Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) senior Tin Vastic doesn’t just know the phrase “work hard, play hard.” The Outstanding Graduate of the Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. College of Business embodies it every day, from the classroom to the field. In fact, the 24-year-old’s love for soccer brought him from Croatia to Florida, after being recruited by the PBA Men’s Soccer team.
“My time at PBA was amazing,” said Vastic, who received the Bill Bennett, Robert Garvey Business, Men’s Soccer, and Provost’s scholarships and was named to the President’s List twice. “I came here in 2023 as a freshman from Europe, not knowing anything about life in the U.S. or Florida, and got off to a really good start.”
Getting Plugged In
Though he was far from home, Vastic fell right into PBA’s tight-knit community. In addition to growing as an athlete, he formed friendships on the soccer team and even attended Fellowship for Christian Athlete meetings.
“You meet a lot of amazing guys that become family, and that definitely helped me get started in the U.S.,” he says. “You meet new people in your classes, you get new teammates each year, and you meet amazing people. That was the most special thing about my time at PBA, including the amazing professors I learned a lot from.”
Off the field, Vastic takes his work just as seriously. He knew he wanted to study finance in college, and since his sophomore year, he’s served as a tutor in international economics, statistics, and college algebra.
On campus, he was involved in the Sailfish Fund, the University’s student-managed investment fund that gives PBA students experience navigating today’s financial landscape, understanding risk management, and ethical stewardship.
Last year, he joined several other peers along with Professor of Finance Dr. Ariel Viale at the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge. The annual global equity research competition that gives students hands-on mentoring and training in financial analysis. The PBA team placed fourth.
He also completed summer internships at the high-end Marina Kaštela in Croatia 2024 and 2025. There, local business leaders mentored him and introduced him to the real working world, reinforcing the concepts he learned in the Rinker College of Business.
Building a Circle of Friends
As Vastic continued to build his friend group at PBA, he noticed just how kind and open many Americans were.
“You’ll have a stranger just come up and start speaking to you,” he shares. “I think it’s nice, because you get to know new people. With the soccer team, it was easy to get integrated, because you have a guy you’ve never met in your life before who’s getting you in the group and taking you places. That’s also helped me develop my circle here in the US.”
He also says he was surprised at American coffee culture, seeing people on the go instead of sitting down and enjoying coffee and conversation with others. It’s something he misses most about home, as well as seeing his family regularly.
“Obviously, there are times around Christmas or the summer where I’m so ready to go home; I’m missing my family,” says Vastic, one of 208 Rinker College of Business grads. “I’m very thankful for the support of my parents, my brother, and sister.”
Looking Ahead, One Day at a Time
When Vastic learned earlier this year that he was named the Outstanding Graduate of the Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. College of Business Graduate, he was surprised and grateful. This prestigious honor is given to a small number of PBA students who have made significant achievements in academic excellence, student life, and community service.
“I definitely felt amazing; there are a lot of great students at PBA,” he says. “To receive this honor means a lot to me. As an athlete, I always try to be the best I can be at everything I do. It’s nice when hard work and commitment pay off.”
After graduation, Tin will continue pursuing higher education. This fall, he plans to attend Boston College to play soccer at the Division I level and earn his master’s degree in finance. He hopes to pursue a career in corporate finance.
One of his professors, Dr. Claudia Strow, says Vastic’s dedication is evident in all he does.
“Tin stands out as one of the most exceptional students I have encountered,” says Dr. Strow, who has taught economics for 26 years. “He combines outstanding intellect, advanced quantitative ability, and strong economic and financial intuition with a genuine commitment to helping others succeed. I have no doubt that Tin will thrive in his future studies and that he will make significant contributions to the field of finance.”
Vastic’s favorite verse, Hebrews 6:10-11, perhaps best encompasses his work ethic: “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.” (NIV).
“What helped me a lot was having a mentality of ‘everything happens for a reason; there is a plan for you,’ and when things maybe don’t go the way you want them to go, there is a reason why—and it will probably turn out even better than you could have expected.”
Learn about PBA’s business programs at https://www.pba.edu/academics/schools/rinker-business/.
