Celebration, community, and tradition at the 2025 Freshmen’s Ball

Semmelweis students once again enjoyed an unforgettable night at this year’s Freshmen’s Ball, which marked the start of the fall semester and the first year for newly admitted students. Traditionally, the event is a highlight in the life of the university community: It embodies celebration, tradition, and gathering, where students, faculty, and the university leaders come together to honor the strength and unity of the Semmelweis community.

The ball was opened by Dr. Ferenc Bánhidy, Vice-Rector for General Affairs, who welcomed the participants and conveyed the greetings of Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector of the university.

We can be rightly proud of our more than 250 years of tradition, which provides us with a solid foundation that we can always rely on. The university’s citizens have always cherished these traditions, passing them on to the following generations as something more than mere customs and expectations. These are the values that serve as a kind of cultural gold standard, a time-tested guiding principle for everyday university life. Such tradition is to serve education, research, and healthcare with our best knowledge. But it is also a tradition that we express our unity from time to time with joyous celebrations.
– Dr. Ferenc Bánhidy

Imre Richárd Nagy, President of the Students’ Union (HÖK), and Anushka Rawat, President of the International Students’ Association (ISSA), also greeted the attendees. In their speeches, they both emphasized the importance of community, the diversity of student life, and the power of friendship. They highlighted that the Freshmen’s Ball symbolically marks the beginning of the Semmelweis university years: a journey that students take together, supporting each other. Presidents Raphael Feurstein (Deutschsprachige Studentenvertretung Semmelweis, DSVS) and Orsolya Sisa (Instructor Unprompted Group, IÖCS) thanked everyone who had worked for months to organize the ball, and expressed their appreciation for the role played by the instructors and volunteers in building the community.

Following the traditional toast, the Pro Juventute Universitatis Semmelweis awards were presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the university community, student life, and teaching. This year’s recipients were Dr. Alexandra Pop, Dr. Zoltán Lipták, Csenge Gecsey, Dr. Loretta Enikő Nyirády, Dr. Gábor Koós, Dr. Benedek Bakó, and Krisztina Fodor.

The night continued with performances. These included dances by instructors and student groups, a dance by Zsófia Szabó, and the traditional Hungarian Palotás dance. The latter is one of the most solemn moments of the ball every year. Lujza Tatár and Nguyen Bich Dieppel gave vocal performances, followed by the teachers’ traditional dance. This was once again received with great enthusiasm and affection by the audience. The highlight of the evening was the waltz, in which the first-year students showcased the fruits of their weeks of rehearsals. The program ended with a screening of a skit about the preparations by the instructors and organizers. The night concluded with concerts by Dánielfy, Manuel, and Sterbinszky x Mynea.

The 2025 Freshmen’s Ball was the result of concerted efforts. IÖCS played a pivotal role in organizing and managing the event, having worked tirelessly for months to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Special thanks go to HÖK for their invaluable support and coordination, and for their ongoing work on behalf of the student community.