What position do you hold at ZSEM? What has been your career path so far?
Marija: At ZSEM, I work as Coordinator of the International Recruitment and Enrollment Office, which is a job that I took at in the right place and at the right time.
Having been born and raised in the United States-- where I lived and worked until five years ago when I made the gutsy move to Zagreb (just as the Croatian economy took a nose dive)—I have found myself taking on a career path which is increasingly shaped by my bicultural background.
I've worked as a high school English teacher in the US, a English instructor for Croatian kids in Zagreb, a radio journalist broadcasting the Croatian news in English (for the Croatian diaspora and non-Croatian speakers in and outside of Croatia), a Human Resources Development Specialist for an IT company and my last job as an Educational Consultant for a startup educational and career consulting company.
In all of these positions, I found myself seeking to promote diversity and the importance of a quality, well-rounded education. Fortunately, my role at ZSEM depends on both of these, plus I have the added benefit of promoting the country of my heritage, Croatia, whose beauty and modernity speak for itself!
What does the future hold for ZSEM - any exciting new programs to share?
Marija: I am really excited to be answering this question, because I am 100% confident that ZSEM's future sees no limits. The motivation of ZSEM's highly talented and diverse faculty and administrative staff is visible every day, while its students are active both in and out of the classroom.
More importantly, the interaction between these two (ZSEM employees and students) is always constructive and positive, driving both to strive for success.
Our International Recruitment and Enrollment Office is excited to announce ZSEM's study abroad program with which we hope to attract an even greater number of international students to undertake their studies in Croatia for 1-2 semesters and have the opportunity to immerse themselves into the Croatian culture and take a dip on a hot weekend at the Adriatic Sea's crystal clear beaches or retreat to the mountains that are practically next door for a hike or skiiing. Study and travel via ZSEM is undoubtedly one of the BEST ways to experience Croatia.
Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?
Marija: The challenges that facing diversity poses is one of life's greatest pleasures. Here, we learn most not only about others but about ourselves. I believe that we can always have a more open mindset, rather, our mindset will automatically become more open as we fill up our mental database with more and more disparate ideas.
Without openness, we cannot learn. Without learning, we cannot grow. And without growth, we cease to exist. Studying abroad at ZSEM is the highway to openness, learning, growth and a meaningful existence.
What unique qualities does your company possess?
Marija: ZSEM is the only business school in Croatia to offer both undergraduate and graduate studies in the English language, amongst which are our new Business Mathematics and Economics (BA) and Business Law and Economics (BA) programs. It is the only business school in Southeastern Europe with the AACSB accreditation.
Nearly all of our faculty earned their degrees at prestigious European and American universities and we host visiting lecturers from distinguished universities like the Ross Business School of the University of Michigan, where several of our faculty members participated in exchange programs. ZSEM has over 120 partner universities worldwide, thus is also host to international students of 26 nationalities.
Most importantly, we help coordinate mandatory internships for our students which give them ample practical experience before graduating and, thanks to the remarkable work of ZSEM's Career Office, over 70% of ZSEM students find employment within four months of graduation. Our active and successful alumni attest to the fact that ZSEM's good reputation is justified and hard-earned.
