Flinn Scholars

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.

Flinn Scholars

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.

Aubri Carman ('11)

Hello from the Snetberger Talent Center in Felsoors, Hungary! We arrived here yesterday evening and have been thoroughly enjoying the facilities, which are quite reminiscent of our group escapades at Chapel Rock and Lost Canyon. There is a quaint little village up the road that I explored on a run this morning and the views of Lake Balaton are very picturesque. Add to this landscape a group of 20 young, energetic scholars, and you have a great recipe for a memorable experience!

Our morning began with breakfast at the communal dining hall, followed by a short bus ride to the Balaton Uplands National Park. We met a guide and went for a short nature walk as a group, learning about the volcanic history of the region, the local flora, and the importance of this area as a National Park and EU Protected Area. Following our nature walk, we watched a short film and got to explore a small exhibit in a place known as the "Lavender House," the local visitor’s center. We had a nice group lunch at a local restaurant, which was even paired with a lavender flavored soft drink. Because we are such a large group, we took up the whole restaurant and filled it with chatter about everything from the dessert to trash talking about the night's upcoming sand volleyball match.

Following lunch, we all got the chance to exhibit our inner child and play on the restaurant's oversized outdoor bowling lane and pick some cherries off the trees. Heading back to the Snetberger Talent Center, all were abuzz about the upcoming lecture. We had a great discussion with one of the directors of the center, who told us the background behind Snetberger Talent Center and how it operates. The Snetberger Talent Center was created by Ferenc Snetberger, a famous Hungarian Roma guitarist. Funded (interestingly) by both the Norwegian and Hungarian governments and a few corporate sponsors, the center employs an array of music teachers, mentors, counselors, and professional musicians that teach a class of 60 students for 12 weeks each year. The administrative team travels all around Hungary to areas with large Roma populations, where many young hopefuls audition to become part of the school. Mentors and counselors follow up with the families of the students and the students themselves when they are not in school, making sure that situations at home remain stable and helping the students in many other ways. Not only are students taught music here, but they are also taught things like multimedia and marketing to help them make a career as a professional musician. Three of last year’s students were present for our discussion and gave us a private concert during the evening. It was absolutely incredible! The bass player, drummer, and guitar player played for nearly an hour and everyone thoroughly enjoyed listening to their soothing jazz tunes. We even got the chance to hang out with them afterwards (and the musicians in the group got to play with them), which was an experience that most of the scholars won’t soon forget.

To conclude the day, we played a large game of sand volleyball as the sun set and ate a delicious barbeque dinner with the musicians. We even had an ASU vs. U of A match, which ended with a loud rendition of 'Bear Down' that could be heard in all of the cabins! Today was a great reminder of just how special this trip is, and opportunities that we as Flinn Scholars are so lucky to have!

Flinn Scholars

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.

Flinn Scholars

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.

Shantanu Bala ('11)

This morning, I woke up prepared to say goodbye to the Medosz Hotel -- my bags were packed and I emptied a plate of breakfast. Feeling excited to explore Hungary, I found my way to an architectural museum for the first guest speaker of the seminar: Károly Pintér, a professor of American Studies in Hungary. He introduced us to the basics of Central European geography and culture in relation to America. His presentation was followed by a discussion of the Fulbright scholarship program and the Institute of International Education with representatives from IIE.

The lectures were followed by an all-you-can-eat lunch at a Hungarian restaurant with delicious food. I went through a table of soups, salads, fruits, desserts, and breads with a unique Hungarian flavor. Afterward, I went to the Palace of Wonders, which was an interactive series of science exhibits frequented by Hungarian students.

The highlight of the day was roaming through Budapest with my homestay, Tamasz Magda. Tamasz and I, along with Nick, Patrick, and their respective hosts, ate dinner at a local Hungarian restaurant and went to a park. At the park, we sat near crowds of locals and talked about Hungary, America, travel, and our lives in general. I'm still absorbing all of the details of my stay with Tamasz, but I have never felt as connected to another culture as I did this past day.

By the end of the day, I was awestruck by the unique culture of Hungary and the sheer breadth of experiences that occurred in just a single day.

Flinn Scholars

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 Scholars

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.

Aman Aberra ('11)

"Sometimes, I think we're in Disney Land."

What sounded like just another Paul outburst became a fitting description of our first day in Budapest, Hungary. In the twenty-four hours of traveling, it never quite hit me that we were on the other side of the world. The wonders of modern travel, never complete without screaming babies and awkward physical contact, still allow us to forget we're suspended thousands of feet in the air, covering thousands of miles in just hours. Emerging from the airport in a city where every building is a piece of art, imposing marble statues of historical figures stand a few blocks from our hotel, and magical castles lie on just the other side of the river, we were overwhelmed by the wealth of beautiful things to see and experience.

On Sunday morning, after our first taste of Hungarian cuisine in the hotel, we split into two groups, with one attending an orientation while the other received a tour of the city before switching activities. My group attended the orientation first, where the word of the day was "excited", especially upon hearing all of the events planned for us. On our tour of Buda, the part of the city west of the Danube river, we stared wide-eyed at enormous, intricately detailed sculptures and fountains while descending to the entrance of an underground labyrinth, and learned about dozens of buildings and sites along the way. I felt like my head was on a swivel, trying to catch everything around us. It was easier to choose what to see on the bus ride back, since my neck was crushed flat against the window under the weight of about fifty people in the crowded bus.

The day ended with a dinner reception on the Danube river, where we were introduced to the student hosts we would stay with later in the trip. The view of the parliament, the former royal palace, and other picturesque scenery accompanied the colorful dinner of traditional Hungarian food – I say picturesque ironically, since it was extremely difficult to capture the sights in a picture. Our stay in Disney Land has just begun.

Flinn Scholars

PHOENIX—Twenty-two of Arizona’s most talented high-school seniors have been awarded the 2012 Flinn Scholarship, a comprehensive educational package at an Arizona public university that includes tuition, room and board, international study-related travel, and additional benefits.

Flinn Scholars

Matt Ellsworth, a former Flinn Scholar and a five-year Flinn Foundation staff member, has been named the fourth director in the program’s 26-year history.

BioscienceFlinn Scholars

Over the last two years, a stunning total of 14 undergraduates at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona won the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the most prestigious undergraduate award in the nation for students in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering who intend to pursue research careers. One reason for the Goldwater glut at Arizona's universities: a deck stacked with Flinn Scholars. 

Flinn Scholars

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.