Student Success

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

College of Business

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Sat, 04/26/2025 - 17:47

��-Dearborn awarded 1,074 degrees during three commencement ceremonies on April 26.

��-Dearborn's newest graduates celebrated after the April 26 commencement ceremonies. Photos by Matthew Stephens/Michigan Photography

Class of Spring 2025: CECS graduate Mahendra Kakad

lblouin — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:12:37 +0000

Class of Spring 2025: CECS graduate Mahendra Kakad lblouin Mon, 04/21/2025 - 09:12

Back in his home country of India, ��-Dearborn graduate student Mahendra Kakad already had a good life and a good job. He actually already had a master’s degree and had been working in the automotive industry for eight years as a design engineer, including with a startup that was building electric mopeds as a way to put EVs within reach for more consumers. But a few years ago, Kakad, who describes himself as an “aspirational, self-motivated person,” started to think more strategically about what he wanted the next stage of his career to look like. If he ever wanted to make a bigger impact on a company, say, as a chief technical officer, he knew he’d likely need to complement his advanced technical skills with managerial ones. With two teachers for parents, he says he’s always loved education. And when he learned about the engineering management master’s program at ��-Dearborn, which was located in the heart of one of the world’s biggest automotive centers, he thought it was a good bet to help him take that next step.

Engineers have a reputation for being super analytical thinkers, and Kakad definitely used that mindset to shape his new life in the United States. From the outset, he sought out advice from his fellow students who were in the second year of the program to get a sense of what he needed to do to be successful. One of their first recommendations was to get involved in as many things as possible outside of his studies. So he joined student government; he connected with the vibrant Indian Graduate Student Association; he lent his expertise to MASA, the student rocketry team. “I was on campus almost all the time — even Saturdays and Sundays,” he says. “The only time I was really at my apartment was when I was sleeping and eating dinner.” His on-campus presence helped him check another box on his wishlist: getting an on-campus job. One day, at an event, he bumped into John Cristiano, the College of Engineering and Computer Science assistant dean for research development and strategic initiatives, who remarked that Kakad seemed to be “everywhere.” Kakad mentioned that he wanted to work on campus in order to gain some experience, and Cristiano and CECS Dean Ghassan Kridli scooped him up, creating a program assistant position to help him manage corporate relations. “The system is very different in India. So I sort of saw the job as ‘kindergarten’ for me. I could help support myself financially and also get to know what the work culture is like in the United States,” Kakad says.

At this point, Kakad was still just a few months into his studies, but he was already preparing for a future job search. As an international student, he wasn’t authorized to work off campus, even at an internship, until he’d completed 18 credits, something that was still more than six months away. He started working with a recruiter, noting on his resume when he’d be work-eligible, but he generally found employers weren’t planning that far ahead. So, after getting some advice from his classmates and the staff at Career Services, he used the time to continue tweaking his resume to fit American norms. With his years of experience in industry, Kakad thought he’d be an attractive candidate and set himself what seemed like a reasonable goal: get an internship offer by January 2024. But he saw that target come and go, even as students younger and less experienced than him were lining up their internships. It was disappointing, but like a good engineer, he saw the lack of response as motivation to retool his resume.

One day when he was feeling particularly frustrated, he went to the Tesla website and directly applied for “15 or 20 jobs.” In early February 2024, he finally got a bite. Interestingly, it wasn’t for any of the positions he'd applied for, but a hiring manager had seen his resume in the system and reached out directly to ask him about his interest in another job. He spent the next few days methodically prepping for the half-hour interview. He created a Google doc mapping all the key features of the job description onto his own skill set. He got on LinkedIn and learned as much as he could about the hiring manager. He called a couple of his old colleagues back in India to get their advice. The interview went well, and a couple hours later, he got an email stating he’d made it to the next round of interviews. In a few more days, he finally had an offer.

