The Runner’s Spotlight is on sophomore volleyball player Milica “Mili” Vukobrat. She is one of the international athletes on her team and in our sports programs. Vukobrat is from Novi Sad, Serbia. 

  Vukobrat had been playing volleyball for about twelve years before coming to the U.S. and starting at CSU Bakersfield last year. There wasn’t a big difference between the two countries when she arrived. The main difference for her was not knowing anyone.  

  “Like having a feeling that someone wants you to come there, like the most of all the schools, no matter if the school is bigger, no matter if the school is who knows where. Like, if someone wants you to be there, you would want to be there…That’s such a big thing if you’re going somewhere and you don’t know anyone,” Vukobrat said about choosing to come to CSUB even though it’s a new place for her. 

  She explained how CSUB made the effort to want her, and how not knowing anybody changed in her first year as people showed her kindness and helped her out when she needed it. As for beginning in a new school with a different education system, it was contrastive. Vukobrat explained how different it would be to play volleyball and go to college at the same time in her country. 

  “Me wanting to go to college and play volleyball is very hard and almost impossible in my country, because there’s nothing like here… there’s just college… and I don’t have time for both,” Vukobrat said. She emphasized how she’s in a very good program where she can play and study, and that is the reason she wanted to come here. 

  Through her packed schedule, Vukobrat still has moments where she misses her family and parents back home in Serbia. She mentioned how her parents wake up early in the morning just to watch her games, and send her “a million texts” to tell her how good she was and how proud they are of her. With winter break nearing, she’s already starting to count the days until she gets to go back home and be with her family.