Elena Djoković

Finance

Elena Djoković’s Stetson recruitment story isn’t substantially different from a lot of other student-athletes — except for the distance from home.

As an exchange student in St. Louis, Missouri, far away from her native Serbia, Djoković was looking for a college in Florida when Stetson Volleyball reached out to her. At age 17, she visited the campus, met some of the players who would be her teammates, and “I really like it — so, I decided to come here.”

It wasn’t until she officially arrived as a student that departures from the norm became widely apparent. Not only did Djoković quickly ascend in indoor volleyball competition — making the ASUN All-Freshman Team — but, majoring in finance, she also made the ASUN Honor Roll for academics. 

Throughout her four years at Stetson, the 6-foot-1 Djoković towered both on the court and in the classroom, as she earned the distinctions of being an ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year and being selected to the ASUN 2021-22 Fall Winners for Life Team. That award is given each semester to one student-athlete from each of the conference’s 12 member institutions and honors those individuals who display excellence on and off the playing surface.

And these achievements don’t include another area of prowess: corporate finance and investments. Djoković excelled on Stetson’s Roland George Investments team, too. Students in the pioneering Roland George program manage a real portfolio of $6 million in stocks and bonds. 

Djoković credits time management for many of her feats. 

“Sometimes you have to sacrifice your social life or going out. You have to commit yourself,” Djoković says. “Because I was on a volleyball scholarship, I had to take care of my body first. … Then it was obviously my academics because without academics I couldn’t be here. You’re doing homework all the time. Even when we were on the road, I would have my laptop with me on the airplane. … It’s a lot of work, but it all plays off at the end.’

Additionally, Djoković credits professors in the School of Business Administration, particularly Matt Hurst, PhD, and Carolyn Nicholson, PhD. 

About Hurst, she describes, “He definitely helped me throughout the years in choosing the best classes and what would be the best fit for me when I’m in [volleyball] season, when I’m out of season — having to accommodate my class schedule.” 

About Nicholson, she says, “She wasn’t my [official] advisor, but she was definitely one of my favorite professors, and she was always there to advise me, not only about academics but also about some life decisions.”

Djoković is certainly happy about her decision that brought her to Stetson. 

“Yes, yes,” she concludes. “I’m more than happy with the decision I made!”

-Michael Candelaria

Tejal Ram 

Political Science

Arriving at Stetson in 2019 from Lake Howell High School near Orlando, Tejal Ram started as a pre-med biology student before switching to political science during her first year on campus. 

That turned into a very smart move, almost immediately.

“The [political science] program here is really wonderful,” Ram says without hesitation. “The professors are great, and the course load and the requirements I think really help prepare you for what lies ahead. You can go to law school; you can go into journalism. There are all different kinds of fields you can go into, and I think it makes you really well-rounded. I’ve learned a lot.” 

Ram has achieved a lot, too. 

Under her name are the titles of president, Stetson Mock Trial Team; vice president, Phi Alpha Delta; and director of recruitment, Pi Beta Phi. Mock Trial Team has enjoyed rapid success in competitions on the national stage. Phi Alpha Delta is an international professional law fraternity. Pi Beta Phi is her sorority. 

Through the years, Ram simply didn’t participate, she also led and thrived. 

“Being part of these organizations has shaped my entire experience here. I’ve gotten such hands-on experience. I feel a lot more prepared to go into law school,” says Ram, who plans to take a gap year before returning to the classroom. “Being a part of these organizations has helped me know that this is what I want to do.”

In particular, Ram points to her involvement with Stetson’s Mock Trial Team, under the mentorship of Sven Smith, PhD, associate professor of sociology. Ram describes Smith as “very cool, very personable and always willing to help.” In just a few years, the team has excelled in competitions while teaching students about the nuances of court trials.

“I’ve learned so much about both the academic field and professionally how to do as a prelaw student — and the goals I need to set myself up to achieve in order get to law school,” she says.

Such an education is exactly what Ram envisioned while on her first visit to campus. Her sister, Sarika, is a 2018 graduate. As a result, Ram was aware of the university. Then, on that visit, she became convinced Stetson was the right place for her.

“Compared to other options I had for universities, small class sizes were definitely big for me,” she explains. “I like developing a connection with professors. And having the Stetson [alumni] network is really important. The Stetson network is huge, and we should all use it to our advantage, because we have successful people who have graduated from here, and they’re so willing to help current students.”

Graduating, Ram is now part of that network of help, quite happily.

-Michael Candelaria

Elizabeth Jordan

Marriage, Family, and Couples Counseling (Master’s)

Elizabeth Jordan had easier options regarding her career, at least ones that didn’t require as much heart and hustle. 

Jordan graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2016, with a degree in elementary education and teaching, returning to college after starting a family. She was a successful teacher at an Orlando elementary school for six years — before changing course and pursuing a master’s degree at Stetson in Marriage, Family, and Couples Counseling, which began in 2019. 

That meant additional personal and family sacrifices, such as having to “fly out my job to make it [to Stetson for class] because of the drive.” She would leave her job as a teacher in Orlando at roughly 3:30 p.m. and head to the campus in DeLand.

And this all started at Stetson by sheer coincidence. 

During travel related to attending an American Counseling Association conference in 2019 in New Orleans, Jordan met Leila Roach, PhD, associate professor in Stetson’s Department of Counselor Education. At the airport on the trip home, Jordan was wearing a shirt bought at the conference, and was approached by Roach, who also had attended. A conversation ensued about the master’s program at Stetson, and Jordan, who was already thinking about that kind of program, was intrigued. She explored the option and ultimately enrolled without applying to any other graduate schools.

Ironically, for several semesters Jordan didn’t have Roach as a professor, because Roach had been on sabbatical. By the time they saw each other in class, the impact on their chance meeting was already cemented. 

“I met some wonderful people, classmates and professors alike,” Jordan describes about the program. “I felt very engaged. I loved the hands-on portion of it because it was a lot of experiential learning. It really forced me to evaluate what counseling really was.”

Further, at Stetson Jordan served as the 2021-2022 chapter secretary of Chi Sigma Iota Honor Society, and its president in 2023. Chi Sigma Iota is an international honor society focused on excellence in counseling.

So, as a mother of two children and a wife, who already had a career, was the Stetson master’s degree worth the effort? Jordan answers with “absolutely.” 

“It took a lot of managing schedules … but it was worth it,” she asserts, adding that, with a clear path to counseling, she resigned as a teacher.

Jordan already has a new job, at a private practice in Orlando called Grace Medical Home. She had interned there as a student. Jordan still has to obtain her state licensure, but her new career is moving forward. 

“I feel very confident in the skill that I’ve learned, and that at this point it can only get better,” she concludes.

-Michael Candelaria