For Ivan Tolic, Gannon University was the beginning of something great. Here, Tolic was introduced to the world of foreign languages and international business which would later lead him to Chile. Studying International Business and Spanish Language at Gannon enabled him to become fluent in Spanish with the help of Dr. Kosir. Tolic loved her passion for teaching Spanish and is grateful to her for pushing him to go study abroad in Chile. “Dr. Kosir always made time to listen to students and encourage them to really learn a new language,” Tolic says. If it hadn’t been for her push, Tolic might not have ended up as an Account Manager in Santiago, Chile right after graduating from Gannon University.
As account manager, Tolic attends to clients, manages and monitors the folders of international clients and explains the importance of intellectual property. The company he works for, Marcaria, helps to register the trademarks, patents and domains in more than 200 countries.
While at Gannon University, Tolic played on the Men’s soccer team as center back. His experience at Gannon University, from academics to sports and social events, was rich. Tolic thanks his professors, coaches and friends, saying that without them his experience wouldn’t have been the same.
In his personal life, Tolic loves to travel and is always looking for new places and experiences. His favorite thing about traveling is trying the different food. Ivan also plays guitar and is always working on learning to play new songs. His mother, Jela, father Ante and sister Ana have been a huge support system as he moved out of the country to study and then work in Chile. “Without them, I would never be where I am,” he said. “My sister, especially, is a big support in my personal and professional life.”
Now, Tolic is working on his master’s degree and in five years, he wants to learn another language!
On advice to give to Gannon Students, Tolic says “Do what you like, never stop learning and always look for those new experiences. Find your passion and don’t give up.””
(Published April 2015)