Ilona Papp is a student assistant in the "Democracy and Local Politics" department, working in public relations with a focus on digital communication.

She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Political Science at the Otto Suhr Institute of Freie Universität Berlin, focusing on topics related to political participation in the digital world.
In 2022, she completed her practice-oriented Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Strategic Communication with a minor in Political Science at the University of Passau. Her thesis, written for the Chair of Digital and Strategic Communication, examined the phenomenon of mansplaining on Twitter.
During her eight-month Schuman traineeship at the European Parliament Liaison Office in Berlin, Ilona contributed to press and campaign work for the 2024 European elections.

In addition, she gained practical experience in European policy association and network work as an intern and working student at the European Movement Germany. She also worked as a freelance journalist for the Passauer Neue Presse and a local television station in Bavaria.