The traditional Alma Mater Weekend and Sports Day of the University of Szeged was held on June 15th, 2024 at the Sports Center in Hattyas yard. The weekend event attracted and moved many families, literally. The organizers awaited young and old alike with bouncy castles, swings, and archery, but they could also try Zumba, wall climbing, and even a tug-of-war competition.

We were affected in the “lépjük meg!” – spring challenge – kilometers as well.

Our faculty team participated in the event with 16 registered participants. For us the focus was on the Gastro Mater cooking competition. We set off to Szeged at 7:00 a.m. together, in a faculty car and in good spirits. It was a real competition from the first minute: choosing the right place to cook and racing against time. Thanks to the professional organizing and background team of USZ, everything went smoothly, the teams competed in the championship of flavours in a supportive atmosphere.

The wooden spoon and the knife were spinning in the hands of our Dean as quickly as in the hands of our foreign PhD students and all our other colleagues. We tried to host Professor Katalin KAKIKÓ, who visited our tent, with special but well-loved flavours, decorative serving, and natural immediacy, and later the judging committee, led by Professor László ROVÓ, rector of the University of Szeged. Their directness and interest in culinary "art" quickly created a common voice and informal conversation.

To our greatest joy and pride, at the announcement of the results in the afternoon, our chili bean dish won the third place in the cooking competition.

Our joint success and all-day work forged us into a strong team.

The members of the team of the Faculty of Agriculture were the following: Edit MIKÓ Ph.D., dean; Tímea SÜLI-ZAKAR Ph.D., associate professor; Eszter KÉRDŐ-KOVÁCS, master instructor; Gizella GYŐRI-BERÉNYI, master instructor; Wissem BACCURI research assistant; Vineet SRIVASTAVA, assistant lecturer; Gideon ADU DONYINA, assistant lecturer; Gizem YÜKSEL, PhD student, Éva RÁRÓSI, administrator, MSc student; Renáta HMIDANI-KOVÁCS, secretariat clerk; Sándor LÉVAI, dean's office administrator; as well as family members of employees.

Written by: Eszter KÉRDŐ-KOVÁCS and Gizella GYŐRI-BERÉNYI; Master instructors of the Faculty of Agriculture.