GSCM senior Zachariah Abdulnour awarded prestigious R. Gene Richter Scholarship
The Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business is pleased to announce that Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) senior Zachariah Abdulnour has won the coveted Institute for Supply Management (ISM) R. Gene Richter Scholarship. Abdulnour was one of six national winners and the first Wayne State student to win the scholarship in two years.
Another WSU student, Mahin Fatima, was one of the national finalists that made it to the final round of applicants. The scholarship provides up to $10,000, executive mentoring, peer mentoring and national conference participation.
The R. Gene Richter Scholarship Program was established and named in memory of R. Gene Richter, who was a galvanizing force in the field of procurement. The program was established by the R. Gene and Nancy D. Richter Foundation in 2004. In 2008, the Richter Foundation partnered with the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) to expand the scholarship program into the largest national scholarship program in the field of supply management. Winners of the Richter Scholarship are awarded tuition assistance of up to $10,000. In addition, Richter Scholars are enrolled in an executive mentoring program where they are paired with an established executive in the supply chain field and matched with a former winner in a junior mentoring program. Current-year recipients are invited to attend the in-person annual ISM World Conference in Dallas, Texas May 7-10, 2023.
Abdulnour has demonstrated a high level of academic achievement throughout his time at Wayne State and has one of the highest GPAs in the Mike Ilitch School of Business. His strong academic performance combined with his leadership skills have led him to land three internships during his time at Wayne State. Abdulnour will work as a Global Purchasing and Manufacturing Systems Intern at General Motors this upcoming summer. Abdulnour currently serves as the President of the Global Supply Chain Student Association as well as President of Alpha Kappa Psi, a co-ed professional business fraternity. He was also selected as a member of the Ilitch School’s 2023 class of 25 Under 25.
“I am deeply honored to represent the Wayne State GSCM program in winning this award and am grateful for the opportunities that the Institute of Supply Management and the Richter family are providing me with,” said Abdulnour. “My mentors such as my family and friends, as well as the GSCM faculty at the Mike Ilitch School of Business, have been instrumental to my academic success at Wayne State and I am grateful for their support. I look forward to working with my peer and executive mentors going forward.”
About the WSU Mike Ilitch School of Business Global Supply Chain Program
The Ilitch School of Business’s global supply chain undergraduate program has been consistently ranked top 25 nationally by Gartner. The department also offers an excellent Executive Master of Science in Automotive Supply Chain Management degree, which will be offered as a 100% online program in Fall 23. The GSCM programs are focused on complex manufacturing and the automotive industry, along with healthcare supply chains. The curriculum covers the broad depth of supply chain functions including purchasing, logistics, production planning and quality. The program also has a strong focus on global programs and offers several supply chain-focused studies abroad opportunities each year.
