good morning!

I am pleased to say that we are (finally!) back in Budapest at the Medosz Hotel. This place, with its high pressure showers (except on floor three...sorry, floor three) and its complimentary towels/soap/shampoos/biscuits/fluffed pillows and its continental breakfast to end all continental breakfasts, has become a sort of home away from home on this trip. It's foreign, for sure, but a familiar kind of foreign and I couldn't be happier about spending our last days here.

Today was a "back to business" day after the reprieve of yesterday's transition, and when I checked my itinerary at breakfast like the resourceful boy I am, I was somewhat distressed to read that we had not one, but two lectures on MY blog day. Welcome back to Budapest! But, I am overjoyed to say that my pessimism was proved a thousand times wrong throughout the course of the day. The lectures were two of the most fascinating--if totally dissimilar--lectures we have had thus far. The first was given by Gabor Bojar, creator of a booming computer software company called Graphisoft. Not only was homeboy successful like wow, but he also knew how to give a quick, concise, and engaging lecture. The business majors ate his entrepreneurial advice up, and the rest of us were drawn into his "success is a competition" motto, too.

We then met up with Geza Kallay for a crash course in Hungarian literature, and--I have to tell you--this was one of my favorite lectures so far. Actually, it's one of the only ones I haven't slept through. No, I'm totally kidding. Kallay was not just knowledgeable, but passionate. He was the kind of speaker that really gets to know his audience and--in so doing--makes them want to listen. The fact that he joined us for dinner and led a game of blind-telephone-short story was only a testament to just how much he really cared about us as a class.

Now, I'm going to be real with you: I am not always the easiest to please. I like my lectures fast but full, my meals nutritious but delicious, and my days to be stimulating but relaxed. Well, I guess today was my lucky day, because I genuinely enjoyed everything we did. Now, I don't really know what tomorrow holds, but I know it's going to be amazing. After all, you're only in Hungary once: YOHO!

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Katherine Richard (’11)

June 13th began with a truly atrocious breakfast. Who would have thought that eggplant paste, white bread, and cold slabs of butter would not have been a mouth-watering hit?

The day improved - I promise.

Bogdan Radu (arguably the most unanimously adored speaker of this trip) began the day with a lecture about Religion and Democracy in Central Europe, moving from a discussion of transitional democratic states, to one concerning the effects of religion on political participation. Following him, Cosmina Paul presented topics of the Romanian Holocaust, the Romanian dissidence under communism, and the Romanian Roma minority.

Where Bogdan's lecture was a fascinating investigation of a region that we still know so little about, Cosmina spoke about sensitive issues that have been greatly overlooked in our time here. She spoke of the ways in which Romania has avoided blame for their massacre of Jewish individuals, failing to admit to their true involvement independent of the Nazi Party's well-known practices. She spoke of the ways in which the Romanian people failed to revolt against communist governments unless under the wing of another people's instigation. She spoke of the forced relocation of hundreds of Roma people to a town built on top of a garbage dump just eighteen months ago.

In the afternoon, we followed these lectures with a discussion about minority issues with local Romanian students. This two hour conversation/debate/misunderstanding was, in many ways, a sobering experience, demonstrating potential for vastly distinct world views. Many of us were made uncomfortable and made others equally so. But being able to interact with our lecture material in such a personal way was invaluable - one of my favorite parts of this trip so far.

[These intense portions of the day were followed by some time spent drinking coffee on a terrace and eating together at the Romania farewell dinner. These were both great things, especially since no fried cheese was served.]

June 13th was not an easy day. It was a challenging day and a humbling day. What I write here does not adequately explain this day, maybe because our last full day in Romania was a sobering confrontation of injustice that remains ignored. I wish that we could have learned about these things earlier, just as I wish that we could have discussed them in more depth. But I am grateful that we were able to listen to such educated speakers, and I am thankful that I could experience this day with such an excellent group of people.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Patrick Martin (’11)

Happy Birthday Shantanu! This beautiful day was spent half in Ti^rgu Mure(s,) and half in a nearby nomad camp. Our tour of the city brought us to three beautiful cathedrals. The first was a formerly Catholic, now Calvinist cathedral in which the only decorations were dozens of crests mounted on the walls representing important Transylvanian nobility, but otherwise the walls were completely white, contrasting with the ornate cathedrals of other faiths we had seen. After the Catholics had lost that church they built another one which we visited second, which was the most decorated church we had seen. Unfortunately we couldn't walk all the way in, but we could see the ceiling covered in depictions of Biblical figures and stories. Our final church was the Orthodox church, which was the most decorated church we had seen and ever saw. The walls were covered with portaits with highly reflective halos that I can imagine being even more brilliant at noon when the Sun would shine through the stained glass Jesus on the ceiling.