The internship at Tesla was a technical engineering position, similar to the work he’d been doing back in India. But he says it was a great introduction to how an American workplace functions. Americans are often characterized (in contrast with Europeans, presumably) as workaholics who sometimes don’t even exhaust the often meager amount of vacation time their jobs allow. But Kakad says Americans have nothing on people in many Asian countries. In his former position, seven-day work weeks were the expectation and it was hard to ever really turn work off. “For example, in my previous roles, if you’re given an assignment, your manager might come up to you and ask, ‘Have you mailed that guy?’ And if you say ‘yes’ — ‘Have you called that guy?’ If you say ‘yes’ — ‘Have you messaged that guy?’ If you say ‘yes’ — ‘Have you met that guy?’” Kakad says, laughing. Here in the U.S., he was happy to see that people generally took weekends off and that managers gave their employees more agency. Even at Tesla, where he says they “stretch a little bit,” any weekend work is lower-key, and you definitely shouldn’t be bombarding your colleagues with emails and phone calls.

The internship at Tesla went very well. Kakad was the only one in his group who got to travel internationally, and he visited nearly all the Tesla manufacturing facilities in the United States. As it wound down, he started applying for full-time positions within the company. This time, the job search was decidedly less bumpy. “I remember it was Feb. 6 last year that I got the interview call from Tesla for my internship and Feb. 6 this year that I got the offer for my full-time job,” he says. Better still, this new position is more in line with what he was hoping going back to school would lead to. Rather than working as a design engineer, he’ll be working more on the manufacturing side as a supplier industrialization engineer, helping coordinate the production and ensure the quality of components as they pass from the design phase through a complex manufacturing process. He credits his ��-Dearborn professors — particularly Professors Shan Bao and Onur Ulgen and lecturers Roger Klungle and Faisal Khalaf — with preparing him for this new role in which knowledge of quality control processes and systems engineering will be crucial. “The quality of the instructors we have at ��-Dearborn is really next-scale,” he says. “They are working with big companies. They are working with the Department of Defense. And they have years of experience in industry and academia. So it’s been a privilege to get to know them and learn from them.”

Kakad is definitely looking forward to this next chapter, which will involve a move to California. Through the post-completion Optional Practical Training portion of his student visa, which includes a STEM extension, he currently has work authorization through 2028. And he recently got more good news: The application for his H-1B visa, which would allow him to extend his stay in the United States even further, was recently selected in the government’s lottery process and should be active in 2026. But he’s also a little sad to be leaving Dearborn. “When you come to the United States from another country, I think the state where you end up sort of becomes your home away from home,” he says. “I really like Michigan. I’m a nature lover. And I’ve made so many friends here. I’ll miss those days where you’re on campus and you just bump into a professor and have a nice conversation. But my journey at Tesla has also been very good, and as I look ahead, I carry both the values I brought from home and the experiences I’ve gained here. I’m excited to contribute at the intersection of engineering and leadership.”

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Story by Lou Blouin

Careers or Internships

Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering

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Mon, 04/21/2025 - 13:12

The spring master’s graduate used an engineer’s mindset to navigate a tricky job market and land a job at Tesla.

Photo by Annie Barker

Class of Spring 2025: CEHHS graduate Marjani Abdur-Rahman

lblouin — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 14:41:21 +0000

Class of Spring 2025: CEHHS graduate Marjani Abdur-Rahman lblouin Mon, 04/14/2025 - 10:41

Growing up, there was never much doubt that Marjani Abdur-Rahman would go to college. In fact, in high school, she dreamed, probably in more detail than most students, about what that experience would look like. Her mom, a social worker who graduated from Michigan State University, was her academic and professional role model, which is why Abdur-Rahman planned to major in clinical psychology. And she was excited to soak up many of the other quintessential parts of college life: living in the dorms, joining a sorority and partying on the weekends with her friends.

