'03 alum to be added to Board
Dimitrijevic is youngest female member in Supervisors' history
By Matt Nash
On Monday, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors will inaugurate its youngest female board member ever.
Marina Dimitrijevic, a 2003 graduate of Marquette, celebrated her 23rd birthday Wednesday. Dimitrijevic was elected April 6 to represent the fourth district, a district she has lived in all of her life except while attending Marquette.
Professor of political science Janet Boles, who knows Dimitrijevic, said Dimitrijevic's youth and gender may be the biggest challenges she'll face as a county supervisor.
"Men tend to be judged on their potential," Boles said. "Women tend to be judged on past experience. She has no past. Eleven months ago she received her bachelor's degree in political science and Spanish from Marquette."
And 11 months ago Dimitrijevic was still unsure about what her next move should be when she graduated.
"Stupidly, I thought when I graduated everyone would know and be knocking on my door and calling," she said.
She was disappointed, however. She said she spent a couple of months in a transitional period, not knowing what to do.
Eventually she was picked up by Friebert, Finerty and St. John, a law firm in Milwaukee where she worked as a paralegal until being elected. Despite the months of uncertainty which saw Dimitrijevic consider entering the Peace Corps, Dimitrijevic said she knew from day one at Marquette that she wanted a career in politics.
"When I got to Marquette, the first day I declared political science (as a major) because I just loved politics," she said. She said she knew then she wanted to work in the field, but wasn't sure where.
During her senior year Dimitrijevic studied in Washington, D.C., at Marquette's Les Aspin Center for Government, where she finally decided she wanted to hold an elected position.
"I never thought I'd do it this young," she said, but "the thing in politics is seats don't open up that often."
The district itself is a combination of four old districts, created after recent re-districting. The supervisors who represented the old districts were not seeking re-election, so the spot was open.
Marina Dimitrijevic, a 2003 graduate of Marquette, celebrated her 23rd birthday Wednesday. Dimitrijevic was elected April 6 to represent the fourth district, a district she has lived in all of her life except while attending Marquette.
Professor of political science Janet Boles, who knows Dimitrijevic, said Dimitrijevic's youth and gender may be the biggest challenges she'll face as a county supervisor.
"Men tend to be judged on their potential," Boles said. "Women tend to be judged on past experience. She has no past. Eleven months ago she received her bachelor's degree in political science and Spanish from Marquette."
And 11 months ago Dimitrijevic was still unsure about what her next move should be when she graduated.
"Stupidly, I thought when I graduated everyone would know and be knocking on my door and calling," she said.
She was disappointed, however. She said she spent a couple of months in a transitional period, not knowing what to do.
Eventually she was picked up by Friebert, Finerty and St. John, a law firm in Milwaukee where she worked as a paralegal until being elected. Despite the months of uncertainty which saw Dimitrijevic consider entering the Peace Corps, Dimitrijevic said she knew from day one at Marquette that she wanted a career in politics.
"When I got to Marquette, the first day I declared political science (as a major) because I just loved politics," she said. She said she knew then she wanted to work in the field, but wasn't sure where.
During her senior year Dimitrijevic studied in Washington, D.C., at Marquette's Les Aspin Center for Government, where she finally decided she wanted to hold an elected position.
"I never thought I'd do it this young," she said, but "the thing in politics is seats don't open up that often."
The district itself is a combination of four old districts, created after recent re-districting. The supervisors who represented the old districts were not seeking re-election, so the spot was open.
Published: 4/22/04 Section: News
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