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ASEF Junior Fellow Elizabeth Stupica’s Research Visit and a Return to Slovenia

August 29, 2025 | 12:28 pm |
August 28, 2025

We are immensely proud to announce that our ASEF Visit Slovenia Junior Fellow, generation 2025, Elizabeth Stupica, has successfully completed her research visit in Slovenia. A health sciences student at Ohio University, Elizabeth conducted her professional research at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, where she was mentored by physiotherapist Maja Marija Potočnik. Her ten-week journey was a heartfelt homecoming that not only expanded her career horizons but also deepened her connection to her Slovenian heritage.

In the following, read Elizabeth Stupica’s portrait story. 

An ASEF Junior Fellow’s Perspective: Slovenia Feels Like Home

Elizabeth’s connection to Slovenia is as deep as her family’s roots. “Growing up, my grandmother really emphasized the Slovenian culture in me and my sister’s lives,” she shares. This upbringing, filled with Slovenian school and traditional foods, created a foundation that made her feel instantly at home upon her arrival.

It’s been so nice to reconnect after being away for so long. My dad is 100 % Slovenian, and I have a younger sister too, so growing up, me and her went to Slovenian school. Both of us really share the same importance for Slovenian culture.

While she had visited briefly before, this extended stay was different. It allowed for a profound reconnection with her family and her heritage. Now older, she was able to appreciate the significance of their shared culture. “Being here when I’m older and I’m able to understand the importance of everything has been super great,” she says. The warmth and hospitality of the Slovenian people were an unexpected gift. “The people here are incredibly kind, and their warmth made this experience truly unforgettable. I was so touched by the small gestures, like the hospital staff offering us coffee every morning, that made me feel completely at home,” she notes. This journey has reignited her desire to deepen her connection to her heritage, including learning the language and staying in touch with the friends she’s made.

Every Saturday after Slovenian school, my dad would take me and my sister to our grandma’s house, and we would have lunch and everything, and it would usually be some type of soup. It was a really good day if she made either potica or štrudelj.

Expanding Horizons in Healthcare

As a future physical therapist, Elizabeth’s fellowship was as much about professional growth as it was about personal discovery. She had the opportunity to observe different physiotherapy departments, from pediatrics to women’s health and neurology, specialties she hadn’t previously considered. This exposure “has been very insightful and it’s just been able to broaden my perspective of healthcare systems abroad.

Elizabeth found that while the U.S. and Slovenian healthcare systems have their differences, they share a common value: a commitment to student learning. 

They just really care about making sure that the student is learning more about the field they’re interested in.

She is now eager to explore these fields further as she prepares for graduate school. Elizabeth credits her mentor, Maja Marija Potočnik, for making this possible and for her dedication in coordinating a variety of experiences that aligned with Elizabeth’s interests.

Besides working at UKC Ljubljana, Elizabeth also engaged in various ASEF activities such as the ASEF Weekend Getaway, ASEF Trip to the Vipava Valley and the 6th Annual ASEF Fellows’ Picnic.

Friendships, Confidence, and a New Path

When asked to describe her experience in three words, Elizabeth chose enriching, comforting, and memorable. It was enriching in both her academic field and her cultural knowledge; comforting to reconnect with a part of herself she’d felt distant from; and memorable for the friendships she forged and the weekend trips that created lifelong memories.

Her time in Slovenia also sparked a new self-discovery: a desire to travel more. “From being here and being on my own in a new country I definitely would like to travel more,” she says. She learned that she’s capable of navigating a new culture on her own, a lesson she’s eager to apply to future adventures. Ultimately, the most important thing she’s taking home with her isn’t a souvenir or a new skill, but the friendships she made with her fellow ASEF Junior Fellows. 

The one thing I’ll take home with me are the friendships I made. I never expected to grow so close to some of the fellows. If you’re considering applying for the program, you should definitely do it. 

We are immensely proud of Elizabeth and the academic and personal successes she achieved during the ASEF Visit Slovenia program. We extend our best wishes for her continued professional journey and look forward to the possibility of a future reunion.

We also thank the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad and all ASEF donors for supporting the work of ASEF and our Junior Fellows.

A Few of Elizabeth’s Favorite Things

Dish:

  • Potica (with nuts or tarragon)

Word:

  • Jabolko (the first Slovenian word that she learned)
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