Tanja Petrovic‘s parents may yet have a doctor in their family. 

“That’s the dream every immigrant seems to have for their children,” says Petrovic. She was three years old when her family left war-torn Bosnia and settled in Germany for the next eight years. There was no path to permanent citizenship and, with deportation looming, her family weighed one last move to either Australia or Canada. “My parents decided we’d go to whichever country reached out and welcomed us first.” Hamilton became their home in 1999. 

In Grade 11, Petrovic told her parents she didn’t dream of going to medical school. “But I knew I needed an education that would pay my bills, so I decided to study business.” 

She started a commerce degree at McMaster and switched after her first year to earn an accounting diploma at Mohawk College. While the economy was in a downturn when Petrovic graduated, she still landed a job as an accounts receivable clerk at Stoney Creek Furniture. 

Petrovic was back at Mac in 2015, joining the Department of Medicine as a payroll and finance assistant. In short order, she was promoted to payroll advisor, operations site coordinator and employee operations manager. She loved the job and her colleagues but missed being around students. 

So she applied when the Chemistry & Chemical Biology department posted a job for an academic department manager. She thought it was a long shot at best. Petrovic didn’t have a degree in chemistry, but department chair Gillian Goward said she wasn’t looking to hire another chemist. What she needed was someone who could take care of finance, HR, curriculum and academic planning, space allocation and other duties as assigned – everything that was in Petrovic’s wheelhouse. 

She got the job in 2022 and has served three chairs during the past three years – Goward was appointed Associate Dean of Research in the Faculty of Science, and Ignacio Vargas-Baca served as acting chair until Giuseppe Melacini took over as chair in January. 

Petrovic was unfazed by the changing of the guard. “All three chairs have been absolutely wonderful to work with.” The feeling’s mutual – they teamed up to nominate Petrovic for a President’s Award for Outstanding Service. 

“Tanja’s CV starts with the statement that she is a servant leader,” wrote Goward in the award nomination. “This is an unusual opening, but it characterizes Tanja to a T. She is always willing to go the extra mile, available for student needs seemingly outside her job description, and the first to offer support or advice when a challenge arises. She has truly been invaluable to our department from day one. I am so grateful for her.” 

The recognition was a tear-jerker for Petrovic. She cried when she learned about the nomination, cried again when she got the email announcing she’d been chosen for the award, and cried some more when she got a copy of the nomination package. She’s only been able to read it through once. 

As editor of the department’s newsletter, she enjoys singing the praises of students, postdocs, faculty and staff. But finding herself in the spotlight? Petrovic initially didn’t find it enjoyable at all. 

“I’m learning how to gracefully accept the award. Learning how much time and effort goes into a nomination has made me 10 times more appreciative.” 

Petrovic made the move to Chemistry & Chemical Biology in large part to work with students, and they’re a big part of her job and one of the reasons why she’s an award winner. The department office is on the first floor of the Arthur Bourns Building, so students routinely drop in with every question imaginable. “All of us in the office have a ‘how can we help’ mindset. If we don’t have the answer for a student, we’ll find someone at McMaster who does.” 

Connecting with prospective students is a priority for Petrovic – it’s why she helps with open houses and lab tours for high school students. “We’re so fortunate to have so many faculty and staff in our department who are passionate about community outreach. You can’t force anyone do this work. If you try, it’ll never get done.” Petrovic tends to get as excited as all the kids who turn out for the department’s annual Magic of Molecules show. “After the shows, I’m telling our faculty and students how amazing their experiments were. Sometimes, they have to remind me they’re doing really basic science. Even still, they’re helping me and everyone in the room better understand how chemistry explains our world.” 

Petrovic’s been a student herself since joining McMaster a decade ago. “I’m a lifelong learner – I want to know everything about everything.” 

While working full-time, she’s earned a Human Resources Management diploma and a Bachelor of Arts in History from McMaster, and a Master of Business Administration in HR Leadership from the University of Fredericton. She’s also taken pretty much every professional development course offered by Mac, including the personal leaders, knowledge leaders, strategic leaders and inclusive excellence leaders programs. 

There’s one more credential on Petrovic’s wish list – she’s seriously considering a doctoral degree. “My parents would finally have their doctor in the family.”