Where Friendships, Ideas, and Movements Began

For Lautaro Soza Torrijos, an Argentinian alumnus of the University of Pécs who graduated with a BA in International Relations, Pécs was more than just a place to study. It was a city where he built friendships, discovered new opportunities, and developed the skills and experiences that would later shape his professional path.

We spoke with Lautaro about his life in Pécs, his memories as an international student, and how his time at the University of Pécs became a stepping stone for his future.

“I was always intrigued by Central and Eastern Europe. Growing up, I spent a lot of time studying history, and that interest eventually took me to Serbia for a year. What really pushed me to apply to Pécs was hearing from alumni and current students, whose recommendations were consistently strong. When I found out about the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship, Pécs was my first choice.

When I arrived, I immediately knew it was the right place to study and focus on finishing strong. I had lived in bigger cities before, such as São Paulo and Belgrade, so I appreciated that Pécs offered something different. It was calm, relaxed, and honestly, exactly what I needed to finish my studies properly.

Some of my favorite memories from my time as a student in Pécs were the moments spent with friends at Csinos, the close friendships I made, and watching the World Cup in Hungary surrounded by international students. That was incredible. Considering how the tournament went, it was definitely my favorite memory from those years.

My thesis work also had a strong impact on me. Dr. Kata Murányi’s support and help were key to creating something I am genuinely proud of — something that opened up real professional opportunities for me. Her guidance made a huge difference.

Studying in Pécs completely shaped the way I see the world and work with people. Right now, I manage a team of five interns working on social media: two in South Asia and three in North America. They are all from different parts of the world. Being exposed to so many different cultures while studying in Pécs became a real advantage for me in political communication work. It currently sets me apart from my competition, because no one in the NGO where I work has a unique experience like mine.

One of the things I am most proud of from my time in Hungary is my work with Students For Liberty Hungary, the Hungarian branch of the international Students For Liberty network. At the time, SFL had never existed in the country before, and “pro-liberty” NGOs were practically non-existent.

Still, I believed it could work. I found a co-founder, who was also a student from Pécs, and together we launched Students For Liberty Hungary.

What I am most proud of is that it actually took off. We grew to almost twenty volunteers across three cities: Budapest, Pécs, and Debrecen. We got creative with events, including free-market environmentalism pub quizzes and a training retreat where I could pass on what I had learned. On social media, the numbers became incredible. Our Instagram reached several million unique profiles each month, and our TikToks were reaching 150,000 people monthly through organic reach alone. A quarter of Hungarians in their 20s interacted with at least one of our posts.

It kept going even after I left. Now, it is one of the most followed student-led organizations in the entire country. That taught me something really important about how to build movements that survive beyond any single person, and how to create content for social media.

Thanks to the success of SFL Hungary and the work I did for my thesis, I was hired after graduating. I currently live as a digital nomad, traveling and enjoying a gap year while working from anywhere on the planet.

I am the Outreach Associate for North American Students For Liberty, where I work on coordinator recruitment, mentorship, and program development across the United States and Canada. I also travel there several times per year to mentor young libertarian students in the best use of social media.

I am also collaborating with La Libertad Avanza political party back in Mendoza, bringing the same organizational approach and networks to advance libertarian ideas in Latin America.

My thesis was on Jacques Ellul’s framework applied to social media and propaganda. Honestly, all of that experience — everything I learned at Pécs about building movements and understanding how communication works — connects directly to what I am doing now.

For future students considering studying at the University of Pécs, I would say that Pécs is an incredible place to build the foundation for your future. Get involved in as many activities as you can. Make as many friends as possible. And when the first Central European winter hits and feels brutal, still put on that big puffy jacket and go to Csinos, or to any bar of your preference. Your friends will be there.

Because you do not need a 5 out of 5 to succeed in your professional life. A 4 with real friendships, actual memories, projects, and people who believe in you is far more valuable. That is what matters when you leave. Those are the connections and experiences that actually shape what comes next in your life.”