On Saturday the 12th of January, college student scholarship holders of the Hastor Foundation gathered at the Main Assembly Hall of the ASA Prevent Group for their first monthly meeting in 2019. It was an honor to welcome this month’s guest speaker, our former scholarship holder Elvir Kadrić, who selflessly shared his knowledge and gave invaluable advice to the Foundation’s youth.

The students were first addressed by teacher Ramo and the Foundation’s Managing Director, Seid Fijuljanin, who clarified certain points about what the status of a scholarship holder entails and gave general advice on how to approach one’s studies.

At these monthly meetings, the Foundation’s scholarship holders are often given an opportunity to listen to the life stories of successful young people, experts in their respective fields, who are more than happy to respond to our invitation to come and share their knowledge with a large group of students who are about to enter the dynamic and unpredictable labor market.

We are especially glad when it is our former scholarship holders who come to these gatherings – they return to the Foundation as successful young people who push the boundaries each and every day in what they do. Elvir Kadrić is one of such professionals. Having himself been a scholarship holder just couple of years ago, Elvir is the person most aware of the thirst for knowledge and incredible ambition to succeed held and shared by all of the Foundation’s scholarship holders.

Elvir became the Hastor Foundation’s scholarship holder in 2007, the time of the Foundation’s beginnings when teacher Ramo visited schools personally in search of potential scholarship holders. Elvir was a secondary school student at the time, and he would go on to keep the status of a scholarship holder for the next six years. His bond with the Hastor Foundation, however, would stay strong for years to come.

For the last five years, Elvir has worked at ASA Insurance, the leading domestic insurance company that cares for its clients’ well-being, whether in domain of living or business, by offering them products and services that ensure greatest possible sense of security. In these five years, he has climbed up from the position of an Intern-Associate for Finance and now holds the position of the Manager of the Finance Department.

The scholarship holders were particularly interested in the way Elvir’s career has progressed so far. This is understandable given the fact that Elvir managed to reach the top of the company’s finance department in just five years, thereby making his dream a reality in a very short amount of time. This modest young man, however, centered his talk on the Hastor Foundation which he believes played a major role in his success. In addition, he shared some of his professional knowledge through two PowerPoint presentations. Elvir first focused on business etiquette, namely professional correspondence via e-mail. Only by knowing these rules can we present ourselves in the best possible light, regardless of whether we are seeking employment or conversing with a business partner.

The second presentation offered an overview of investing (borrowing) in the capital market via securities purchases. Scholarship holders who are unfamiliar with these terms had an excellent opportunity to learn what securities are, as well as learn about the capital market, namely its features and role, as well as participants.

When discussion was opened, scholarship holders studying economics and business were particularly active in sharing their knowledge and views. This left quite an impression on our guest, but also on their fellow students.

The message Elvir wanted to pass onto his younger colleagues who are currently the Foundation’s scholarship holders is that they should never give up on their dreams – achieving the goals we set for ourselves and obtaining what we so earnestly want is possible if we give it our all. On that path it is important that we do not lose sight of ourselves and of the values the Foundation taught us. On the other hand, if we continue to work hard and persist on our path, by our good example we will be able to encourage others to contribute to our society.