Diana M '93, PhD '95 and Miren MBA '90, M '95, PhD '95 Ivankovic

Summer 2004

Miren and Diana Ivankovic, originally from Croatia, came to Clemson in 1989 and, over the next few years, earned a total of three master's degrees and two Ph.D. degrees (Diana in zoology and microbiology and Miren in economics, business and applied economics). They defended their dissertations on the same day at the same time and walked down the aisle of Littlejohn to receive their doctoral degrees together.

Miren, who earned his bachelor's degree from Lander on a tennis scholarship, started running for exercise while in graduate school at Clemson. Unfortunately because of genetics, arthritis and overuse of the hip joints, he developed a major problem - in both hip joints.

In May 2003, he underwent a bilateral hip resurfacing procedure and was advised to give up running. But because he recovered from surgery so well and was able to resume his normal everyday activities, he soon tried running again. Diana began running herself to offer him encouragement.

Last May, both Ivankovics celebrated Miren's one-year recovery by competing in the annual Run for Freedom, a 5K race in the Upstate. Not only did they finish, but they both won - Miren overall and Diana overall female.
The Ivankovics, who have three children, are teachers. Diana is a biology lecturer at Clemson, and Miren is an economics and finance professor at Southern Wesleyan University.

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