The second half of the day was spent at the nomad camp, which involved a short but steep hike up a large hill to a beautiful view. Wild mint grew everywhere, providing a wonderful smell to distract from the nettles that attacked a few of us. Shortly after returning from our hike we were provided with mountain trout for dinner followed by Shantanu's birthday cakes! Our time at the nomad camp finished around a campfire that could not pop microwave popcorn at all and the largest cultural shock of the trip: there are no marshmallows in Romania.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Donovan Lockwood (‘11

Even on our "relaxed" days we do more than any day I would call relaxed back home. Today, we left the Deva Saint Francis Foundation and drove to Medias, an old fortified town. We had a quick lunch, and then we had a little while to explore around. Even though it was approximately 150 percent humidity and in the high 80s. We got a little group together and went to an old fortified church with some beautiful architecture.

After this, we got back on the bus and drove for three more hours. After so long on the bus, a few people were getting a bit stir crazy, especially Julia, who was a self-proclaimed "rage ball" by the end of the ride. Driving through the countryside was great, though. On either side there were rolling green hills and farmland for as far as the eye could see. The houses were few and far between, which was awesome, coming from a place like Phoenix.

Right when we arrived in Petroni, a small village with about 160 people, we were welcomed with fantastic homemade donuts. The hospitality of these people was so refreshing. They were so happy to welcome us into their lives, even though they had never met us before. After the donuts, we met our homestay hosts, and then came back to an excellent dinner of goulash made over a fire. We had a little bit of time to relax before we were taught folk dancing by some of the villagers. I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't very good, but Stella was rocking it.

The rest of the night was really relaxed, with some sitting around, talking, playing on a swingset, and an impromptu accordion concert. I think the part that is going to stick with me the most about this village is the amazingly vibrant community in such a small town.

The trip seems to be winding down, but in a good way. Just sitting around and having a chill night is something that I have definitely learned to enjoy through this trip. It's been great getting to know everyone better, and I'm excited to see what the rest of the Hungaromania 2012 has in store for us!

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Gabrielle Lacy (’11)

June 7th marked by our first full day in Romania. We woke up in Timisoara and our first sights included Victory Square, a beautiful plaza steps away from our hotel. The square was bounded by an Orthodox Church and a theater; the sides were lined with restaurants and gelato shops. We first passed through this area on our way to West University where we spent the majority of our day.

Upon arrival, we received a practical orientation of the following eight days and a general overview of Romanian history as well as a note on some famous Romanians. After lunch, we returned to the West University and attended a lecture given by a local professor pertaining to Anti-Development theory. The idea addresses issues that arise with conventional development approaches and local reactions to large- scale efforts. Later, we were very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet some local Master's students working in development studies. It was very interesting to hear their areas of study as well as their motivations for entering the field.

We continued these conversations as they gave us a tour of Timisoara.

Many of us chose to visit a restaurant situated alongside a river with the local students, while others found their way to delicious Italian food. But for most, the night concluded with gelato. At the end of our first day in Romania, we were all so very excited to see what our coming days had in store for us.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Lee Burke (’11)

Today can be split into two themes: EU politics and Hungarian music. Peter Balázs honored us with a lecture on Hungary's accession to the EU and its new place in European politics, and also lent insight into Hungary's current internal political problems. As a former foreign minister, among a long list of essential national and international offices he has held, Professor Balázs is the most informed, concise, and eloquent presenter we have had the pleasure of meeting. (He also happens to be Kata's father.)

Then we took part in a fun and informative workshop on EU politics--we formed four groups and respectively passed a constitutional amendment in Ireland, settled EU discomfort with the EuroCup's location in the Ukraine, investigated solutions to the linguistic disenfranchisement of EU citizens, and discussed whether the US Secretary of State should include Roma issues on the agenda of a meeting with the EU. We all seemed to have fun debating, and I for one am surprised how much I learned in such a short time. Thanks go to János Bóka from the EU info point for organizing the workshop.

After a “Lunch On Your Own”, we reconvened at the Ligéti building of the Liszt Music Academy for a lecture and presentation from Gyula Fekete, an internationally recognized composer. After a brief introduction to Liszt, Kodály, and other Hungarian composers, Professor Fekete introduced us to a couple outstanding musicians who play traditional instruments: the Hurdy-Gurdy and the Zither. They were both outstanding players, and hearing the sounds of folk music really reformed my conception of the Hungarian past.

