Egyptian scholarship student chooses Ilitch School of Business for MBA

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on the WSU Office of International Programs website

Drawn by the strength of the university’s business program and its role in Detroit’s industrial history, Nada Khodir is earning her master’s in business administration as a scholarship recipient through the U.S.-Egypt Higher Education Initiative.

She is one of only 41 women selected for the program, and the only one in Michigan. The initiative is managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in partnership with the governments of Egypt and the U.S., a consortium of private universities and local organizations in Egypt. Wayne State's Office of International Programs (OIP) oversees exchanges with more than more than 150 entities worldwide, including IIE, to increase the potential for joint research and shared degree programs.

 “Wayne State is the only Michigan university participating in the initiative and my professors encouraged me to choose it over schools in other states,” says Khodir.

With a bachelor’s in pharmaceutical sciences from Cairo University, Khodir is pursuing an advanced degree in supply chain management and has her sights set on a career in operations with a multi-national pharmaceutical company. 

She joins 2,400 international students at WSU this semester and is taking full advantage of activities organized by the Office of International Programs, attending the International Coffee Hour (“different people come each time, and the gatherings are always informative”); participating as an English Language Institute “conversation partner;” and watching the Red Wings hit the ice at Joe Louis Arena.

Unable to obtain a driver’s license as an international student, Khodir is having no problems exploring the city beyond the university boundaries: she downloaded a phone app for Detroit’s bus system and is arriving at her destinations in timely fashion.

The youngest of three children, Khodir is the first to study abroad, learning about the U.S.-Egyptian scholarship from her mother, who saw an advertisement in the newspaper.

“She is always encouraging my sisters and I,” says Khodir.  “She is an accountant, and raised my sisters and I by herself after our father died when I was 11.  She is my hero.”

It is hard to be apart from family and her circle of friends, but it is hardship she is willing to accept in return for the honor of receiving the scholarship. Khodir says international exchange is important for students in developing nations like Egypt, where there are high expectations regarding education available in the United States. 

IIE has a strong commitment to the Middle East and North Africa. It provides opportunities to improve understanding between the U.S. and countries in that region; develop leadership; and build capacity to address global challenges. 

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