Indiana University East presented diplomas to the four most recent Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) professional tennis players and retired members.

Cici Bellis is from Orlando, Florida. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in finance. Bellis was selected to address the 2022 class as the student speaker after an application process.

Marie Bouzková currently lives in Bradenton, Florida, and she is from Prague, Czech Republic. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in sports marketing and management.

Angelina Gabueva is from Moscow, Russia. She received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with two minors in finance and sports marketing and management.

Anna Tatishvili currently lives in New York City, New York, and formerly resided in Boca Raton, Florida, received a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies with a minor in international studies.

These four graduates bring the total number to 19 players to have graduated from IU East, the WTA’s educational partner. Additionally, there are 15 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) players currently enrolled at IU East through an educational agreement between the campus and the Women’s Tennis Benefits Association (WTBA).

IU East alumnae also include former World No. 1 Venus Williams, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, Alla Kudryavtseva, Irina Falconi, Katalin Marosi, Sandra Zaniewska, Ivana Lisjak, Natalia Siedliska, Anastasia Rodionova, Arina Rodionova, Madga Linette, Nicole Melichar, Teodora Mircic and Shelby Rogers. Vicky Duval earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in December 2021 with highest distinction, and she was presented with her diploma on campus in February 2022.

The online degree programs allow students to create a balance with life, work, their obligations and their class studies.

The agreement provides the opportunity for players to professionally train and play tennis while completing their bachelor’s degree online. IU East’s online degree completion programs offer the high quality of an Indiana University degree to students throughout Indiana, nationally and internationally. IU East offers 47 options for students to complete their bachelor’s degree or certificate online.

Bellis retired in January 2022 as a professional tennis player from the WTA.

As this year’s Student Speaker during the Commencement Ceremony on May 13, the message she shared with fellow graduates was about overcoming challenges, and that even though life may change in an instant, how you control your response is what will get you through. “With my background and experiences, I feel I can give a great charge to the class to motivate them,” Bellis said.

As a 17-year-old on the WTA circuit she was ranked 35th in the world, named 2017 Newcomer of the Year, and had sponsorships. She had turned down a full ride to Stanford University to play professionally.

“Education is very important to me, and I de-committed from Stanford to turn pro; I knew I still wanted to complete my degree for my future,” Bellis said. “I knew I wanted to major in business and minor in finance due to my love of numbers. I felt that business was the perfect choice for me in relation to what I wanted to do in my career.”

When she retired, Bellis was enrolled in IU East’s online business administration degree program at IU East. Determined to take advantage of every opportunity, Bellis found every way she could to build skills and to excel.

She was involved in the CEOs program through the IU East School of Business and Economics, a student group with the goal of teaching financial literacy. The group has published two cookbooks which include a financial element, and she has written for and been published in an academic journal.

Now Bellis is working in venture capital. “My degree has helped me an incredible amount, especially in making my transition from tennis to venture capital very smooth. It will also help very much with my long-term career and goals,” she said.

Before enrolling at IU East in the online degree program, she was the second youngest player in the top 100 in the WTA rankings. She played the U.S. Open at age 15, turning pro soon after. Other highlights in her professional tennis career include the French Open in 2017. Injuries kept her from playing in 2018 and 2019, and in 2020 she returned to make the third round of the Australian Open and the second round of the U.S. Open.

Bellis is planning to one day pursue her Master of Business Administration degree.

“I am so grateful for the partnership between IU East and the WTA,” Bellis said. “I have enjoyed taking classes the last four years so much, in addition to meeting incredible people that will be friends for life, and definitely wouldn’t have the opportunity to work where I am now without having my degree under my belt.”

Bouzková said that she enrolled in the online degree program to earn her business in administration degree because it has always been a life goal and important to her as a person and to her future after tennis.

“I was interested in a business program because I think it is useful in many different careers,” Bouzková said. “It leaves the door open for whatever I would like to pursue in the future.”

Bouzková attended IU East’s Commencement Ceremony, and had an opportunity to visit the campus, faculty and other graduates in the Class of 2022.

“One of my motivations in my career is to inspire and connect with children through tennis, so I would like to have a tennis academy of my own one day where I can utilize my knowledge from this business degree,” Bouzková said. “I took the minor in sports marketing and management because I was interested in the topic, but I do not have any specific goals in that area as of now.”