The students' unusual sounds contrasted sharply with my favorite part of the trip: seeing Anna Karenina in Ballet at the Hungarian State Opera House. The music was compiled from the varied and diverse works of Tchaikovsky, from his Symphony No. 4 to the Souvenir de Florence, and performed by an excellent orchestra. But the dancers! I've never watched a ballet and I have to say, I'm definitely a convert.

That seems to be a common feeling on this trip: never-ending discovery and falling in love with our beautiful, huge, planet.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Dylon Gookin (‘11)

Something you learn about traveling with a flock of Flinns: there are two sides to every coin. We often agree on a lot, but it's the same issues one would think we could all agree on we tend to find ourselves most divided over.

For most of us, every moment, every experience, and every memory is to be dissected, discussed, and debated for analysis, followed by reference and cross-analysis, and of course, further discussed in regards to whatever subliminal controversy must surely lay beneath. Needless to say, we seem to deeply discuss everythin on a daily basis. Not a single day has gone by without my own mind being stretched beyond whatever bounds I had only the day before deemed comfortable. Yet, however we call the spinning coin of reality from our perception of every day, the experience that tossed it still does what it's meant to do - change us.

We opened the brisk morning in Pecs with a late breakfast followed by a lecture in the Porcelain Museum. We were led up to a generally inaccessible lecture hall (an occurance that is now becoming familiar to us) by Professor Frank Zsigó to discuss minority issues with a primary focus on the Roma community.

The vast room echoed with whatever sentiments we had to share, often solemnly turning to the disadvantages of minorities such as race, gender, sexuality and the like - and there was little argument over this. Yet Frank, always with a purpose, was keen to point out even our own most subtle stereotypes; facilitating criticism of our own thinking while keeping the discussion focused primarily on the Roma - their culture, trials, and small successes. Frank ended up joining us on our short drive to Alsószentmárton, a local Roma village past scholars have annually visited for the past twelve years.

At this point in our three week expedition, bus travels have begun to blend together, but even before we left our seats we could see a half dozen eager children sitting along the road, eyes wide-eyed and watching us through the windows as we pulled alongside their mess hall.

We got off the bus and were quickly ushered in where we promptly feasted on some sort of plain pasta, freshly woodfire-cooked bread, and plenty of tender boned chicken in broth. Delicious hardly describes the combination of all three in a single bowl. We spoke to Laci (read Lot-see) between bites who described his leading role in the village, his past experiences, and his numerous travels around the world. Even  more curious though, were the dozen or so children with their fingers intertwined in the wrought iron window grate behind our new aqcuaintance, waiting and whispering in giggles, clearly eager to play.

Not fifteen minutes later, balloons, beach and soccer balls, chalk and hundreds of stickers were being tossed around as we were casually led through dilapidated buildings strewn with blanketed windows and weather-torn bricks. We juggled our attention between the natural vibrance of the children and an otherwise sobering tour of poverty, but one couldn't ignore the overgrown flora the beach balls weaved through, or the battered buildings the occasional stray soccer ball would meet. Laci brought us to their local church which paled in comparison to most we had seen over the past days, yet stood majestic in its own right. It still held a certain importance for the Catholic based village, which held special sermons for the religious holidays, though they remarked on the bitter winters they trudged through each year to attend.

We met again at the main hall where we first ate. The number of children had at least tripled, though this wasn't a problem once we had a game of soccer going, not to mention the other small games of tic-tac-toe, chalk drawings or the like being passed around.

I took a break from the games at one point to speak directly with Laci, thanking him for the food - a meal he revealed isn't shared too often. He commented with a smile that they only eat like so for special occasions: Christmas and Easter for example, and apparently whenever we come to visit.

If you get a moment to speak with all twenty of us in the future about how we percieved that day, you'll likely be greeted with twenty different answers. There were debates of interaction in comparison to voyeurism, confusion with our purpose in visiting them, and even some stated qualms of awkwardness and discomfort due to the language barrier. For every claim however, someone was sure to argue the opposite.

We can't know how our visits will impact the Roma of Alsószentmárton. Beyond the coy smiles and mutterings of Hungarian from the children, all we could take from our day were our own freshly born perceptions, however they formed. In the case of the spinning coin, every Flinn called the day's toss a different way, but only time and effort will tell how the coin will actually land. All we can know for certain is that our visit affected not only the Roma of Alsószentmárton, but ourselves as well.

