Alumni in Budapest and beyond had welcoming words for this year’s cadre of new students.

Alumni “words of wisdom” were printed on small scrolls and shared with hundreds of new arrivals at CEU’s annual Welcome Afternoon, on Friday Sept. 8.

 The scrolls contained individual messages of encouragement and advice from dozens of alums from around the world to students now beginning classes here.

 “Don’t worry,” one read. “Once you have arrived you will become members of the big CEU family.”

At the close of this academic year, members of the Class of 2017 came together to make their mark by aiding those who will follow in their footsteps.

More than 40 graduates raised almost $400 in support of future CEU students via the Graduating Class Gift 2017 campaign.

The two-week campaign enabled grads to make their first, symbolic donation in support of CEU’s future, both as a means of giving back and ‘paying it forward’ to next year’s class.