On October 17, 2025, the unforgettable tradition of the Freshmen’s Ball was held, lighting up the dance floor for our Semmelweis community. The ball opened the fall semester and symbolically marked the start of a new academic year, as well as the beginning of an exciting journey for our freshmen. The Ball is a prominent event for the community every year, simultaneously being a celebration, a tradition and a meeting point, where students, professors and leadership alike celebrate the strength and unity of the Semmelweis community together. The dress code for the event was black tie, thus the evening was spent in an elegant, festive fashion, with our participants arriving in attire worthy of a real ball.
The Ball commenced at 6:00 pm, and the programs were carried out smoothly and with great enthusiasm. The opening of the Ball was preceded by ceremonial speeches: on behalf of our university, Vice-Rector Dr. Ferenc Bánhidy greeted the participants, who also conveyed the greetings of Dr. Béla Merkely, our university’s Rector, who, although he could not attend in person, warmly welcomed all the guests to the event.
Following the ceremonial speeches, the attendees were welcomed by the President of the Students’ Union, Imre Nagy, and the President of the International Students’ Association (ISSA), Anushka Rawat. In their speeches, they both highlighted the importance of community, the diversity of our student life, and the power of friendship, emphasizing that the Freshmen’s Ball symbolically marks the beginning of the Semmelweis years: a journey that students will take together, supporting each other. The Presidents of DSVS and IÖCS, Raphael Feurstein and Orsolya Sisa also delivered speeches, thanking all those who worked for months to organize the ball, and highlighting the community building role of the instructors and volunteers.
The traditional toast then took place, followed by the presentation of the Pro Junventute Universitatis Semmelweis awards, awarded to individuals who have done outstanding work for the university’s community, student life and teaching. The 2025 awardees are: Dr. Alexandra Pop, Dr. Zoltán Lipták, Csenge Gecsey, Dr. Loretta Enikő Nyirády, Dr. Gábor Koós, Dr. Benedek Bakó, and Krisztina Fodor. We sincerely thank all awardees for their dedicated work, inspirational approach and contributions to the community, with which they have enriched university life year after year.
The evening continued with a variety of spectacular performances. Musical and dance productions included the instructors’ dance, Zsófia Szabó’s dance number, the traditional Hungarian Palotás, which is one of the most anticipated moments of the ball every year, and the students’ letter dances (E, PAK, D, H, J, C), who presented their joint work with humor, creativity and cohesion.
During the course of the evening, Lujza Tatár and Bich Dieppel Nguyen performed on stage, followed by the traditional teachers’ dance, which was received with much enthusiasm and excitement by the audience. The highlight of the evening was the elegant and classical waltz, where the freshmen showed off weeks’ worth of preparation. The students invited the teachers to join the dance in a truly heartfelt moment.
The program concluded with the MAKI film screening, which summarized months of preparatory work by instructors and organizers through humorous and nostalgic scenes.
Imre Richárd Nagy, the President of the Students’ Union, shared his thoughts about the Freshmen’s Ball. In his speech he said that the event is not just an occasion for entertainment, but a symbolic milestone: it is here that the freshmen become true Semmelweis citizens, and this event celebrates the commencement of their university years. The Ball is about unity and symbolizes the strength of the university society – the first years get to experience becoming part of a supportive, inspirational community from the very first moment. He highlighted how crucial it is for students to take part in the opportunities offered at the university, as the university years are much easier if one thinks as a community and works together with their peers.
In 2025, the university will host an active and vibrant student life: multiple new initiatives and programs will support students in developing their talents and finding their place at the university. Traditional events such as the Freshmen’s Ball are an important pillar of this: the ability to build connections is achieved through bringing students together and strengthening feelings of cohesion among university citizens.
After the official programs, the event continued in an elegant but light atmosphere until dawn with the students celebrating the night’s success together and partying to the concerts of Dánielfy, Manuel, and Sterbinszky x Mynea.
One freshman said that for them the Ball was an incredible experience: they had abundant opportunity to talk and dance, everything went smoothly, everyone was very nice, and the night was spent in a joyful, relaxed mood.
The planning of the Freshmen’s Ball was a huge undertaking. The Instructor Self-Active Group (IÖCS) played a key role in the organization of the event and worked tirelessly for months to make sure that every detail was perfect. Special thanks to the Students’ Union as well for the support, coordination, and for the continuous work in support of the student community.
One member of the Instructor Self-Active Group (IÖCS) shared their experiences:
“The 2025 Freshmen’s Ball was a truly unique event, and I enjoyed the entire night. Last year I participated in the event as a freshman, and it was a defining event for my future, as it was there that I decided that I would like to experience the Ball next year as a member of the Instructor Self-Active Group. This came to be, as I underwent the training and was very pleased to be invited to work. Through this I was able to gain insight into the planning and experience firsthand how much effort and dedication it takes to create such an event.
This made the Ball even more special, as I saw it being built, come to life, and then conclude. It was fantastic to see the happy freshmen as they enjoyed the night and danced till dawn, and to see all of my friends who dedicated time and energy to work at the Ball, whether at the counters or in the background. I would like to highlight that much of the work happened in the weeks and months prior to the event, not just the night of. However, I feel that every second of preparation was worth it, and that thanks to the fantastic work of IÖCS, we were able to give the freshmen the send-off they deserve as they begin their university careers.“
Another freshman said that they thought the Ball had a great atmosphere, and it was amazing that there was ample opportunity to chat and to dance. They thought that the event was well-organized with limited wait times and the night was a joyful, positive experience.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone – organizers, performers, instructors, teachers and students, who, through their work, enthusiasm, and energy contributed to making the 2025 Semmelweis Freshmen’s Ball a memorable and meaningful experience for all participants. Thank you!
Written: Hanna Patkó
Translated: Victoria Leiti