Serving Up Success: Ela Platenikova Leads Worldwide Terps

Hello Worldwide Terp family,

My name is Ela Platenikova, and I’m the newly elected president of Worldwide Terps for the 2024-25 academic year. As a sophomore international student-athlete on Maryland’s tennis team, I understand the difficulties associated with studying and competing for an institution in a country away from home.

I’m from Bratislava, Slovakia, and like many other international students, I came to the United States and attended the University of Maryland because of the outstanding academic and athletic programs available to all students. I aim to get into the Robert H. Smith School of Business and study management or business.

As President of Worldwide Terps, I’m looking forward to working with a diverse group of students, learning their perspectives, and advocating for their needs through my platform. Worldwide Terps plays a vital role because international student-athletes face challenges that others don’t.

Worldwide Terps and I plan to alleviate issues such as adapting to a new culture, managing the pressures of academics and athletics, and navigating immigration, visas, and tax issues — all challenges I faced when moving to the U.S.