Posted 12:43 p.m. Thursday, May 7, 2015
Peter Molnar, of Hungary, has gained maturity, personality and direction in a place far away from home.
[caption id="attachment_40901" align="alignleft" width="350"]
Peter Molnar is a graduating senior from Hungary with an international business major. He received one of two International Student Academic Excellence/Internationalization awards.[/caption]Peter Molnar, of Hungary, has gained maturity, personality and direction in a place far away from home.
Moreover, in the last four years of college, the May graduate’s eyes have opened to what’s out there in the world.
He’s helped the U.S. Embassy solve complex multinational business problems while studying abroad in Bratislava, Slovakia. He’s built homes for people in the ghettos of Romania during his summer breaks. He’s forged friendships with fellow UW-L students from Brazil, Austria, Italy and beyond who all lived together in his residence hall floor — the global village. He’s learned about U.S. work culture, leadership, teamwork and friendship while working for UW-L’s Rec Sports Department.
“How would I be different if I’d stayed home? My vision would be a lot narrower,” admits Molnar. “I would not be meeting people from all over the world and learning about the cultural work environment in the U.S. It all gives you a much greater, bigger view of the world.”
Molnar didn’t always think that way. Coming from a country 5,000 miles away, he initially didn’t feel like he fit in at UW-L. He thought about staying home after his freshman year.
But Molnar had applied and was offered a job for his sophomore year working in customer service for the campus Rec Sports Department, which provides a variety of recreational experiences.
“It was a very competitive job. So many students apply — the fact that they selected me — I thought, ‘well, I have to go back now. I can’t bail out on them,’” says Molnar.
When Molnar returned his sophomore year and started work, he quickly learned that although he was far from family, he could develop new, lasting relationships here. Some of his co-workers in Rec Sports are now like “brothers and sisters.” And the Associate Director of Rec Sports Mo McAlpine is “like a mother to all of us. She is the most caring person I’ve ever met,” he says. “It’s such a blessing to be part of this family of people.”
Molnar moved up the leadership ladder in Rec Sports. He was voted by his peers to be a building manager his senior year and to serve on the department’s Student Advisory Council, which provides recommendations related policies, procedures and concerns and coordinates hiring students. The promotion was because of Molnar’s strong work ethic, commitment to doing things right, professionalism and magnetic personality, says McAlpline.
“Peter is one of the most respectful young men I know. He is incredibly genuine in all of his actions and relationships,” she says. “He brings a global perspective to our team with a strong desire to help others understand and appreciate differences.”
Rec Sports also sent Molnar to a development opportunity his junior year called LeaderShape, along with dozens of other UW-L students. At first Molnar was not enthused about missing out on his spring break to learn about leadership. But by the second day, he started to change his mind.
“By the end, my attitude had completely changed,” he says. “It was a truly amazing experience being with people who have a similar mindset and they want to do something greater.”
Activities made him focus on his core values and how he could make a difference. His goal had long been to try to improve living conditions in the ghettos of Romania where he’d seen families of 10 or more living in one-room shacks built of mud brick. Many were on the brink of collapse. Molnar had volunteered to help these families with food and supplies prior to LeaderShape, but the sessions made him see how he could do more.
[caption id="attachment_40940" align="alignleft" width="769"]
Peter Molnar, a UW-L international business major, during a mission trip in Romania. Here he is pictured with children who live in the slum where he built two homes.[/caption]
Molnar has raised $5,000 through his local La Crosse church and built two houses in the Romanian Gypsy ghetto during the summers of his sophomore and junior years.
“LeaderShape made me realize the difference that one person can make in the world,” he says. “Even though I always had interest in helping people — LeaderShape helped me to further that —develop a bigger picture.”
[caption id="attachment_40946" align="alignleft" width="350"]
Some of the family members in the Romanian ghetto pictured with Peter Molnar in front of their old house.[/caption]
When he returned from LeaderShape, Molnar had an interview for the building manager position in Rec Sports. He says the activities of LeaderShape made him see how he could lead. He ended up landing the position.
“LeaderShape undoubtedly had a lifelong impact on him, increasing his confidence and leadership capacity,” says McAlpine. “Peter's quiet voice speaks volumes.”
Molnar’s perspective was also broadened while living on campus in the global village section of Eagle Hall — a mix domestic and international students living together. He met students from Spain, Italy and Germany with a similar interest in soccer. They decided to form an intramural soccer team. They won three
[caption id="attachment_40949" align="alignleft" width="350"]
Some of the family members in the Romanian ghetto pictured in front of the new house UW-L student Peter Molnar built.[/caption]
intramural sports championships in soccer fall semester.
“It’s an amazing experience to live with people from other cultures and learn from them,” he says.
