Students at Belmont Abbey reach graduation despite COVID-19 challenges
Belmont Abbey recently recognized two graduates for their outstanding athletic careers while facing challenges as international students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both students graduated along with 225 of their peers on Saturday, May 14 at Belmont Abbey College’s Mary Help of Christians Basilica Piazza.
Bosko Bojovic
Bojović came to Belmont Abbey in the fall of 2019 to play striker for the men’s basketball team and switched from Santa Fe College in Florida.
During his basketball career at Belmont Abbey, Bojović helped write history with an average of 10 points and seven rebounds a game, while being part of the first team in college history to become conference champions two years in a row.
“With the exam so close, it reminds me that I am robust and I am not a person who gives up easily. It also gives me hope for the future, because I am obliged to try to stay in the United States for a while longer, “said Bojović.
One of Bojović’s biggest challenges at school was the language barrier, as he is originally from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“When I first came to the States, I understood English well, but could not speak it. I did not speak for a month,” Bojović said.
“When I first started bonding with my teammates, I felt better and I learned to converse. I was really accepted by my teammates and it made me feel more comfortable trying to speak English,” he added. he.
In March 2020, Bojović was forced to return to his home country before the borders closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bojović began taking classes online, unsure if he would be able to return to Belmont Abbey. Bojović returned to the United States in September 2020, but had to travel again in December 2020, and did not return until August 2021.
“My favorite thing about Abbey is the community I’ve found here. I’ve built incredible relationships on campus, but also in the larger Charlotte community,” Bojović said.
After completing a marketing degree with a minor in business, Bojović plans to travel home for the summer and work as a marketing intern at Kosmos, a manufacturing company in Bosnia, of fabricated metal products used to make aircraft.
Bojović also plans to pursue a master’s degree in business and hopes he can play basketball for a fifth year while doing so.
Conrad Hill
Hill began her journey in Belmont Abbey in the fall of 2017 from Perth, Australia.
“The opportunity popped up and it was one thing where if I didn’t take the chance, I would kick myself later in life,” Hill said.
“I came up with the intention of doing a year of ‘trial’ and fell in love with North Carolina. It was also for volleyball, Belmont Abbey men’s volleyball program is Division 1, so it was a huge opportunity for me to show my skills on it. highest collegial level, “he added.
Throughout his four years at the school, Hill dedicated his time to the sport so much that he became team captain in 2020, a position he held for three years.
During the pandemic, Hill secured one of the last flights back to Australia. When he was first home, he took tuition online while managing the time difference between the two countries. Hill later ended up taking the semester off as it became difficult to take tuition online and continued to work for a logistics company in Australia.
In January 2021, Hill returned to the United States and took summer courses to compensate for the semester he took off.
Hill graduates with two degrees, one in sports management and the other in business management.
Initially, he hoped to return home, but with the high air fares, Hill plans to stay in the United States for a while yet.
“I have a few opportunities to practice volleyball at the collegiate level that I will use my OPT visa to work in the United States after graduation,” Hill said.
Beatriz Guerrero can be contacted at 704-869-1828 or on Twitter @ BeatrizGue_.