FEI Detroit honors Ilitch School students
The Detroit Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI) will honor Wayne State University finance major Andrew Fulan and M.B.A. student Salma Alazmeh on February 22 at the Detroit Athletic Club.
The Financial Executives International Academic Award recognizes outstanding undergraduate and graduate students at Southeastern Michigan universities pursuing degrees that emphasize accounting or finance. Both Fulan and Alazmeh described this recognition as an extreme honor.
Getting involved inside and outside the classroom
Fulan has been an academic standout throughout his Wayne State career. He has been named to the school’s dean’s list each semester since he arrived on campus, and currently holds a 3.93 GPA.
In addition to his excellence in the classroom, Fulan has also been an active student leader during his time at Wayne State. He was a member of the Financial Management Association, was a member of the inaugural class of the Corporate Mentor Program, and was a lead student volunteer when WSU hosted the 2015 ENGAGE International Investment Education Symposium.
"This award validates the hard work I have put into my studies and community involvement," Fulan said. "The FEI Detroit Chapter is a prestigious organization, so having their name attached to this means even more to me."
Fulan credits his involvement in the Mike Ilitch School of Business and the relationships he has built with the faculty for his nomination.
"The more projects I took on for the betterment of the school, the more I felt like a valued part of our scholarly community," Fulan said. "I have come to consider my professors friends and mentors as well as teachers."
In recognition of his achievements, Fulan was a 2015 recipient of the Mike Ilitch School of Business Outstanding Student Award. He will graduate with University and Departmental Honors this May, at which time he will begin full-time employment in the Ford Motor Company Career Foundation Program.
Fulan credits also his parents for helping him get to this point in his career.
The long road to Detroit
Alazmeh is a graduate student pursuing an M.B.A. at Wayne State’s Mike Ilitch School of Business with concentrations in accounting and finance. An exceptional student, she has a cumulative 3.9 GPA and will graduate this spring. At the undergraduate level, Alazmeh received her Bachelor of Economics degree from Damascus University in her native Syria.
“I feel honored, delighted and grateful for such recognition of the work I have done,” Alazmeh said. “It is a huge responsibility and puts a lot of pressure on me to keep up the hard work and strive to serve others achieving their goals with the knowledge I gained through my higher education journey.”
Before coming to the U.S., Alazmeh worked as a financial clerk for the World Health Organization and for Arabia Insurance. She also worked for a charity that helped children attend school and go on to universities, a passion that she clearly brought with her to Detroit.
Shortly after her arrival, Alazmeh began volunteering with the Helping Individuals Go Higher (HIGH) Program, which was established in 2013 by Wayne State First Lady Jacqueline Wilson. The program’s goal is to help homeless, precariously housed and financially challenged students achieve their goal of earning a WSU degree. After six months of volunteering, Wilson named her the HIGH Program’s president of volunteers.
In addition to her coursework and volunteerism, Alazmeh interned with Accenture on DTE Energy’s Customer 360 Project, which is geared toward tailoring software for the client and improving customer satisfaction. Even though she is a busy woman, she also has found time to participate in the WSU Muslim Students' Association.
Alazmeh said she is thankful to her husband, parents, Mrs. Wilson and the university.
“WSU’s faculty and staff have contributed to my success and always provided me with the opportunities, tools and advice to be successful and learn more,” she said.
"The facets of being an outstanding student are a combination of academics, internships and extracurricular activities," said Robert Forsythe, dean of the Mike Ilitch School of Business. "Andrew and Salma are great examples of what a Warrior is."
About FEI
Since 1931, Financial Executives International has aided public and private senior-level financial executives with financial solutions through independent research.
