Ilitch School supply chain major wins prestigious Richter Scholarship
The Wayne State University Mike Ilitch School of Business is pleased to announce that global supply chain management major Hafsa Qureshi has won a coveted Institute for Supply Management (ISM) R. Gene Richter Scholarship. Qureshi was one of four national winners and the first Wayne State student to win the scholarship in a decade. Another WSU student, Sohaib Khan, was one of ten national finalists that made it to the final round of applicants. The scholarship provides $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 $10,000. In addition, Richter Scholars are enrolled in an executive mentoring program where they are paired with an established executive in the field and matched with a former winner in a junior mentoring program. Current-year recipients are invited to attend the virtual Annual International Supply Management Conference sponsored by the ISM in Denver, May 18-21, 2021.
Qureshi has demonstrated a high level of academic achievement throughout her time at Wayne State and has one of the highest GPAs in the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Her strong academic performance combined with her leadership skills have led her to land two internships for this year. Qureshi will work as a purchasing intern for Toyota this upcoming summer. In the fall, she will be joining Stellantis for their purchasing student program. Qureshi currently serves as the marketing officer for the Global Supply Chain Student Association and a student senator at Wayne State. She was also selected as a member of the Ilitch School’s 2021 class of 25 Under 25.
“I am deeply honored to represent the Wayne State SCM 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 Qureshi. “My parents, older brother and mentors, such as Lori Sisk, have been instrumental in my academic journey at Wayne State and I am grateful for their support. I look forward to working with my peer and executive mentors going forward.”
The Ilitch School’s global supply chain management program has 550 undergraduate students, 140 M.B.A. students and 25 students in the executive master of science in automotive supply chain management program. There are 11 full-time faculty positions in addition to a number of adjunct faculty members in major automotive supply chain management roles. The program is focused on complex manufacturing and the auto industry, along with healthcare supply chain. The curriculum covers the broad depth of supply chain functions from purchasing to lean to logistics, production planning and quality, etc. The program also has a strong focus on global programs and traditionally offers five supply chain-focused study abroad opportunities each year.