Abdur-Rahman enrolled at ��-Flint in 2008 and got off to a fast start. She took advantage of the fact that the university had just built on-campus housing and moved into the dorms. She declared a major in clinical psychology and a minor in Spanish. She also threw her energy into numerous student organizations — including lobbying successfully to charter a new chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho, a historically Black sorority, on the Flint campus. She was also intent on not taking on more debt than necessary, so she balanced a full-time course load with several part-time jobs: one at the university restaurant, another as an assistant manager at rue21 in the local mall, and a third working the night shift at a Speedway convenience store.

The night of Dec. 9, 2012, though, abruptly brought an end to that busy, but hopeful rhythm of life. Abdur-Rahman was out with her friend when they ran into the friend's ex-boyfriend. While they were at the club, Abdur-Rahman got into a heated argument with him over the man’s past treatment of her friend. Emotions were running high. Everyone had been drinking. At one point, Abdur-Rahman says she tried to get her friend to leave with her, but her friend wanted to see if she could smooth things over. The argument then escalated further, with the man threatening to pull a gun on Abdur-Rahman, at which point she went back to her car and retrieved a small knife from her glove compartment. She says she had no intention of using it; she thought it might get him to back down. But the argument intensified, the two yelling at each other until it reached an unimaginable moment: “Like a reflex,” Abdur-Rahman stabbed him once in the chest. After it happened, she didn’t think he was seriously injured, and she and her friend left in their car. But Abdur-Rahman learned later that he had died in the hospital. She was eventually arrested and charged with open murder, a crime carrying a potential life sentence. She ultimately agreed to a plea that reduced the charge to manslaughter, with a sentence of seven and a half to 15 years. In December 2013, after being held for 10 months at the Genesee County Jail, she began serving her sentence at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan’s only women’s prison.

She says the first two years of being incarcerated were the most difficult. She describes herself as a “bubbly, fun-loving person,” but prison wasn’t a place where you could show that kind of emotion. Personal contact between people, for example, was prohibited. One day, upon seeing a friend who she knew was going through a difficult time, Abdur-Rahman reflexively reached out and embraced her — only to get sanctioned for sexual misconduct. And, of course, there was a hurricane of emotions to deal with: The guilt that came from being responsible for taking another person’s life. The nagging thoughts that if she hadn’t been drinking or hadn’t had a knife in her car that night, none of this would be happening. The fear of not knowing what the rest of her life would bring once she got out.

Even within that setting, Abdur-Rahman eventually found a rhythm. As she did when she was a college student, she participated in lots of clubs and activities in the prison. She practiced yoga and did strength and conditioning classes. She facilitated AA meetings and sang in the church choir. Through these activities, she says she developed a lot more compassion for people. “I used to be a very judgemental person, particularly with people who had substance abuse issues. I just thought, ‘Why don’t you stop? Why are you doing that to yourself?’” she says. “But after housing with a lot of women who had those issues, and speaking with them through AA and NA, I realized we had a lot in common, a lot of the same trauma. Sexual child abuse, divorced parents, abusive relationships. The only difference between me and these women is the way we coped.” She also met women who didn’t fit any of the common stereotypes of incarcerated people. People who didn’t have previous criminal records, histories of violence or challenges with addiction. People who she thought of as “good people,” who, like her, had made “one big mistake.”

At a certain point, Abdur-Rahman also started to regain some of the hope she once had for her future. She understood that it was going to be “damn near impossible to be a felon and be a psychologist,” but she started to think about adjacent careers, particularly in social work. While in prison, she met many inspiring, compassionate social workers. One woman even shared with her that she was also a felon and later got her degree. Later, when she saw that ��-Dearborn was offering free college classes in the prison and one of them was an introductory social work course, she didn’t hesitate to sign up. There, she learned just how broad the social work field was. She could be a therapist. A case worker. Someone who worked with people with addiction issues. There were even social workers who specialized in working with formerly incarcerated people. Some time after that, she saw a flyer for ��-Dearborn’s SOAR program, which provides an array of support services and scholarships for adult learners and returning students who are pursuing their first bachelor's degree. It all started giving her a feeling that her deferred college dreams maybe weren't out of reach.

