Celebrating quarter of a century of top American education in Croatia

Hi everyone, Dean Hudspeth here . It is Wednesday, September 1st, 2021, while I am writing this, which is the first day of our 25th academic year. We had our freshmen orientation in both our Dubrovnik and Zagreb campuses, and welcomed our 25th generation of new students. These students will graduate in 2025, which is also really neat!

As we enter the year of our silver anniversary, as some might say, I want to share a few thoughts with you. I still remember my first day working for RIT Croatia, back in August, 1997. They were certainly different times back then - our Dubrovnik campus was in a different location, and we shared a facility with the Polytechnic of Dubrovnik, and there were no smartphones or other advanced technology.

The one thing that began in 1997, and has remained the same throughout all these years, is the strong spirit and the quality of relationships between the members of our community. That connection which is established with our students during the time of their studies continues when they become alumni. We remain very connected with our alumni, from the first group in 2001, to the most recent in 2021. The landscape has changed since 1997, and we (RIT) have grown significantly, but the connections, they're still the same.

Knowing that we have more than 2,600 alumni doing great things, in more than 40 countries, makes me feel honored and humble to be the President & Dean of this amazing college. We have had the privilege to be a part of their story, and they continue to be a part of ours. Our alumni are members of our faculty, guest lecturers, employers of our students and graduates, and members of our advisory and governing boards. This tells me we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, and doing it right.

A lot of people have asked me what is the 'secret sauce' for RIT Croatia's success over all of these years. The truth is, we have always focused on the learning experience and personal growth experience of our students, and to better prepare them for life. Aligning our processes to help students discover their passion and future careers, and supporting them in achieving their professional goals and dreams, this has been, and continues to be, the backbone of everything we do.

Another very important ingredient of that 'secret sauce' is people, the faculty and staff of RIT Croatia. Some of them have been with us since that first day of classes in 1997. Our faculty and staff, in both of our campuses, are continuously committed to helping our students succeed. One of the nicest things I hear from students is when they refer to us as a family, their family, which comes about from the caring our great faculty and staff.

So, what do I see looking in the future? An even stronger RIT Croatia community, changing the world we live in, for the better.