„They made it possible for me to finish my studies...”

I am Szőcs Emőke Katalin, I am studying Mathematics and Computer Science at the Babeș-Bolyai University, and this is my fourth year, namely the last one. During the last years I received scholarship from the university, but I got a liver problem, so in the last semester I couldn’t go to classes and as a consequence I lost my scholarship. I managed to live out of this money at Cluj-Napoca, my parents didn’t need to help me a lot.

Q.: What attracted you to study Computer Science? Why did you choose it?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: In high school I studied Mathematics and Computer Science, and I chose the latter because I considered it a challenge for not being a girly profession. I wasn’t one of the best in high school, but this fact had changed after I had come to university. I feel up to the challenge, I think I made a good decision. I really like what I do.

Q.: What kind of job can you do after you graduate?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: IT specialist, software developer, web developer; anything related to programming.

Q.: What would you like to do after graduating? Do you have a concrete plan?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: If I finish the Bachelor’s degree, I would like to do the Master’s as well, and during that I would like to work of course. For now the web and smartphone developing attract me.

Q.: Are these in demand professions? Can you easily find a job?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: I think these jobs are quite in demand, so I am concerned that I will find a job very easily right after graduation.

Q.: You already did work placement at a company at Cluj-Napoca if I am right. But you were also abroad by Erasmus...

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: Last year I worked 3 months at Budapest at the Nokia Siemens Networks by Erasmus, this summer I worked almost two months at Cluj-Napoca at Codespring LLC. At both places I learned new programming languages and earned new experiences. I should have done 6 weeks work placement, 3 in the first and 3 in the second semester, but I thought it would be worth the holiday. If I finish, and start looking for a job I will be able to prove that I have professional experience.

Q.: How many times have you applied for the scholarship of the dr. Verestóy Attila Foundation?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: This has been the second time. Last time, in high school I didn’t win it because I was already supported by the Dinu Patriciu Foundation.

Q.: What do you do in your spare time?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: Apart from going to classes, doing my homework, I don’t really have spare time for other activities. Last semester I started a course at the Codespring LLC, where we learned Java technologies. The university and other things related to it take up most of my time.

Q.: Last but not the least what does the scholarship means for you?

Szőcs Emőke-Katalin: My younger sister started high school this year, and because I didn’t receive the scholarship from the university, the foundation saved us from interrupting our studies. I would like to say thanks for the support, they made it possible for me to finish my studies, so my younger sister doesn’t need to defer one year at school.

Török Adél

„I can’t thank the foundation enough...”

I am Török Adél, I was born at Odorheiu Secuiesc on 26 February 1992. I graduated from the Backamadarasi Kis Gergely Reformed High School; I studied Mathematics and Computer Science. I am a third-year student at the Faculty of Agriculture at Cluj-Napoca. I would like to cultivate fruits and vegetables after I finish my studies.

Q.: Engineering in Agriculture, this is quite a broad term. Do you learn a bit of everything: animal husbandry, cultivation of plants, or do you need to specialize in something?

Török Adél: This field of study involves animal husbandry as well. We don’t need to specialize in something, because we learn a bit of everything. It involves everything related to it.

Q.: This isn’t a girly profession. Why did you choose it?

Török Adél: When I was younger I spent every weekend at my grandparents on the countryside. I fall in love with the animals and with gardening. I was always attracted by these things, so I decided to be an engineer. I thought and I still think that this is a profession I can earn my living from.

Q.: Is this an in demand profession in our country? Can you easily find a job?

Török Adél: I think it is getting more and more popular, because abroad you can’t even plough without a diploma. If I don’t find a job, I go home, and start cultivating there. My brother does animal husbandry, I would like to help him, and expand the enterprise.

Q.: Your timetable must be very crowded. Do you have some spare time?

Török Adél: I don’t really have spare time; I got classes from 8 until 4 or 6. Whenever I can I go home for the weekends. I am homesick. The time flies very fast during the week, but the weekends are longer. Especially autumn, because I know there is a lot of work to do at home. I help my family in the harvest.

Q.: You mentioned that your brother has an enterprise. Do you help him as well?

Török Adél: Of course, when I go home, I am there from Friday to Sunday. They always make funny comments: „Is it going to be ok Miss Engineer?” „Do you like it?”

Q.: What did your parent say when you enrolled at university? Did they support you? Did they try to make you choose a more girly profession?

Török Adél: I was 13 when my father died. My mother does everything to support me, she likes gardening as well. I have two siblings, one of them 11 the other 9 years older than me. It would be very hard to finish my studies without the scholarship. I can’t thank the foundation enough for the fact that I can cover my expenses with it. It is a weight off my mother’s and my shoulder. I am very grateful for it. This is the second year I received it. The university means a lot; the most important for me is to graduate.