When she was released on parole in June 2021, her initial hope was to return to ��-Flint, which was much closer to her home in Saginaw. But when that didn’t work out, she immediately thought of ��-Dearborn. She felt “ecstatic” the day she got the acceptance letter from the university, calculating that she could finish up in just a couple of years. But heading back to college after a 10-year break posed certain challenges. “When I got arrested, we were on iPhone 4. When I got out, it was iPhone 14,” she says, adding that the tech learning curve was a bit steep. In prison, even in college classes, she could only use pen and paper. Now, students lived attached to their laptops and tracked assignments, grades and discussion groups via online learning management systems. You could even take most of your classes virtually if you wanted to. Being in a college classroom was also a bit of a culture shock. “I went from taking college classes where everyone’s in their prison garb and all you have is your pencil and paper. And, now, here I am in a classroom wearing normal clothes with a bunch of normal people. You know no one’s psychic. But you still sort of have that paranoia, like, do these people know? Can they tell? Would anyone take the time to Google me?”

At first, Abdur-Rahman says she didn’t tell anybody anything about her past. But gradually, over time, she got more comfortable talking about her experience. She credits a lot of that to her involvement in the Prison Creative Arts Project, a long-running U-M program that brings creative arts workshops into prisons. When she got out, she stayed involved with PCAP’s Linkage Community for returning citizens. She jokes that both programs have kind of made her a poster child. “I’m all over the website,” she says, noting that it’s difficult to put yourself out there like that and not end up talking about your story, at least certain parts of it. Last semester, she really stepped out of her comfort zone. The instructor of her Vulnerable Populations course, Assistant Professor of Health and Human Services Vitalis Im, who’s been working with the PCAP program for years, asked whether she’d be interested in doing a class presentation on her prison experience and some of the challenges of her post-prison life. “I was really scared to do that. I didn’t want any of my peers to look at me differently, to change their whole mindset of me. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I think people see me as a likeable, friendly person, and I didn’t want those qualities to be overlooked after sharing my story,” she says. But Abdur-Rahman says sort of the opposite happened. Afterward, she got several comments from her fellow students, basically sharing their admiration for her ability to stay so positive. And she says it’s still hard to talk about what Im’s respect and validation has meant to her without tearing up. “He’s somebody who’s only recently become part of my journey, who’s rooting for me, and wants me to succeed and has my best interests at heart,” she says. “He knows I’m a good person that just made a bad decision.”

As Abdur-Rahman approaches her graduation, she says she’s filled with a mix of emotions. On the one hand, she’s obviously feeling a huge sense of accomplishment and is excited to share the moment with all the people who’ve stuck by her. On the other hand, she’s worried about the very real possibility that her past could still get in the way of her dreams for her future. She frequently gets some reminder of that. Right now, she’s living with her mom in Saginaw, which she’s doing, in part, because her mom has some health problems. But now that she’s finishing her degree, she’d love to get her own apartment, maybe move to a new city. She knows, however, that she’ll probably have to find a place that doesn’t require a background check. And just recently, while working at one of her jobs, a sales floor position at a national chain store, her manager asked if she could chat with her in the office. The manager explained that her background check had been flagged and that a woman on the phone from the company’s HR department wanted to ask her some questions about the events of Dec. 9, 2012. Put on the spot at work, Abdur-Rahman took the phone and calmly explained what had happened, as well as all the things she has been doing with her life since. She also noted that if the job application had asked about criminal history, which she says it did not, she would have volunteered that information. After the phone call, she then turned to her manager, who had heard the conversation, and expressed that she hoped that she didn’t think differently of her now. The manager responded that she did not, and reiterated what an excellent worker she was and that if it was up to her, she'd be happy to send Abdur-Rahman right back to work. Nonetheless, she was going to be suspended pending a decision from HR, though she ultimately got to keep her job. “That’s just sort of my reality now,” she says. “I feel like no matter how hard I try, it’s two steps forward, and then five steps back. It’s hard not to get discouraged, but I’m trying to stay positive.”

