Individual Talent Embracing the Power of a Team: Mila Stanojevic
Mila Stanojevic was on a path to CU Â鶹ӰԺ as a ranked member in the German top 150 tennis players and a high school graduate of the highly regarded Löwenrot Gymnasium in Heidelberg, Germany. The strength of academic programs offered here plus the beauty of Â鶹ӰԺ were top of Mila's list - plus - the tennis team wanted her. She has continued to be a stand-out star - both on the court and in the academic research lab.
Heidelberg, Germany to CU Â鶹ӰԺ: A Fruitful Choice
Born and raised in Germany before moving to Â鶹ӰԺ for college, Mila's journey as an
international student-athlete at CU has been incredibly rewarding. She selected the Department of Biochemistry at CU Â鶹ӰԺ for its strong faculty - giving her the opportunity to learn from amazing professors who are not only leaders in the Biochemistry field but also care for their students’ success. She attributes their passion for teaching and mentorship to creating a great learning environment where she personally felt encouraged to grow her scientific understanding.
Their support has played a crucial role in shaping her academic journey and sparking her curiosity for biochemistry. In addition, the department offers great undergraduate research opportunities where she feels very fortunate to join Dr. Roy Parker’s lab. Individual success and development are strongly supported in the department of Biochemistry, which she says has helped her become a better scientist.
Undergraduate Research Opportunity: Invaluable Mentorship
Mila knew, going into her senior year of college, that she wanted to gain more research experience and sought out an opportunity to join a lab for a summer internship. In Dr. Parker’s lab her research focus is looking at a protein called G3BP1, which is an essential regulator of cellular RNA metabolism. The main known functions of G3BP1 are regulating RNA stability and translation in the cytoplasm. Upon stress, G3BP1 also forms cytoplasmic stress granules, a type of membranelles assembly that forms through the biophysical process of condensation. Her main goal is to understand the mechanism of G3BP1 nuclear- cytoplasmic localization in the cell.
She spends 40 hours per week working in the lab during the summer and while it is a lot of hard work spent in the lab it is also the most fun experience at the same time. One of the biggest reasons she spends so much time in the Parker lab is the incredible mentorship she is given. The guidance and support from experienced researchers created an environment where she felt encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and push herself to improve. Learning something new each day, whether it was troubleshooting an experiment, analyzing data, or perfecting a new technique, made the experience truly enriching. This experience made it clear that she wanted to pursue a career in research.
Blending Success in an Individual Sport into Athletic and Scientific Teamwork
Mila was motivated to find a strong team environment where she has the opportunity to learn from the people around her. Engaging with such a diverse and driven group has taught her the value of collaboration, support and teamwork. Coming from an individual sport, her focus was always on personal success and by transitioning to college athletics, where teamwork is essential, she has found an incredibly valuable experience. She realizes that this lesson translates seamlessly into the research setting where, while each person works on their own project, the true strength of a lab comes from an environment built on teamwork, respect, and mutual support. Embracing this mindset has not only enhanced her experience as an athlete but has also shaped the way she approaches scientific research and collaboration.
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In Tennis
In her senior year, Mila Stanojevic is an accomplished member of the CU Â鶹ӰԺ Women's Tennis team - leading the team in her junior year in doubles and singles wins while being recognized with the ITA Mountain RegionÌýArthur Ash Leadership and Sportsmanship Award; named the No. 2 singles player by ITA in the mountain region and the No. 4 doubles team with Elys Ventura; and after the season she was named honorable mention All-Pac-12.
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In Academics
In Mila's pursuit of a BA in Biochemistry, she was named to the A&S Dean's List for Fall 2021. She was named an ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete in her freshman year (2021) and named to the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll.
We are excited to see where Mila's research and tennis career leads her after this spring's commencement. No matter where she goes, we know success will follow!
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