Passing the baton: A new chapter begins for the RIT Croatia Alumni Community

A new era is officially unfolding for the RIT Croatia Alumni Association. After three impactful years dedicated to strengthening connections across generations, former President Angela Krčelić—an International Business graduate who brings marketing expertise and project leadership to bridging academics and alumni—is passing the leadership torch.

Stepping up to lead the association into its next three-year mandate is former Vice President Niko Katušić. A Hospitality and Tourism Management alumnus with a Master of Science degree in Service Leadership and Innovation, Niko brings extensive corporate account strategy experience to his new role. Joining him is newly elected Vice President Andrea Kecić, also a Hospitality and Tourism Management graduate, who draws on her background managing complex, multi-market international portfolios at Hilton Supply Management.

Together, the three leaders reflect on the foundation laid, the vision ahead, and the infinite possibilities within a global network of over 3,400 alumni.

Looking back: Words of wisdom from Angela Krčelić

Reflecting on her mandate, Angela points to several core milestones: introducing the Alumni Donations Program to support future students, launching educational workshops, and establishing the annual Alumni Summit. "I always believed that the alumni community shouldn’t exist separately from the university, but rather as an extension of it—a place where knowledge, experience, and opportunities can be shared across the entire RIT Croatia community."

As she transitions out, Angela offers empowering advice for the incoming team: "My biggest advice would be: make it your own. Bring your own ideas, personality, and perspective to the role, and don’t be afraid to try new things. Not everything will work perfectly, and that’s okay—the important thing is to keep moving forward and learning along the way."

Looking ahead: Niko Katušić’s vision to engage, support, and contribute

Having served as Vice President and previously as Student Government President, Niko enters the presidency focused on relationship-first leadership. For Niko, the network’s true value lives in personal connections—where one conversation at an event can yield a mentor, business deal, or reconnect old friends.

Niko’s roadmap centers on three core pillars:

• Engage: Hosting events that act as "LinkedIn in real life". Panels like Entrepreneurs Among Us remind us that alumni learn deeply from sharing both successes and mistakes.
• Support: Expanding mentoring to help students navigate career transitions. Niko emphasizes that support must be a two-way street—younger alumni bring fresh tech and ideas, while experienced members share real-world guidance.
• Contribute: Creating flexible ways to give back, whether financially, by hosting talks, or simply making introductions. With alumni spread globally, engagement must be adaptable for everyone, whether in-person or virtually.

"The opportunity for the next three years is to move from having a strong alumni network to having an even more active alumni ecosystem. A strong community isn’t built by a few people doing everything. It is built when many people decide to do a little and keep doing it consistently.", says Niko.

A global perspective: Andrea Kecić on expanding international reach

Stepping into the Vice Presidency feels like coming home for Andrea, who previously worked as a Marketing Representative for RIT Croatia and managed campus exchange programs. She plans to combine her university roots with her experience in multi-market strategy to expand international networking across RIT's global hubs.

"Stepping into this role feels like finally coming home after a long vacation! My personal aspiration is for us to explore collaborating with RIT’s other global alumni hubs and provide more opportunities for Croatia’s network to connect internationally.", Andrea comments.

With a solid foundation established over the past three years and an energetic leadership team stepping forward, the RIT Croatia Alumni Community enters its next chapter stronger, more connected, and ready to grow together.