Going forward, Abdur-Rahman still very much desires to have what she calls a “big girl job,” which she defines as “a job of substance with good pay and a 9 to 5.” Ideally, she wants to find a position where she can help people with substance abuse issues. But she also anticipates it will be hard for many employers — even those in the social work field — to look beyond her past, especially if they have other talented candidates they could hire. She also knows she’ll likely need to continue her education. A bachelor’s degree in the field doesn’t take you as far as it used to, which is why she’s applied to ��-Ann Arbor’s master of social work program. She recently received news that she’s been put on an alternates list. “So it’s not a ‘no’ and not a ‘yes,’” she says. She should know in a couple months whether she got in. Some parts of her life are still a waiting game.

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Story by Lou Blouin

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Health and Human Services

Off

Mon, 04/14/2025 - 14:41

As she approaches a milestone that once seemed out of reach, the health and human services major is trying to not let the worst mistake of her life define the rest of it.

Photo by Annie Barker

Three of a kind

stuxbury — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 12:56:45 +0000

Three of a kind stuxbury Wed, 04/09/2025 - 08:56

Three is a lucky number. And the Class of Spring 2025 will be seeing triple at their commencement. During the first of April 26’s three ceremonies, three identical brothers will walk across the stage in honor of their three degrees.

Ali, Elias and Hadi Elzein, born in that order and studying economics, accounting and finance, and biology, respectively, do everything together — and graduation day won’t be different. “I finished last semester, but delayed my graduation so I could walk with my brothers,” Hadi says. “We have a story of family, of love forged through challenge. As brothers, we chose to walk together every step of the way.”

That’s not the only celebration day for the Elzein brothers this month. Today, April 10, is National Siblings Day. Hadi says National Siblings Day could be every day for them. They have a group chat on their phone. They share a room at home. They work together at Habib’s Cuisine. “If something comes up and one of us can’t go in for a shift, we can fill in for each other,” says Hadi, a biology major who's in the process of applying for graduate school.

The brothers’ resemblance is usually the first thing that catches people’s eyes. Speaking at the Renick University Center, they wear matching black shirts. They have a rhythm between them — the way they finish each other’s thoughts, the unspoken understanding — that’s a bond built on more than shared birthdays or DNA.

To help people tell them apart, they do things to physically distinguish themselves. Ali wears a silver necklace and Elias a silver bracelet. And when they are sitting next to each other, you can see their personality differences — Hadi laughs more, Elias chooses his words thoughtfully and Ali is very social. But when they are solo, that’s when the mistakes happen. “People will come up to me thinking that I was one of my brothers. I don’t mind that,” Hadi says. “When it happens to me on campus, it’s a good way to make new friends.”

Chatting in the RUC, they chime in to complete each other’s thoughts. They joke around. And they talk about the future. “No one can tell the future, but I do know that we will always be there for each other in this next part of our lives,” says Elias, who is a Class of Spring 2025 Dean’s Medallion awardee from the College of Business. Through the university’s Accounting 4+1 program, he’ll earn a graduate degree with one more year of college.

When it comes to their closeness, the brothers say there’s a natural bond that comes from being a multiple. But their loyalty to one another goes beyond that — it was forged by persevering through life-changing events.

Born in the United States, the triplets went to Lebanon to visit family for a summer when they were six. While there, their father, Hussein, was admitted to a hospital with a sudden illness and fell into a coma. During the next seven years, they lived with family in Lebanon in hopes of their father’s recovery.

“Our mom would be up early to see us off to school and then would go to the hospital in Beirut to take care of our father the best that she could. She showed us what unconditional love looks like,” says Ali, an economics major who is in the process of lining up a full-time job in the mortgage business. “He was in a coma for a long time. For seven years, we hoped he would wake up and come home. He was our father and our sense of security. Then, when we were 13, there was a new feeling each of us had. The fear left. When we were ready to accept any outcome, he passed away. Our father held on until we were in a place where we were ready to accept it.”