Bouzková is a single tennis player. She had a career high rank of 46 of 100 in August 2020. Her WTA career highlights include reaching the second round of Wimbledon in 2019, her first grand slam draw at the U.S. Open in 2018 and representing the Czech Republic at the FedCup in Prostejov – tie against Canada 2019.

“I am very grateful for having this opportunity to complete my degree completely online. Everyone from IU East have made my studies on the road manageable and everyone was very supportive. Thanks to the WTA and IU East, I accomplished one of my life goals all while pursuing my dream as a professional tennis player,” Bouzková said.

Gabueva wanted to pursue her degree in business administration, and two minors in finance and sports marketing and management, to plan for her future for life after her career as a professional athlete.

She said she believes a professional sports career is not forever, and a college degree helps to prepare athletes through higher education so that they are prepared for professional opportunities and are capable for their chose profession after sports. A college education is a plan for life, she said.

“I’ve always wanted to learn about business; the roots of its beginning and development so it is something that always attracted me so much,” Gabueva said. “If the knowledge that I obtained with my degree I really hope to have my own business in the near future or to help people that need improvement in their own companies/corporations.”

Gabueva has won two singles and 15 doubles ITF titles. Her first pro title was in 2005. Gabueva is currently enjoying her career high 177 WTA singles ranking.

“I believe that IU East and WTA did a great job of providing professional athletes an opportunity to compete at a high level and also be capable of getting their education/degree and not simply waste the time,” Gabueva said.

Tatishvili retired from playing professional tennis in March 2020.

“I believe in continued education and self-improvement. I have been working very hard for this degree, and I am very happy to achieve it,” Tatishvili said. “I chose a communication degree because I believe good communication skills are essential no matter what you do in life. It helps you understand and develop relationships with other people.”

She plans to use her undergraduate degree to enhance her career. Eventually, Tatishvili plans to pursue her master’s degree in global strategic communication.

Tatishvili played her first WTA match in 2005. With the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women’s Circuit, she won 11 singles and 8 doubles titles. In ITF rankings, she reached 59th in doubles and 50 in singles. Other career highlights include playing for the Georgian Olympic Team in 2012, U.S. Open, Wimbledon Australian Open, and the Georgian Federal Cup and won a WTA doubles title in 2014.

“I would like to thank WTA, IU East and WTBA for all their help and dedication during my studies. Without their support this would have never been possible,” Tatishvili said.

About the WTA
Founded by Billie Jean King in 1973 on the principle of equal opportunity, the WTA is the global leader in women’s professional sports. The WTA is one of the world’s most recognizable and high-profile sports organizations, consisting of more than 1650 players representing approximately 85 nations, all competing to earn WTA rankings points and prestigious tournament titles. The WTA Tour comprises of over 50 events and four Grand Slams, spanning six continents and nearly 30 countries and regions with a global audience of over 700 million. The Tour culminates with the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen, honoring the season’s top singles and doubles players based on the final standings of the Porsche Race to Shenzhen leaderboard. Further information on the WTA can be found at wtatennis.com, facebook.com/WTA and twitter.com/WTA.

About the WTBA
The Women’s Tennis Benefits Association (WTBA) is a non-profit organization, established to promote and protect the common interests of all women tennis professionals (the “Members”) and to unite them in a single representative organization. The Organization’s primary activities are to administer and manage the pension plan and other assets owned by or on behalf of the Members; to oversee the Member Health Insurance and Disability; and to offer “Transitions” Educational Programming.

About IU East and IU East Online Programs
Indiana University East has an enrollment of over 3,700 students. IU East is both a traditional campus that excels in innovative learning options and a virtual campus with select online degree completion programs. The university’s customized bachelor’s and master’s programs – a portfolio of over 60 degree program options – anticipate the growing needs of citizens in the region, state and nation.

IU East’s online degree programs offer the high quality of an Indiana University degree to students throughout Indiana, nationally and internationally. IU East offers 47 options for students to complete a bachelor’s degree or certificate online in English with an emphasis in Technical and Professional Writing, Mathematics, Natural Science and Mathematics with a Mathematics Concentration, Communication Studies, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Political Science, Psychology, General Studies, an R.N. to B.S.N. Mobility Option, and more. IU East also offers a Graduate Certificate in Composition Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Mathematics. For more information, visit iue.edu/online.