Klaudia Vospálková: Investing into education pays off

Klaudia Vospálková has always dreamed that one day she would become the most powerful woman on the planet. Those ambitions of hers just became a bit more achievable.
"When I was little, we had to fill in a questionnaire at school about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I said I wanted to be President of the United States. Most of my classmates wanted to become singers," Klaudia laughs.
"I have always been interested in justice, that's why I wanted to become President," says the 21-year-old. "If not President, then a lawyer or politician."
Klaudia is currently studying law in the second year of the lifelong learning program at Masaryk University in Brno, and in September she is also planning to complete her studies at the Management Institute in Prague, where she will earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. She grew up with three siblings in Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia, hearing from an early age that success can only be achieved through hard work.
"My Mom runs the family restaurant and Dad is the director of a personnel agency and also a municipal assembly member in Košice. My older brother works with Dad at the firm and my younger brother and sister are in primary school. I work half-time as a cashier at Cinema City in Brno and help Dad in the firm," says Klaudia, who is used to keeping herself busy.
"At home it was always hectic. As a child I did a lot of after-school activities, I did acrobatic rock and roll dance, hip-hop dance, and I sang. I used to compete in the school Olympics and stuff," says Klaudia, whose dream of becoming a lawyer seems about to come true.
Within the next five to 10 years she would like to complete her studies at Masaryk University. The she would like to begin a successful career as a business lawyer at an international company or organization.
She also hopes that if she focuses on her work and her dream comes true, she will inspire other Romani people to head in the same direction. "I firmly believe in the words of one of the founders of the USA, Benjamin Franklin: 'An investment in knowledge pays the best interest'," she said.
This article was written as part of the "for Roma, with Roma" project.
Don't miss:
- Czech Republic: Canadian education expert says only an inclusive school is a really good school
- Czech President says he vetoed education amendment because of inclusion
- Commentary: Czech tabloid quotes Romani man as opposing inclusive education, other Romani representatives respond
- International study claims Romani children still discriminated against in education in Europe
- Czech Senate approves education amendment in full, opponents of inclusion failed to convince them otherwise
- Adriana Trejtnarová: Inclusive education must include everything
- Czech Human Rights Minister on International Romani Day: Quality education, more awareness of Romani culture, history, language all important
- Parent of child with Down Syndrome writes open letter to Czech tabloid waging anti-inclusive education campaign
- David Beňák on the Czech inclusive education debate, the invisible, and the unheard
- Analysis: Czech daily reprints eight-year-old dissenting opinions of Strasbourg judgment on racial discrimination in education
- Analysis: Czech tabloid launches campaign against inclusive education
- International experts: Friendly approach from teachers toward families essential to successful inclusive education
- Czech Republic: Two-day conference on inclusive education underway
- Czech Education Minister does not anticipate a "revolution" in the instruction of the "mildly mentally disabled"
- Czech Human Rights Minister congratulates 30+ recipients of Roma Education Fund scholarships
- Inclusive education in Canada is a reality
- Czech Education Ministry responds on basic timeline for inclusion preparations
- Czech adviser to Education Minister: Segregation is unacceptable, unethical - and undefined in Czech law
Related articles:
- Czech project focuses on health in socially excluded localities, Romani men live an average of 57 years and Romani women, 65
- Czech Romani official who proposed Romani partisan for state honors: We must never forget him, skin color doesn't matter, what is important is bravery, human decency, and morality
- Romani community in Czech city chooses five figures to honor for their contribution to civil society, including aid to Romani refugees from Ukraine
- Romani kickboxer Václav Sivák unequivocally wins the Oktagon Underground MMA fight in a packed O2 Arena in the Czech Republic
- Tyson Fury, a.k.a. "The Gypsy King", again defends his boxing title as world champion
- Michal Mižigár: What myths exist about World Roma Day and what is the reality?
- European Parliament President warns of growing antigypsyism and sends greetings on World Roma Day
- Funeral held in Czech capital for Pavlína Radlová, a pivotal member of the Romani community and civil society
- Czech and international organizations support bereaved family with Constitutional Court complaint over death of Stanislav Tomáš in police custody
- Olga Fečová, author, foster mother and pedagogical assistant, has passed away in the Czech Republic
- Štefan Pongo, founder of the Czechoslovak Romani Union, has passed away
- Czech project offers Romani youth an opportunity to learn film production