That continuous work and the desire to improve are necessary for success in the business, but also in the private world, Selma Skopljaković Hubljar is an example in addition to our many former and current scholarship holders!
Our former scholar Selma was born in Zvornik, grew up in Tuzla, where she completed primary and secondary school, and graduated from the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Sarajevo at the Department of Theoretical Computer Science.
She was a part of the Hastor Foundation for a total of four years, and through our conversation she was happy to reveal details about her current employment, as well as her previous work experience:
I am currently employed as a software engineer in a German company. I started working as a student and have already gained valuable 12 years of experience. I worked in several companies on the domestic and foreign markets, in addition to being engaged as a professional associate at the Department of Mathematics at the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Sarajevo. It is important to note that there is no universal recipe for a successful career. Successes and failures are inevitable, and the key is to work on yourself, acquire new skills and constantly improve.
She found out about the Hastor Foundation through an ad shown to her by a friend from college. At that time, she was looking for financial support due to the challenges of student life. She was invited to an interview which, as she says, was more than successful, although she pointed out that there is a possibility that she will not be able to volunteer if it would affect her study obligations in any way. But today, when she looks back at that time, she realizes that she was only afraid of the unknown world that was waiting for her and that her volunteer work fit perfectly into her duties and helped her organize her time better and do something at the same time. Good for the community.
Selma also revealed to us how she managed to balance between university duties and volunteering: I volunteered for a year in the field around Tuzla and for three years in the administration of the Foundation. Although volunteering was challenging along with studying, I gained significant experience in administration, communication and teamwork. Today, I highly recommend volunteering during schooling because it provides an opportunity for personal growth and preparation for the future.
The best part of volunteering for Selma, as she points out, was the socializing. During her office volunteering shift, she met many scholarship holders and these are her fondest memories that still make her happy today. It is always valuable for us to hear the messages of our alumni who are full of support for the current scholarship holders of the Hastor Foundation, so Selma’s message at the end of the interview is extremely valuable and motivating:
While I don’t feel like I have enough experience to give advice, I do want to share something: dream big, be resilient, finish college, and keep learning and working on yourself. The goal is to preserve health, achieve happiness and a sense of fulfillment in one’s own way. Each of you will surely find them. Ups and downs are inevitable, but constantly moving forward and getting back up is key.
Prepared by: Hana Kolasević
