With more than 50 years of professional experience to her credit, Dr Sljivic-Simsic was a versatile and dedicated educator who most recently served as a professor in the department of Slavic and Baltic languages and literature at the University of Illinois from 1986 to 2009, when she ultimately reached emeritus status. Prior to this appointment, she served the university as head of the department of Slavic and Baltic languages and literature from 1981 to 1996 and an associate professor from 1973 to 1986. Previously, she was a visiting lecturer at Princeton University, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Kentucky, and a visiting assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition, she also served UCLA as a visiting lecturer in the mid-1960s. She commenced her career as an assistant at the University of Belgrade in Belgrade, Serbia and a lecturer at Université Blaise-Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Alongside her primary endeavors, Dr Sljivic-Simsic served as an exchange professor at numerous universities, including the University of Amsterdam, the University of London, and Cambridge University. A former senior writer at Ohio State University, she also acted as a consultant and panellist with the United States Department of Education in Washington, DC.
To remain aware of recent developments within her industry, Dr. Sljivic-Simsic has maintained affiliation with several organizations, such as the North American Society of Serbian Studies, where she served on the executive board from 1986 to 1988, as president from 1984 to 1986, and as secretary-treasurer from 1978 to 1984. She also associates with the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the Association of Serbian Writers of Belgrade, the Chicago Horticultural Society, and the Harvard and Radcliffe Clubs of Chicago. In addition to being an involved professional, Dr Sljivic-Simsic has also been a prolific author, having penned eight volumes of “Serbo-Croatian Textbooks for Individualized Studies” between 1983 and 1988. Likewise, she was the co-author of the “Serbo-Croatian-English Dictionary” and “Judeo-Spanish Ballads from Bosnia” in 1972, as well as “Serbo-Croatian, Just for You” in 1985. She also wrote a memoir at the request of her grandsons.
Dr Sljivic-Simsic earned a Diploma from the University of Belgrade and a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy from Harvard University. A four-time grantee, she had also been a Scholar of Harvard University and Radcliffe College. Notably, Dr Sljivic-Simsic was selected for inclusion in several editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Education, Who’s Who in the Midwest, Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who of American Women.
The proud mother of one daughter Violet, and three grandsons, Ed, Chris and Oli; Biljana also adored her English son-in-law, Tim Hancock. She enjoyed photography, traveling, gardening and reading. She was a loyal friend to many people across the globe, particularly to Florence, and a loving sister to Elizabeth. Biljana was never happier than when driving hundreds of miles on yet another adventure. She will be missed by many, but particularly by the Savich and Munuz Families in the USA and the Andjus and Pajević families in Serbia.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIOCOMPARTA
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