In this challenging world cooperation with alumni and workplace is gaining on importance and the Department of British and American Studies FF UPJŠ is proud to present itself as a thriving community with strong integrity and mutual support. Our students had the opportunity to meet successful alumni, representatives of partner companies, and could enjoy the presentation of the novel Katja’s World Game by its author Jane Mattisson Ekstam during the Career and Club Week which took place between 12–15 December 2022.
The series of events started on Monday by the presentation of the final thesis projects where our undergraduates shared their thoughts concerning the projects they are developing in their Master and Bachelor theses in the field of Anglophone literatures. The presentations offered excellent opportunity for the presenters and the audience to understand how research works and the students were confronted by the challenges that hamper development of scientific publications. Fruitful discussions and serious debates made the event memorable.
Meeting successful alumni is not only greatly motivating but also a fantastic networking possibility which considerably enhances career development of our students. Four of our successful graduate students agreed to share their life stories with us this year. Dr. Zuzana Solejová spoke about her journey in the teaching career and allowed us an insight of the work she is doing at the Private Secondary Grammar School of Katkin park II in Košice.
On Tuesday our Master student Erika Mazuchová, who works in the position of Senior Project Assistant of IOM UN, spoke about her experiences and motivation in working with and for migrants. She accompanied Martina Varholik, Head of Sub Office, the Kosice branch of the International Organization for Migration who spoke about the importance of their job in helping Ukrainian refugees. Dr. Lukáč Lukačín, who is working at the Šrobárova Secondary Grammar School in Košice spoke about his journey towards the teacher career. His very lively, enthusiastic, and highly professional speech was accepted very nicely by our double-major students who are currently preparing for the teaching career. Tímea Štrihová, MA., Senior Account Executive, is working in Brussels in Eldeman. Her wonderful online presentation was one of the top events of the Career and Club Week in which she shared her thoughts about the possibilities to find work in the EU structures. Tuesday concluded in a party organized by ELSE, the department’s students club, where our students prepared delicious cabbage soup, played games, and offered quizzes and punch for those who came.
Wednesday offered a series of opportunities to meet partner companies and learn about the job market in the Meet the Job Market sessions. Three companies: CABO ltd., Holcim Košice, and Language Institute Vista Košice, visited us and talked to our students about the challenges and opportunities which the Eastern Slovak job market offers to our graduates. The third day of the Career Week also offered the students an informal discussion with our colleague Dr. Martina Martausová about her study and research experiences in the USA. This day was closed by the presentation of Viktória Margitová, MA, our alumni, who is currently working as Key Account Manager at Promiseo Košice.
The final day of the winter term Career and Club Week offered a literary experience with professor Jane Mattisson Ekstam who talked about writing the trilogy – a novel Katja’s World Game and provided an interesting insight into the creative world of contemporary novelists. The reading and discussions with the author were followed by an informal cocktail party which brought together many of our colleagues, alumni, and students in relaxed discussions.
We would like to express our gratitude to the organizers of the Career and Club Week and to all our alumni, colleagues, and partners who found time and energy to share their thoughts with us during these events.
Dr. Július Rozenfeld
Deputy-Head of the BAS FF UPJŠ
