In 2019, ExchangeAlumni Domokos Kovács left his hometown in Pilisszentiván, Hungary to embark on a Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship (BFTF) at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana.
It was during his program that Domokos experienced a life-defining moment. On a trip his cohort took to Indianapolis, Indiana during their exchange, he and a friend had planned to tour the sports stadium in the city. As they soon discovered, however, the stadium was closed; the pair was not deterred, however, and found a way to “open a door.” Their successful attempt to see the stadium served as an impetus for a new slogan of their BTFT program at Purdue: “opening closed doors.”
The motto suits the program well, as BFTF seeks to create opportunities and open doors for engagement and understanding among cultures. Following his exchange program, Domokos brought this sentiment back to his home country, where he harnessed the lessons learned at Purdue to address a critical need – environmental conservation.
Domokos’ long-standing interest in waste management and conservation led him to apply for, and be awarded, a small grant in 2019, and then later an Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) grant, which he applied to his project, “Recycling in Hungarian High Schools.” The project aims to inspire high school students to actively engage in recycling measures to reduce their carbon footprint and to better protect and address environmental concerns in their communities.
To date, Domokos has worked with several high schools across the country, inspiring hundreds of students to participate in the "colorful" recycling program that allows them to personalize and install their own recycling containers in high schools for future use. By demonstrating just how easy and fun recycling can be, Domokos has reached seven schools with his project and hopes to continue to expand its impact – he has his sights set on bringing the selective waste collection system to new countries, like Ukraine and the United States.
While Domokos focuses on reaching more high schools, he wants to ensure successful completion along the way, looking at the tangible impact and results the project has had.
“During the project I learned the importance of using good data and evaluating it. If there is no data, there is no goal to be achieved. If there is no goal, there is no measurable success,” he said.
For his efforts, Domokos was also recently elected to serve as Youth Delegate of Hungary to the United Nations, an esteemed position which he hopes to bring visibility to the role of youth in his home country and to demonstrate the positive impact recycling continues to have.
“I have always loved representing my country,” Domokos said. “I am proud of its culture, its history, and its positive role in European integration.”
And, in case he wasn’t busy enough, Domokos has another passion in life – outside of his AEIF-funded project and role on the National Youth Council of Hungary, Domokos channels energy into playing water polo. He says the sport has played an active role in his childhood and life, and has given him the skills to learn how to work with a team toward a common goal.
This trait has proven important both in the water and in his professional life. He and his team have worked with several organizations to ensure the successful coordination of the AEIF project. With his status as Youth Delegate, Domokos also interacts with various government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry for Innovation and Technology, and the Prime Minister's Office of Hungary on a daily basis to shed light on the work he’s doing as well as on the harmful effects of waste pollution.
In addition to bringing his project to new corners of the globe, Domokos also hopes his project can serve as a reminder of the effects of climate change in the offices of leadership.
“My dream is to be able to personally send the UN Secretary General a trash can painted by young Hungarians, and have it in his residence, reminding him that this is a serious policy and related to environmental protection.”
Congratulations, Domokos, for the success of your AEIF project and for your selection to represent Hungarian Youth as Youth Delegate of Hungary to the United Nations!