Jackie Dubrovich
Columbia College, 2016, Psychology and Russian Literature and Culture
When did you start fencing?
I started fencing when I was eight because my parents struggled to find a sport that my awkwardly lanky self could do well in.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy hanging out with friends whenever I’m not traveling, wasting all my money away on workout clothes because that’s all I wear around campus, and exploring all the places I am lucky enough to travel to.
What is your favorite food?
Hot wings! As hot as possible! Also, avocados are delicious and I eat them with everything. And Nutella…I actually have an unhealthy obsession with it. I sneak containers of it from Ferris to Butler and just eat it with a spoon.
Who is your role model?
I admire any athlete that overcomes adversity in their lives and has the resiliency to succeed in their sport. I always cheer on the underdog. My parents also inspire me. They are immigrants who came to this country and have given me so many opportunities to succeed. I owe everything to them.
Favorite class at Columbia?
I really enjoy my Russian Culture class this semester called The New Millennium which focuses on the societal and artistic strife in the Soviet Union for the past three decades.
Favorite thing about Columbia?
The incredible people that I have met!
Least favorite Thing?
The wind tunnel that is Broadway in the winter.
I know you’ve travelled a lot to compete. What were some of your favorite countries?
This is a really hard question. I’d have to say Jordan because it was my first World Championships and was so different from any other place I have traveled to, Russia for obvious reasons, China because they have insane shopping in Shanghai, and Paris because it’s always been my dream to go there and it was just as amazing as I had imagined.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned during your fencing adventures?
Definitely independence. I started traveling by myself when I was 14 years old and I grew up really fast learning how to navigate through international airports on my own.
What are your goals, in fencing and beyond?
My goal is to make the Senior World Team and the Olympics. When I retire, I want to go to law school and eventually become a lawyer in NYC.
Fun facts:
I still sleep with my stuffed animal Mickey that I got when I was born.
I have this superstition that I always need to wear pearl earrings when I compete or else I’ll do badly.
I used to do gymnastics and dance, but I was so bad that my parents quietly took me out of the program, so I would still have a little bit of self-esteem left.