Zara Akhter

2017 Mike Ilitch School of Business 25 Under 25 winner

B.S. in Global Supply Chain and Information Systems Management expected May 2018

In her three years at Wayne State, Zara Akhter has been highly involved on campus and built lasting relationships with students and faculty. Starting in fall 2016, Zara became a peer mentor for Introduction to Business students just beginning their careers in the Ilitch School. In this role, she helps them become acclimated to the business curriculum and develop basic professional skills. An Honors College student, Zara is part of B Start, an innovative program that offers WSU's most driven students guaranteed admission to the Ilitch School's MBA program immediately following completion of a bachelor's degree in business.

In her freshman year, Zara joined the Business Student Senate and became active on the community outreach committee, supporting nonprofits in Detroit. She has managed food drives for Gleaners, campaigns to write cards to nursing home residents, and she has volunteered at blood drives and Noel Night. Zara rose through the ranks of the Business Student Senate and is currently its CEO. Her work on the senate is aimed at connecting business students with the tools they need to succeed. She organized an informational major fair, where department heads and professors came to speak to students about the different majors available at the Ilitch School, and has consistently coordinated volunteers for the school's career fairs. She has led the group to execute well-attended student networking socials, alumni speaking engagements, and professional development workshops.

Zara has completed internships at Habitat for Humanity Detroit, DTE and, most recently, General Motors, where she worked on their global customs and trade team. She will be joining DENSO this spring in a supply chain co-op position.

"I've made it my personal mission to further myself professionally, gain leadership experience, and give back to my campus and the Detroit community," Zara says.

2018 update: 

Zara is set to graduate from Wayne State this May with a dual bachelor's degree in global supply chain and informations systems management. She currently works as a prototype coordinator co-op at DENSO, where she'll continue to work after graduation.

Connect with Zara on LinkedIn