Leoš Malec

My name is Leoš Malec and I am originally from Brno, Czech Republic. In May 2017, I graduated from a bilingual boarding school, Open Gate School. I studied at Open Gate for 8 years and during this time, I realized that I want to study at an American university and simultaneously represent the university in basketball. It was my long-time dream and thanks to the Bakala Foundation and my hard work, I have been able to turn this dream into a reality. The fact that I have an IB Diploma and a great school and life preparation gained at Open Gate, significantly helped me to reach my goals. As of now, I am studying in the USA at Drew University in New Jersey. I am pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Economics & Computer Science. On top of that, I have decided to do a minor in German Language since I have a long-term passion for this language as well as for German culture and history. Since I believe that it is important to be active both in and outside of class, I participate in various programs and clubs at Drew University. For instance, I am a student government senator representing the entire class of 2021, I am a member of the Drew Leadership Institute, member of the Investment Fund and a basketball player representing the university in the highest university men’s basketball league called NCAA. Some of my biggest accomplishments include national award for the best shooter in the Czech Basketball League (ČBF), MVP Award for the most valuable player, Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze and Silver Award, and participation in the world-famous, highly-recognized Maths Challenge organized by UKMT (United Kingdom Mathematics Trust). I would like to thank Bakala Foundation for the generous financial support that enabled me to fulfil my lifelong dream and that allowed me to obtain a high-quality higher education.