Cougar Scholars is a monthly series highlighting Chicago State student-athletes through the lens of their studies and professional pursuits. This month features Katarina Dukic from women's tennis. Read more from our previous scholar-athletes here:
- June 2022: Zack Phelps, Men's Golf
- May 2022: Faith Rotich, Women's Track & Field
- April 2022: Pedro Alvarez, Men's Tennis
- March 2022: Koranis Boonmadee, Women's Golf
- February 2022:Â Favour Chukwukelu, Men's Basketball
- January 2022:Â Aaliyah Collins, Women's Basketball
- December 2021:Â Justin Johnson, Men's Track & Field, Cross Country
- November 2021:Â Barbara Castellanos, Women's Soccer
- October 2021:Â Andrea Calderon, Volleyball
- September 2021:Â Shaquan Reid, Men's Soccer
- August 2021:Â Susie Andres, Women's Tennis
- July 2021:Â Kevin Bullington, Men's Golf
- June 2021:Â Dominick George, Men's Soccer
- May 2021:Â Carmen Acedo, Women's Soccer
- April 2021:Â Josh Stig, Men's Golf
- March 2021:Â Leilani Moncrease, Women's Basketball
Katarina Dukic loves numbers. She thinks you should, too.
"People think, 'What can you do with numbers? It's so boring,'" she said. "Numbers relax me. I'm good with them. It's interesting for me to solve problems."
Since her childhood in Belgrade, Serbia, Dukic has been a self-proclaimed numbers nerd, which she says she owes to her father, Vladimir.
"I should thank my dad for that," Dukic said. "He's all into stats and percentages — just like me."
Dukic has since parlayed that passion into her studies at Chicago State, where she is pursuing both a Bachelor and Master of Science in Mathematics, complete with a computer science minor. While also thriving as a women's tennis star, Dukic is CSU Athletics' Cougar Scholar for July.
"I wasn't exactly sure at first if I would pick math," Dukic said. "My freshman year, I was undecided. But then I took a placement exam in math and crushed it. I scored very high. My advisor recommended I try the math major, so I was like, 'OK, let's give it a try.' I don't regret it for a second."
Dukic's journey to Chicago State and to her current infatuation with her degree begins a world away in her hometown of Belgrade.
After graduating as her high school's valedictorian, administrators figured she'd stay in Serbia for college.
"They asked me, 'What university are you going to in Serbia? You can get in anywhere.' And I was like, 'I'm going to the U.S.' They said, 'Really? To the U.S.?'
"I said, 'Yes, because I want to study and play tennis.'"
Dukic calls the pivotal moment the toughest decision she's ever made.
"I've always been the princess of my family," Dukic said. "It was a big step for me to go across the ocean and be by myself."
It was a bold plunge for Dukic, who had only been to America once, when in 2014 she competed in a South Florida tennis tournament in South Florida.
"It was the hardest decision," Dukic said. "But I f I was born five more times, I would pick every time to go study in the U.S. I'm super grateful for the opportunity."
The ambitious Dukic has since trekked eastward for the summer. She is currently interning at The Apawamis Club in Rye, New York, working in web design and budgeting. She'll then return to Chicago State to finish both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, all while playing tennis.
"I have high ambitions, and I gave myself a challenge." Dukic said. "But let's try."
Dukic has risen to the challenge because of her overflowing passion for what she's studying. What's most fascinated her is the opportunity to learn Structured Query Language (SQL), which she said will open the door for myriad career paths.
"SQL helps us connect designs with data analysis," Dukic said. "If you have large amounts of numbers, coding and SQL is very important in that.
"It's very cool. It was something completely new to me."
As she studies and competes, it's apparent that Dukic is, more than anything. grateful.
"I've developed as a person, which is why Chicago State means a lot to me," Dukic said. "I'm grateful for my teammates and my classmates, who have taught me how to bring out my best self both in the classroom and on the court."