For whatever impact it had, the hours we spent with the Roma slipped by in mere moments. Too quickly, it seemed, we said our scattered goodbyes and left.

We looked back as we waved goodbye and slowly settled in for the bus ride back to Pecs.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Eric Chang ('11)

Our second day staying at the Snetburger Music Talent Center began ambitiously. Cary, Amy, and I woke up at 4:30 to hike up a hill and watch the sunrise. Upon arriving at our vantage point and peering over the endless sweeping meadows in the distance, we grew skeptical about whether the sunrise would even be visible behind the thick cloud cover. After an hour of conversation, the sun still hadn't peered through the clouds and we sadly trekked back to the cabins in the light drizzle.

The inclement weather meant our plans to relax at a Lake Balaton beach needed revision. Initial thoughts were to visit the town, but before then we headed to the Balaton Limnological Research Institute for a lecture by Matyas Presing concerning the research being conducted at Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. We learned about how an inrunning filtration process fixed the lake's prior bacterial and water quality issues, ultimately replacing dangerous cyanobacteria with green algae. Due to the institute's research, the lake water is now clean enough to drink and is a major recreational site during the summer.

Hearing this, we were pleasantly surprised that it was sunny when we were leaving the institute. We quickly reverted back to our original plans and spent the next couple hours swimming in the gorgeous lake, building sand castles, and capturing beach towel-superhero photos.

Lunch took place at a homey restaurant with a wood fire oven and cats roaming the dining room. After enjoying yet another delicious traditional three course hungarian meal, we headed to the shore again to catch a ferry across the lake. We were finally truly saying goodbye to the Balaton region and approaching our next destination.

En route to our hostel in Obanya, we stopped by a local man's home to pick cherries and tour his restored three-story water mill. We all had a blast grabbing as many cherries as we could find, climbing all over this man's tree to fill a bucketful of delicious fruit. Of course, this didn't happen without us all munching on these cherries while we picked, and the air soon become thick with flying pits.

Later that evening, we had finally arrived at the hostel in Obanya, a rural village in southern Hungary. After a soothing meal of goulash cooked over a campfire, we decided to begin our preparations for our performance this upcoming Monday at the Ghandi School, a Romani high school in Pecs, Hungary. We settled on an a cappella performance of "We Are Young" by Fun, led by the former drum majors in our class-- Cary and Nick.

Finally, despite having to coordinate eleven boys sharing one bathroom, we were all happy to get some rest after a hectic and long, yet rewarding day of experiencing rural lifestyle in southern Hungary.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Cary Kelly (’11)

This day began with the end of one of my favorite trip experiences thus far: the home stay. However, before I ruminate about my unique home stay experience, I will give a cursory overview of my day's activities.

• Woke up at home stay's house (More details to follow). Returned to hotel by mid-morning. Kicked a soccer ball around outside with Aman, Jacquelyn, and Dylon while waiting for others to return.
• Lecture from young researchers at Central European University about the following: the origins and operations of the European Union, the Western Balkans and their possible future roles in EU enlargement, and the Eastern Partnership (I was impressed with the magnitude and scope of many of the issues to which the researchers had committed themselves to. The presentations were informative and interesting; one speaker even successfully integrated a menagerie of internet memes into his slides).
• Independent lunch with Patrick, Aman, Cody, Nick and Eric, jolly good fun. Two hour scenic country bus ride to Felsoors, which was substantiated by a group discussion of the previous day's museum trips. Lots of provocative discussion about the House of Terror (Loyalty House).
• Arrived at Snetberger Institute in the evening. A casual dinner and group bonding activities such as volleyball and catchphrase characterized the rest of the night. Pleasant group night hike to a meadow covered ridge. Patrick was lucky enough to get the first tick bite. Bed before midnight – a miracle!

The 30th was a fairly relaxed day compared to previous days of Budapest bustle. However, I want to expand on my homestay experience.

