UMSL Projects
Our Misson
After taking a tour of the church different students wanted to work and help the church in different ways. Each student had a different talent that they wanted to focus on. This led to a couple of unique projects that we have created for the community.
Hungarian Cookbook
After visiting the church a few more times. One of the people who have a burning passion and love for the church showed us some different activities that she had created to do with children. She did this based on a very adorable mouse named Mate, whom their kid had always loved. This led to a cookbook being created with the adorable mouse in mind.
Below is a picture of the mouse with a hand-braided vest that was done by Lisa’s daughter which inspired the cookbook
Elements of the cookbok please contact the church for purchasing information at welcome@smov.info
Time Line
On our class tour of the church and Lisa mentioned an improved timeline to showcase the deep and rich history of the church. One student realized that it fit her talents perfectly.
Interviews
Our first interaction with the Hungarian community was with a man named Les Suhayda, who was gracious enough to come to our class and tell his story of immigrating to America and, eventually, Saint Louis. Two members of our group jumped on the idea of honoring stories like Les and their bravery. They accomplished their goal through oral interviews of those who had family who traveled to America in search of a better life.
Videos
This video was created in collaboration with St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church in St. Louis by students from the University of Missouri—St. Louis Pierre Laclede College’s Beyond the Buildings. In this interview, Mike Futo, a second-generation Hungarian immigrant, talks about his father, Albert’s immigration story. In the video, Mike recounts his father’s life in Hungary during the 1956 uprising, his escape from Hungary, and his life in America, specifically focusing on St. Mary of Victories.
2nd Interview
This video was created in collaboration with St. Mary of Victories Catholic Church in St. Louis by students from the University of Missouri-St. Louis Pierre Laclede Honors College’s Beyond the Buildings class. In this interview, Meghan McInnes, a third-generation Hungarian immigrant, details her grandfather, Jãnos (John) Bata’s, harrowing escape from Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian uprising and his subsequent immigration to America. Additionally, Meghan explains the role St. Mary of Victories played in Jãnos’ life and the impact SMOV has made on her family.