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Onwards to the next set: Matyáš, Class of 2021, follows his passions for finance and tennis in the United States

As the ISP Class of 2021 embark on the next stages of their academic journeys at prestigious universities around the world, several of the Class of 2021 shared their thoughts on their IB experience at ISP. Class of 2021 graduate Matyáš, who is now studying Finance and playing Division One tennis at Sacred Heart University, Connecticut, United States and is the second of a series of ISP Alumni reflecting on their IB experience at ISP. The students embark on a variety of paths that embrace the ISP Mission to lead healthy, fulfilling, and purposeful lives, preparing them to adapt and contribute responsibly around the world.

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Name: Matyáš

Citizenship: Czech Republic 

Destination University: Sacred Heart University, Connecticut, United States 

Grade Started at ISP: Grade 9

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The IB at ISP – what are your abiding memories? 

I really liked that I could explore the subjects I was most interested in. I chose chemistry and biology. It might sound a little strange but I enjoyed the essays as I could work on them in my own time. I always felt like the time I invested was rewarded in the end with the grade. One of my favourite memories was that I was able to come on campus safely two weeks before school so that I could use the lab to conduct my experiments. I’d like to thank ISP for allowing me to do this. 

Special thanks from me must also go to Mr. Jan Čermák, (Science Teaching Assistant) who helped me greatly with my extended essay and everything else in the sciences, especially my experiments. He was an inspiration because -he also came from the Czech education system, so he was a great mentor to me. 

Also inspirational was Mr. Robert Bohat (English as an Additional Language Teacher). He was very helpful and was one of my favourite teachers. I could talk to him about anything and he had a shared interest in the sciences. He helped me in different subjects. His knowledge touches on so many different areas, as he speaks seven languages including Hebrew, Russian and English, that in itself is inspiring! 

What are you doing next and how has studying the IB @ISP prepared you for it? 

I’m heading to the United States to study finance. I greatly enjoyed and was challenged by my scientific studies at ISP, but I believe that my pathway is in the finance field. I will also play Division One tennis in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). I played tennis throughout my time at ISP and I found it a great way to relax and keep my mind fresh. Although the demands of the IB meant I couldn’t play international tournaments, I kept competing locally and I look forward to testing myself in the United States. One of the main things I will take from the IB program is the importance of managing my time. I factored tennis into this time and although the IB was tough, it made me mentally stronger.  

Future plans – what do you intend to do in the medium to long term future and what do you take from ISP to the rest of your life? 

I will certainly take international mindedness from ISP. It was very useful for me to meet with people from all over the world, to experience different backgrounds, cultures and outlooks. This international mindedness will be very important in the fields of finance and business where I see my career going. 

I see myself working as a financial analyst in investment banking or in private equity. I’d certainly like to work abroad. I’ve always had a passion for the sciences and this led to an interest in finance through looking at investments in scientific companies. More recently I’ve been involved in stock trading and I’m also interested in sports finance. I think the finance field is the best place for me to fulfil my potential.