It was a painful moment, but not a defining one, Hadi adds. “His absence became the space in which we learned to rely on each other and on ourselves. The experience didn’t harden us — it united us,” he says.

All three brothers say that their father continues to guide their future, even a decade after his passing. “People come up to us and ask if we are Hussein’s sons,” Ali says. “We continue to have people recognize us because of how loyal of a friend our father was to people in the Dearborn community. It speaks volumes on who he was as a person and it makes our hearts grow.”

Not long after their father’s passing, the boys and their mother, Zanoubia, moved back to Michigan. “Even with the financial and emotional difficulty of moving, we had family supporting us every step of the way,” Elias says. “Just like our family in Lebanon supported us while we were there, we had uncles in Dearborn help us get on our feet so we could hit the ground running.”

The triplets enrolled at Dearborn High School. “People were really nice and thought it was interesting that there were three of us, but it was still hard,” says Ali. “We were born in the U.S., but our memories were of Lebanon. We spoke English, but grew up with a different cultural background. We also had to build from the ground up when we came back. We had a roof over our heads, but it was tough financially. But that was a good thing to experience early too — it showed us that material things are nice, but not essential. What’s most important is family and how it is important to come together to help each other out.”

The brothers, who attended ��-Dearborn with the Go Blue Guarantee scholarship, pooled resources during their four years of college. For example, they saved up money right before their first year and bought a 2011 Buick LaCrosse, which they still use today. Sometimes sharing a car would mean they’d be on campus all day waiting for each other — but, when possible, they coordinated their class schedules. They also had to factor in Hadi’s cell biology research time with Associate Professor of Biology Kalyan Kondapalli, Elias’ Beta Alpha Psi fraternity meetings, Ali’s job shadowing at a law firm and more. Elias says a lot of planning, in addition to online and hybrid classes, made the situation work.

Not too long ago — to accommodate their increasingly busy schedules and because they’ll be on different paths after graduation — they purchased a second car to share. But even when life will lead them down different roads, they know they’ll always find ways to come back together. “We have been through things together that make our bond strong. Distance or busy schedules can’t weaken that,” Elias says. Ali adds, “We might irritate each other at times, but I need to connect with my brothers to recharge. We need each other to push ourselves to be the best version that we can be. It’s all about family and we will continue to prioritize that — it’s just how we do it that might look a little different.”

That next step — or steps, since there’s three of them — includes work and graduate school. But first comes commencement. On April 26, when their names are called, the Elzeins will walk across the stage to uncles, cousins and friends cheering in the audience. But the brothers will focus on one person: Their mother.

Remember the complex class schedule coordination? She’s the one who helped them do it. She cheered them on, made their favorite meals and kept things moving forward in the hardest of times. “Even with all of the challenges in our lives, our mom continued to focus on what would give us a brighter future,” Elias says. “We learned how to be responsible and reliable men from a strong woman.”

His brothers nod in agreement. As much as they are looking forward to graduating, they are even more proud to show their mom what they accomplished thanks to her.

“None of this would have happened without her. She gave everything and now it’s our turn to rise because of it and give back to her. This is not just a story about triplets graduating. It’s a story about resilience, about sacrifice, about the quiet strength that comes from real love,” Hadi says. “And most of all, it’s a story about a family that never let go of each other no matter how far life tried to stretch them.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

College of Business

Off

Wed, 04/09/2025 - 12:55

Today is National Siblings Day. Identical Elzein triplets — Ali, Elias and Hadi — found success at ��-Dearborn by overcoming challenges the best way they know how: Together.

The Elzein triplets — from left, Hadi, Ali and Elias — are graduating together on April 26. Photo by Benjamin Vertin

Meet the Spring 2025 CECS and CEHHS Medallion winners

lblouin — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 12:45:24 +0000

Meet the Spring 2025 CECS and CEHHS Medallion winners lblouin Mon, 04/07/2025 - 08:45

This year’s Dean’s Medallion winners from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and College of Education, Health and Human Services are an inspiring bunch — with stories about everything from participating in advanced biomedical research to conquering the unique challenges of returning to college in your 30s as a single parent.

