(Pictured above: Helena Jovic | Photo by Tiffany Luke)

Each Thursday, varsityblues.ca will highlight a U of T student-athlete and their academic pursuits. Each of these students achieved first class honours with an AGPA of at least 3.50 in the previous academic year.  These are our Student-Athlete Stories.

Going outside of what is familiar and comfortable can be quite frightening and nerve-wracking, however, for Varsity Blues fourth-year sprinter, Helena Jovic, immersing herself in everything the world has to offer has in turn helped her find her path.

The bioinformatics and computational biology studies major has always taken it upon herself to continue learning, and never settle for what she already knows.

"Immersing myself into different cultures means every day turns into a unique learning opportunity," Jovic said. "Although the pandemic was a big barrier to cultural immersion abroad, I've discovered there are many ways to make it a part of your daily routine through the people you spend time with, the work you do, the environment you expose yourself to, the music you listen to, the movies you watch and the books you read."

When she was just 17-years old, the track and field athlete from Ottawa wound up spending a year in Switzerland, and true to form, fully embraced everything there was to learn.

 "I spent a year abroad in Zurich, where I completed my third year of high school, trained and competed with a local track club and discovered my passion for languages and hiking mountains," she said. "After about a year and a half of studying, I went from complete beginner to achieving C1 fluency in German."

"During my time [away], I also took lessons in Italian and French, while learning some Russian on my own."


(Helena Jovic in Switzerland)

Back to present day, she strengthened her knowledge of language and set out a goal of committing to learning Spanish over the summer. After spending some time learning on her own, she embarked on a trip to Latin America and joined a Spanish Immersion school.

As someone who has such a vested interest in linguistics, it should come as no surprise that the universal language of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) caught her attention as a potential career path.

"When I was younger, I remember learning about universal languages," Jovic said. "I am passionate about STEM, not only because it plays a significant role in our everyday lives, linking innovative thinking and creativity to solve worldly problems but also because it transcends culture barriers and speaks to people regardless of what language they were raised with."

Greatly interested in all aspects of STEM, she was able to use that desire to help lock down her academic plans.

"I am passionate about biotechnology, bioengineering and its up-and-coming entrepreneurial potential and so when choosing a program of study, it felt natural to keep progressing towards that goal by pursuing a program that focused on the practical skills, business acumen and computational applications in the life sciences," Jovic said. "Moreover, I really like how unique and versatile the program is, providing an intimate community at the university along with opportunities that are available in industry and academia."

In an effort to combine her passions, Jovic applied and was accepted for two study abroad semesters, however, due to the pandemic, both were canceled. Fortunately, although not overseas, she was able to take part in a technology consulting internship over the summer, which she really enjoyed.

"Consulting satisfies my desire to be involved in high-impact, strategic and meaningful work that requires acquiring knowledge of multiple industries and reaching challenging goals within a set time frame," she said.


(Helena Jovic competing at the 2022 Toronto Invitational | Photo by Tiffany Luke)

Meanwhile, on the track, Jovic is a two-time gold medalist at the Canadian U20 championships and an OUA bronze medalist from this past season. Having competed at the Pan American U20 championships, her athletic accomplishments have also allowed her the opportunity to further explore other cultures.

Looking to be just as successful off the track, Jovic wants to take everything she has learned in the classroom and from her experiences to create a better world for one and all.

"I can see myself applying my knowledge in a wide range of industries and consulting is a career I'm strongly considering," she said. "I hope to use my education towards inspiring people and businesses around the world to address global concerns, especially surrounding the climate crisis, with a transformative mindset and a can-do approach. I also want to help children realize their full potential in STEM by breaking down socioeconomic and gender barriers."

Certainly, it won't always be easy as she looks to accomplish these goals but with advice she received from a good friend, Jovic has the mindset to tackle anything that comes her way.

"Life is like a 400m hurdle race," she quoted. "Sometimes you go fast and feel good. Sometimes you have to run over obstacles, and other times you run right into them."

"When I face setbacks, I try not to put too much pressure on myself and I focus on celebrating the small success. I like aiming high, because ultimately we can only achieve what we believe."