Klára Egerová, International and Diplomatic Studies Student: Talent as a Gift – and a Challenge

Klára Egerová, a nineteen-year-old student of the IDS program at the Prague University of Economics and Business, and of Psychology at the University of New York in Prague, is an inspiring example of how to overcome challenges and fully realize one’s talents.

Since childhood, Klára stood out from her peers. Alongside her twin brother Zbyněk, who is equally gifted, she learned to read even before starting school and showed a profound interest in natural sciences. Despite recommendations from a pedagogical-psychological counseling center to delay her school entry, Klára was determined to begin alongside her brother, unwilling to separate from him.

However, at school, she faced frequent misunderstanding. Regular classes were too slow for her, and she often found herself bored. In fourth grade, things improved when a teacher allowed her to attend classes in higher grades. At the grammar school, she concentrated on languages, earning the international DALF certificate in French, and completed much of her studies individually.

At university, Klára finally found an environment where she could fully develop her potential. “It’s fantastic—I truly enjoy studying at both universities,” she enthusiastically says. She actively participates in academic activities; at VŠE, she is a member of the Model United Nations (MUN), a student-led simulation of UN negotiations. Recently, she attended a conference in Lugano, Switzerland, where she contributed to discussions on improving conditions for young people in Portugal.

Besides her academic pursuits, Klára is also involved in raising awareness about gifted children. At a seminar held at the Czech Chamber of Deputies, she spoke passionately about the importance of seeing differences as gifts. “The Czech word divný (strange) is related to the word div (wonder or miracle). Being strange, therefore, isn’t necessarily bad—after all, the world is full of wonders,” she said in her speech.

Read Klára’s full story at Reportér, here (in Czech only).