The Emory Senior Spotlight Series continues with a look at current student-athlete Sven Mesihovic from the men's swimming & diving team.

Name: Sven Mesihovic

Hometown (HS): Suwanee, GA (Lambert)

Sport: Men's Swimming & Diving

Major: Accounting

** How did you start getting involved with swimming? How old were you when you started competing?

​I was around seven when I first started swimming, but I really started being competitive at age 11. 

** Do you have any current plans for after graduation?

​My family and I hope to be able to go to Croatia and visit relatives; other than that I plan on moving into an apartment in Atlanta and working.

** What is one piece of advice you would give to your freshman self?

​Oh goodness, there's a lot but if I had to pick one then it would be, "Sven, bro, just chill out; everything is going to be great" because I was always either at a high-high or a low-low. In hindsight, the best thing would've been to just stay calm, cool, and collected as much as possible.

** Which Emory faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?

Professor Usha Rackliffe because of the overwhelming enthusiasm she brings to every class. She is probably the only person that could make tax accounting as fun as it was in her class. If you have any opportunity to have her as a professor, take it, it will be one of the best decisions you make at Emory.

** What is one class would you retake just for fun and why?

​FILM 270 (Intro to film) with Professor Dan Reynolds. By far one of my favorite classes at Emory with another one of my favorite professors. His approach to teaching film was so much fun and the movies we watched in class were second to none.

** What is the most unique thing about your hometown?

​MattyBRaps went to school somewhere around here, so that's pretty neat.

** What is something that people may not know about you but should?

​I love to watch old Kung Fu movies. I like newer Kung Fu/Marital Arts movies too, but the older movies are just so over the top/absurd sometimes that you can't help loving them.

** Other than swimming, what is another one you think you could play at a high level?

​I don't know about "at a high level", but I would love to do triathlons or Jujitsu in the future. I love to bike and run during the off season, and I've done Jiujitsu before so picking it back up would be awesome.

** What is one professional athlete (past or present) would you like to have a conversation with and why?

Donovan Mitchell because they call him "Spida". I just want to ask him what it feels like being the real life Spider-Man... Go Jazz!

** How have you been trying to occupy your time with given the current COVID environment?

Reading books, listening to music, watching movies/tv (mostly Kung Fu of course). Really I'm just trying to do anything that keeps me productive or checks off items from my bucket list.

** Food you hate that everybody else seems to enjoy?

​Ketchup. It's the most overrated condiment by far.

** What would you say are your top three movies or television shows of all time?

​The list is always changing but right now I'd have to say The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Naked Gun, and Fargo (The TV Show)

** What is your favorite thing to do around Atlanta?

Just exploring. I grew up an hour outside Atlanta, but I've never really had the opportunity to explore the city and what it has to offer. It's been really awesome doing everything from going to concerts to restaurants to just walking through the city. The first thing I plan to do when COVID clears up is go on a nice, long walk through the city.

** What has been your most memorable moment during competition during your Eagles career?

​Finishing my last swim at NCAA freshman year (after a VERY tough meet) and having the entire men's team storm my lane once I got out of the water. Everyone was screaming and cheering; I was so happy to be done, but even happier because I knew for the next three years I'd have a family supporting me inside and outside the pool.

** Favorite non-athletic moment from your past few years at Emory?

​Sitting in the arch above the entrance to the business school. That's where I would spend most of my time between classes reading, listening to music, or studying. You can see practically all of campus from there; it is by far my favorite place to be.

** What would be one thing you'd like to impart to the underclassmen before finishing your career?

​"Live to the point of tears"- Albert Camus

You literally have your whole life ahead of you. If you want something, do what needs to be done to make it yours, act on all the opportunities you want, and don't take anything for granted. Putting in hard, honest work is what makes things worth having, but the experience of getting it is what makes life worth living.