Bosnia to Grand Rapids: Refugee student becomes advocate for multilingual learners
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Before building a career in education and before coming to Western Michigan University, Sanela Sprecic, M.A.’13, started adulthood living through one of Europe's largest and most violent conflicts post World War 2 .
“There was no food, water, electricity, nothing,” says Sprecic, a doctoral student and director of multilingual learners at Kentwood Public Schools. “It was constant bombing, bombing, bombing.”
Born in Bosnia, she left her home at 20 years old during the Bosnian War in the 1990s to find refuge in Germany and later the United States. Triggered by the breakup of Yugoslavia, the war saw conflicts among the country’s ethnic groups and led to the death of over 100,000 people.
Sprecic’s city on the country’s eastern border was a target of the Serbian military for key political, territorial and security reasons. Worried by the conditions and ongoing violence, her family sent her and her younger cousin to live in Germany with family for a better life.
“I had like 200 mark [~$100 USD], not a lot of money at all,” says Sprecic. “I had a bag, and I had my cousin, who had his little bundle of belongings. And then we left the country at night on a bus.”
Traveling through mountains and woods, the bus stopped in the southern part of the country, which bordered Croatia. However, they were not able to travel through because of the influx of refugees entering the country.
“Our goal was not to stay in Croatia, but they didn’t know that. We just needed a transit visa,” says Sprecic. “We waited two weeks at the German consulate trying to get visas because my cousin’s uncle lived there, but they didn’t believe us.
“I don’t even remember where we slept those days, but there were some good people who helped us cross illegally into Croatia, and his uncle vetted for us on the other side. We then drove different kinds of routes back to his home, through the village side that were not border stops.”
Finding her own path
Wanting to improve her conditions while in Germany, Sprecic looked toward higher education but was unsuccessful as an adult refugee. Undeterred, she enrolled in language classes and found community through semiprofessional team handball. Her teammates became a crucial support system, helping her secure employment and navigate complex refugee paperwork. Her now-husband, whom she dated during the war, soon managed to escape Bosnia and joined her.
As the conflict in Bosnia drew to a close, the couple looked to build a permanent future elsewhere. After being accepted to immigrate to Australia, Canada and the United States, they chose the U.S. and planted new roots in the Grand Rapids area.
“Coming to the United States was not our first rodeo, because we already had that experience in Germany, too. But still we struggled because when you come to these countries, nobody knows you—you’re nobody, right?” explains Sprecic. “There are some good people who might help you, but what’s the hardest is they don’t know what you’re capable of doing. They underestimate you.”
And when you don’t know the language fully and when you’re not educated here, it takes strength and it takes a lot of hard work to be recognized for what you can do.
Community, connection and inspiration
Fortunately, a connection within Grand Rapids’ local Bosnian community led her to East Kentwood High School. Hired on the spot as a bilingual aide, she supported a large influx of fellow Bosnian refugee students. Recognizing her undeniable potential, teachers encouraged her to return to the classroom as a student herself.
Motivated to prove she could successfully balance a career, a family and higher education, Sprecic embraced a grueling schedule. She worked full time until 3 p.m. every day before attending night classes from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. After earning her bachelor’s degree and spending a decade teaching middle school and academic coaching, she set her sights on educational leadership. This drive brought her to Western Michigan University, where she earned her master’s degree and is currently completing her Ph.D.
“When I first arrived at Kentwood in 1998, we only had like 600 multilingual learners in the whole district. So as the number of the students grew over the past 28 years, that’s how I kept educating myself,” says Sprecic. “I started thinking more about how we need a leadership position for multilingual learning, and that’s how I interviewed for the job, and I’ve been in this role for the past eight years now.”
Reflecting on her doctoral journey at WMU, Sprecic emphasizes the University’s welcoming and empowering academic environment.
I never felt like I was judged at Western, or that I cannot do anything. I felt like I belong; I’m valued for what I know and what I can do.
Specializing in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) within the Education and Human Development Ph.D. program, Sprecic has co-authored a book chapter with former professor Dr. Hsiao-Chin Kuo and collaborated on a manuscript regarding the varying roles of ESL teachers with her doctoral advisor, Dr. Selena Protacio. Currently, she is collecting data for her dissertation examining the effectiveness of co-teaching in secondary English language arts settings—which explores a highly understudied area in the TESOL field.
According to Protacio, what truly stands out is Sprecic’s ability to immediately translate this academic research into her district-wide initiatives at Kentwood. Her doctoral studies have directly informed the district's restructured K-12 multilingual programming and co-teaching models, building coherent systems that benefit more than 2,700 students. This seamless bridge between research and action recently earned her the College of Education and Human Development’s Rising Star Doctoral Award, recognizing her dedication to advancing equity and excellence for multilingual learners and the educators who serve them.
Champion for empathy
Today, she channels that same inclusive, supportive spirit into her role as the director of multilingual learners for Kentwood Public Schools. In a district that ranks as the most diverse in Michigan and sixth most diverse in the nation, she has spent her career ensuring students from all backgrounds are empowered to succeed.
Drawing heavily on her own lived experience, Sprecic deeply empathizes with the hidden struggles of immigrant families. She recognizes that many parents, some of whom were established professionals in their home countries, face the harsh reality of starting from scratch in the U.S. Having navigated that exact loss of identity, she actively works to ensure her students are seen for their true potential.
“That’s what I always used to tell my middle school boys and girls,” she notes. “Once people see what you can do for them, they’re going to help you more.”
Her advocacy goes beyond academics to foster a profound sense of belonging. Remembering her time as a refugee in Germany, where she was reprimanded for speaking her native language, Sprecic champions a completely different environment in Kentwood. She takes joy in walking the halls and hearing staff and students comfortably conversing in their native languages, entirely free from judgment.
Sprecic’s journey is a testament to the sacrifices her family made to give her a better life. Though her father passed away last year, she knows her educational and professional triumphs made him incredibly proud. She now serves as a role model for her own children, including her daughter, who is currently in her fourth year of medical school.
“If you work hard here, you can succeed,” Sprecic says. “That’s the story that I live to tell.”
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