The award recognizing students' academic achievements, leadership and contributions to the community is given to three students in each college, with one student receiving the Chancellor’s Medallion, the university’s top student honor. Here are the Spring 2025 Medallion winners from CECS and CEHHS. You can also meet the awardees from the College of Business and College of Arts, Sciences and Letters, including this year’s Chancellor’s Medallion winner.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Shams Fatma Ahson

Degree: Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity and information assurance (cybersecurity and privacy concentration), minor in law and society; certificate in practical aspects of computer security (2024)

Awards, Honors and Distinction: ��-Dearborn Difference Maker (2024); James B. Angell Scholar (2023, 2024); William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize; Dean’s List (F21-F24); University Honors (F21-F24), Honors Scholar (2025)

Scholarships: Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship (2023)

Academic Achievements and Internships: Shams has excelled through high-impact academic and professional experiences in cybersecurity, demonstrating technical expertise, leadership and innovation. Shams’ outstanding leadership was recognized with the 2023 Alan Mulally Leadership in Engineering Scholarship, a competitive award honoring students worldwide for exceptional leadership in academic or community settings. Shams conducted research in the Information Systems, Security and Forensics Lab under the supervision of Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Hafiz Malik. She played a pivotal role in implementing an automotive ethernet testbench featuring simulated electronic control units. Shams also led the CanQuest capstone project, where her team developed a mixed-reality cybersecurity game to educate engineers on protecting CAN bus communication. Shams served as a supplemental instruction leader beginning in January 2022, supporting her peers and reinforcing her own mastery of complex cybersecurity concepts. Shams has also been a cybersecurity testing intern at ETAS since May 2023 and served as a product cybersecurity intern at Bosch from May 2022 to May 2023.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Google Developer Student Club (president); Women in Cybersecurity (chapter president); co-led CECS’ 2025 Engineering Week

As president of the Google Developer Student Club, Shams helped secure over $100,000 in funding for campus hackathons attended by students across Michigan, the Midwest and Canada. As co-lead of Engineering Week, she helped launch several innovative initiatives, including two new engineering games. In Chefgineering, student organizations formed teams to build a common solution using mystery “ingredients.” In the Engineering Escape Room, teams tackled a series of puzzles, such as decoding Morse code signals and reverse-engineering a Caesar cipher, to unlock the key and “escape” the room. “Shams is an expert organizer and an inspirational leader. She is quick to volunteer for community outreach activities, especially those that help make STEAM more accessible to younger students,” observed Professor of Computer and Information Science Bruce Maxim.

Future Plans: Shams’ ultimate career goal is not just to be a CEO within the cybersecurity industry, but to be a great leader who reflects the values, ambitions and spirit of her community.

Hawraa Ismail

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Engineering in computer engineering

Awards, Honors and Distinction: Dean’s Honors List at the Lebanese International University, Lebanon (F22); ��-Dearborn Honors Scholar (2023)

Academic Achievements and Internships: Hawraa has actively contributed to projects spanning safety, technology and education throughout her college years. Such experiences have allowed Hawraa to develop innovative solutions, mentor emerging talent and give back to the community. In her two-semester capstone project, Hawraa led the development of an accident alert system that detects risky driving behaviors and delivers real-time alerts. By integrating multiple sensors with advanced artificial intelligence models, this system significantly enhances driver safety. In the Embedded Systems course, Hawraa engineered a GPS-based speed limit warning system that notifies drivers when they exceed limits in designated zones, further demonstrating her passion for technology-driven safety innovations.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Peer tutor at the Engineering Learning Center; Michigan Aeronautical Science Association hardware and avionics team member; Eternal Light Organization volunteer

In her role as a peer tutor, Hawraa assisted students with programming, circuit design and problem-solving, boosting their confidence in challenging engineering subjects. “Hawraa has jumped in with both feet to support our students. Hawraa needs no supervision as she is a self-starter and wants to assist where she can. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of the electrical and computer engineering course material and you can hear her passion in her voice,” observed Elizabeth Edenstrom, assistant director of the ELC. With MASA, Hawraa helped develop flight telemetry system software. Her contributions included creating a real-time data monitoring dashboard that automates flight operations and streamlines data processing. Hawraa also served as a student staff member at the university’s Early Childhood Education Center, where she supported classroom activities and helped craft engaging learning experiences for young children.