Molnar looks forward to more international experiences, business, leadership and mission trips after he graduates.
Higher education, he says, shapes what kind of person you become.
Peter Molnar is a graduating senior from Hungary with an international business major. He received one of two International Student Academic Excellence/Internationalization awards.[/caption]Peter Molnar, of Hungary, has gained maturity, personality and direction in a place far away from home.
Moreover, in the last four years of college, the May graduate’s eyes have opened to what’s out there in the world.
He’s helped the U.S. Embassy solve complex multinational business problems while studying abroad in Bratislava, Slovakia. He’s built homes for people in the ghettos of Romania during his summer breaks. He’s forged friendships with fellow UW-L students from Brazil, Austria, Italy and beyond who all lived together in his residence hall floor — the global village. He’s learned about U.S. work culture, leadership, teamwork and friendship while working for UW-L’s Rec Sports Department.
“How would I be different if I’d stayed home? My vision would be a lot narrower,” admits Molnar. “I would not be meeting people from all over the world and learning about the cultural work environment in the U.S. It all gives you a much greater, bigger view of the world.”
Molnar didn’t always think that way. Coming from a country 5,000 miles away, he initially didn’t feel like he fit in at UW-L. He thought about staying home after his freshman year.
But Molnar had applied and was offered a job for his sophomore year working in customer service for the campus Rec Sports Department, which provides a variety of recreational experiences.
“It was a very competitive job. So many students apply — the fact that they selected me — I thought, ‘well, I have to go back now. I can’t bail out on them,’” says Molnar.
When Molnar returned his sophomore year and started work, he quickly learned that although he was far from family, he could develop new, lasting relationships here. Some of his co-workers in Rec Sports are now like “brothers and sisters.” And the Associate Director of Rec Sports Mo McAlpine is “like a mother to all of us. She is the most caring person I’ve ever met,” he says. “It’s such a blessing to be part of this family of people.”
Molnar moved up the leadership ladder in Rec Sports. He was voted by his peers to be a building manager his senior year and to serve on the department’s Student Advisory Council, which provides recommendations related policies, procedures and concerns and coordinates hiring students. The promotion was because of Molnar’s strong work ethic, commitment to doing things right, professionalism and magnetic personality, says McAlpline.
“Peter is one of the most respectful young men I know. He is incredibly genuine in all of his actions and relationships,” she says. “He brings a global perspective to our team with a strong desire to help others understand and appreciate differences.”
Rec Sports also sent Molnar to a development opportunity his junior year called LeaderShape, along with dozens of other UW-L students. At first Molnar was not enthused about missing out on his spring break to learn about leadership. But by the second day, he started to change his mind.
“By the end, my attitude had completely changed,” he says. “It was a truly amazing experience being with people who have a similar mindset and they want to do something greater.”
Activities made him focus on his core values and how he could make a difference. His goal had long been to try to improve living conditions in the ghettos of Romania where he’d seen families of 10 or more living in one-room shacks built of mud brick. Many were on the brink of collapse. Molnar had volunteered to help these families with food and supplies prior to LeaderShape, but the sessions made him see how he could do more.
[caption id="attachment_40940" align="alignleft" width="769"] Peter Molnar, a UW-L international business major, during a mission trip in Romania. Here he is pictured with children who live in the slum where he built two homes.[/caption]
Molnar has raised $5,000 through his local La Crosse church and built two houses in the Romanian Gypsy ghetto during the summers of his sophomore and junior years.
“LeaderShape made me realize the difference that one person can make in the world,” he says. “Even though I always had interest in helping people — LeaderShape helped me to further that —develop a bigger picture.”
[caption id="attachment_40946" align="alignleft" width="350"] Some of the family members in the Romanian ghetto pictured with Peter Molnar in front of their old house.[/caption]
When he returned from LeaderShape, Molnar had an interview for the building manager position in Rec Sports. He says the activities of LeaderShape made him see how he could lead. He ended up landing the position.
“LeaderShape undoubtedly had a lifelong impact on him, increasing his confidence and leadership capacity,” says McAlpine. “Peter's quiet voice speaks volumes.”
Molnar’s perspective was also broadened while living on campus in the global village section of Eagle Hall — a mix domestic and international students living together. He met students from Spain, Italy and Germany with a similar interest in soccer. They decided to form an intramural soccer team. They won three
[caption id="attachment_40949" align="alignleft" width="350"] Some of the family members in the Romanian ghetto pictured in front of the new house UW-L student Peter Molnar built.[/caption]
intramural sports championships in soccer fall semester.
“It’s an amazing experience to live with people from other cultures and learn from them,” he says.
Molnar looks forward to more international experiences, business, leadership and mission trips after he graduates.
Higher education, he says, shapes what kind of person you become.