by Gabriel Brolli
 

Filip Radisic traded basketball courts for classrooms, choosing the MSc in Banking and Finance at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore after studying in the US and Lithuania. Driven to grow beyond sports, Filip found purpose in finance, inspired by Milan’s academic environment and standout faculty. His international path reflects a powerful message: it’s never too late to dream again.

We grow up being asked what we want to be as adults. Growing up in Serbia, Filip Radisic never had a specific profession in mind – just a basketball in hand. Sport-oriented to his core, it’s no surprise where he first set off to study.

Between majoring in Business Administration, basketball training, and watching NBA games late into the night, life in the US also became a way to improve his English. But when the pandemic struck in 2020, plans shifted. Filip transferred his credits to Lithuania, enrolling in a North American-style university with a strong basketball culture – and one much closer to home.

He graduated, but another crossroad came into view – this time sharper, more urgent: pursue professional basketball or commit to further studies? Filip took a moment to pause – not just to rest, but to reflect. “I realised I wasn’t ready to enter the job market yet,” he shares. “I wanted to upgrade my knowledge and specialise in something meaningful.” And that was his answer.

From Serbia to the US, then Lithuania, he had already learned to navigate new cultures. So going abroad again didn’t feel daunting. His cousin was studying at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan and spoke highly of the experience. For someone searching for direction, it felt like a sign.

The MSc in Banking and Finance felt serious, structured – exactly the kind of challenge Filip was ready to take on. Now enrolled in the programme at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, he’s diving into complex financial concepts, supported by professors he describes as “competent, profound, and detail oriented.” Professor Giovanni Petrella, left a mark: “When he teaches, it’s a blessing to hear. He makes difficult things simple, and that motivates you to study more.”

With the mindset he learned through basketball, Filip believes in embracing the choices we make and loving the place we are in. That’s how he fell for Milan, his friends in the Cattolica basketball team, and even swapped his usual six-egg breakfast for a cappuccino and brioche. 

In learning to dream new dreams – and daring to let go of old ones – Filip found not only his next step, but a new place to call home.