I had the pleasure of staying with Bence Vargas, a 22 year old business student. Bence was reserved, but friendly and eager to connect. He endured my incessant awkward attempts at Hungarian, and even let me play Hungary 20 questions whenever we had a moment to ourselves. Tuesday evening, we basically followed the informal group itinerary: dinner at a casual Hungarian Restaurant called Losche's and bonding time at a club called Morrison's 2. In between Bence and I took a brief hour jaunt back to his house to drop off valuables. Those group activities were truly enjoyable, giving me a chance to interact with other hosts and to get a taste of the Hungarian youngster social life. However, the value of the home stay really proved itself when we left the club and returned to his house. Walking in the front door around midnight, we were both surprised to learn that his mom had prepared a large meal for us, and was simply waiting for our arrival. Before I knew it, I was sitting in a disheveled parlor with a mix of grandiose Hungarian paintings, heirloom antiques, and everyday living items--clothing, miscellaneous appliances, and the occasional lonely shoe. I was positioned at a small, dark wooden table with Bence, his mother, his aunt, and his aunt's sassy German friend. I can't pinpoint what exactly enchanted me about this dinner, but I was captivated. Between the curious, disjointed questions of his mother, the secret food deliveries of the aunt who spoke little English (I think her mission was to fill every corner of the table with food and drink), and the sarcastic, teasing jokes of the German friend, I found myself humbled and immensely grateful for being at that place at that time. There was Hungarian, German and English flying across the table (all of which my host spoke fluently), and once I learned the German friend spoke Spanish, we added that to the fray. A few hours, drinks, and plates of food later crystallized that dinner in my memory for some time to come.

The next morning was a simple breakfast looking out over the beautiful Buda hills, but its simplicity seemed to be the perfect complement to the previous night's adventures. The 30th itself was a day well spent, and I look forward to those to come.

Each summer an entire class of Flinn Scholars engages in a group study-travel seminar. This year’s seminar, held in Hungary and western Romania, runs from late in May to mid-June. Here’s a day-by-day account.

Jasmine Anglen (’11)

As we set out on the second full day of our trip, excitement was sky-high, but energy levels had waned. Luckily, the IIE trip-planners must have foreseen this and arranged for us to bus over to the adorable Hollók village. Away from the bustle of a city center like Oktogon in Budapest, we were able to walk up hills, into the forest and out to cow pastures while running into friendly dogs and people.

The restaurant we stopped in for lunch had been run by the same adorable, little old lady for decades and included walls decked out in black and white photographs of her childhood. Paul and Katherine kindly volunteered to dress up in traditional Hungarian village garb and proceeded to re-enact a Hungarian couple falling in love and getting married, flirting and all. The adorable restaurant owner orchestrated the whole love story and concluded by singing for us!

The rest of the day consisted of a trip to a castle on a hill and a re-enactment of some old battle (which was joined by one of our very own, the fearless Dylon Gookin). I couldn’t help but think while sitting on the grassy hillside watching the canons and sword fights, looking out over the forest and castle, how perfectly the day had been planned. After the plane flights and walking tours and general high-energy awesomeness of the trip so far, it was nice to just get to sit on a green hill, amble around a rural village, and watch some cows, while still soaking up another facet of Hungarian culture.

Of course, no day with the Flinns would be complete without some profound life lesson arising in one form or another. So listen closely. When you see a very much handmade and seemingly insignificant fence made of twine surrounding a cow pasture, you can still safely assume that it is indeed an electric fence. But don’t worry, all of your Flinn pals will insist on touching it and getting shocked to make sure. Lesson learned: don’t underestimate the punch (or pinch) something seemingly insignificant can pack, and listen when the first Flinn says “Ah! It’s electric!”(and start doing the electric slide).

Flinn Scholar alumna Katherine Larson ('96) has had a big year.

Last March, Yale University Press published Katherine's first volume of poetry, Radial Symmetry, her reward for winning the Yale Series of Younger Poets prize, the oldest annual literary award in the United States and a distinction not far short of winning the Pulitizer Prize.

Writing on the Paris Review Daily in May, Nicole Rudick summed up the collection well: "The natural world has never felt more physical, more alive with tiny movements and infinite textures." In a review for The Independent, Carrie Etter wrote, "Poem by poem, Radial Symmetry exhibits an extraordinary wakefulness, an immersion in nuance that enriches experience."

Now Katherine has been named winner of the $10,000 Kate Tufts Discovery Award, given each year by the Claremont Graduate University "for a first book by a poet of genuine promise." A CGU news release continues:

"The Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards are among the most important prizes in all of the arts, and they lift our spirits year after year," Claremont Graduate University President Deborah Freund said. “My most heartfelt congratulations go out to Timothy and Katherine for their extraordinary books. It will be an honor to host these wonderful and creative talents when they visit our campus this spring."

A ceremony for this year's winners will be held on the campus of Claremont Graduate University at 5 p.m. on April 19. Author Maxine Hong Kingston will give special remarks.

As a Flinn Scholar, Katherine earned bachelor's degrees in creative writing and ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, then earned a master of fine arts degree in creative writing at the University of Virginia.