This past week, former Dayton men's tennis standout Theo Jener came back to campus to catch a break from his busy schedule in Sweden. During his year playing for the Flyers, Jener helped lead the team to an 18-win season and a spot in the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship match. In addition, Jener was honored as Rookie of the Year at last year's R.U.D.Y.S. Awards.

Theo is currently studying engineering at one of the top institutions in Sweden, where he is also keeping up with his tennis as a member of the club team. We caught up with Theo to see how he's doing and gain some perspective from a former international student-athlete.

Q: It's been 6 months since you were last on campus, what did you miss about it most?
A: I missed all my friends, former teammates and others I had got to know during my year. But I also missed the atmosphere on campus and all the nice people that you meet in or outside the classroom.

Q: What can you say about your first year of studies at Dayton preparing you for your further studies in Sweden?
A: Well it really helped me in terms of preparing me for how different the workload is in university. But as I also had many core mandatory classes for my first year that I got to go through and study many new subjects outside my major. Even though I might be studying engineering now, I still believe that my year of business studies certainly will help me for my future.

Q: Recalling back to last year, how would you describe the transition of moving away from your home overseas to study at UD?
A: Firstly, there is a cultural difference that you have to adjust to; people live differently so you have to adapt. Secondly, there is much that is expected of you as a student-athlete, which you notice very quickly; a lot more of studying and workouts than before.

Q: What was it like being the only international student-athlete on the team?
A: I liked it. In the beginning, I think that many of the guys didn't know what to expect of me in terms of English, but as time went by that wasn't a problem. Everyone in the athletic department is also very helpful to you as an international student, especially if they notice that you are struggling for any reason.

Q: What were your expectations coming in, and how were they met?
A: Coming in, I didn't know what to expect. I had basically only talked to Coach Meyer on Skype and seen a few YouTube videos before I decided to move forward and sign with UD. But as time went, I had lots of fun and couldn't complain about anything. I had a fantastic experience.