Future Plans: Hawraa plans to leverage her expertise in embedded systems and artificial intelligence safety applications to develop smart systems that enhance community welfare and drive technological innovation. She envisions pursuing industry roles in embedded security, earning relevant certifications and advancing her graduate studies to further specialize in this field. Ultimately, Hawraa aims to earn a PhD and become a professor, using her experience as a peer tutor at the ELC to inspire and empower students. Her commitment to giving back stems from her gratitude toward ��-Dearborn, an institution that has profoundly shaped her journey and one that she hopes others will also experience.

Nicole Kormos

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Engineering in bioengineering

Awards, Honors and Distinction: Dean’s List (F21-F24); William J. Branstrom Prize; James B. Angell Scholar (2023); University Honors (F21-W23, W24); Honors Scholar (2024) Scholarships: Chancellor’s Scholarship; Honors Scholarship; James and Jeraldine Poe Research Assistantship

Academic Achievements and Internships: Nicole’s academic excellence drive extends beyond the classroom. During her studies, Nicole actively pursued a series of research projects, all aimed at understanding the male predominance observed in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Her research focuses on investigating sex-based differences in the mechanical responses of pulmonary fibroblasts — a challenging endeavor that has led her to achieve significant new results while mastering advanced techniques such as cell culture, qPCR, cell staining and imaging. What began as a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience project at ��-Dearborn following her junior year evolved into an ongoing project supported by the James and Jeraldine Poe Research Assistantship during her senior year. Nicole presented her findings as a poster at both the SURE Showcase and the Biomedical Engineering Society Research Symposium, where her project earned second place. Her promising results are slated for submission for publication at the end of the Winter 2025 semester. “Nicole is an exceptional student whose dedication and work ethic set her apart. As an undergraduate researcher, she not only excels in her own experiments but also goes above and beyond to support and train others, demonstrating leadership beyond her years. She is truly a rock star in every sense, and her future in research is incredibly bright,” observed Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Caymen Novak. Besides her commitment to advancing bioengineering research, Nicole served as a lab assistant for the Biosensors and Instrumentation course, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing research and her field.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Society of Women Engineers; Biomedical Engineering Society; Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honor Society, Michigan Iota chapter (vice president, media coordinator)

Nicole’s involvement in Tau Beta Pi will be recognized at the chapter’s initiation this semester, where she will be invested into the chapter for her significant contributions as a leader.

Future Plans: Nicole plans to continue her education in the PhD program in materials science and engineering at ��-Ann Arbor. Her dissertation research will be on functional materials and biomaterials. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in applied research in the field of application of biomaterials to medical devices and wearable technology.

College of Education, Health and Human Services

Chaymaa Nehme

Degree: Bachelor of Science in health and human services (social work concentration)

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (W24, F24); Dean’s List (F23-F24)

Academic Achievements and Internships: Chaymaa has demonstrated academic excellence at ��-Dearborn, earning a place on the Dean’s List as an honors student every semester since transferring from Henry Ford College in Fall 2023. Passionate about community engagement, she partnered with the Dearborn Public Health Department on a tree equity project through one of her courses, focusing on environmental justice and sustainability. Through this initiative, Chaymaa engaged with the community in meaningful ways, addressing disparities in tree coverage and advocating for greener, healthier neighborhoods. This included taking the initiative to translate all social media posts about the program into Arabic, greatly increasing the outreach of the posts to target communities.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Seeking to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, in addition to her academic achievements, Chaymaa has been actively involved in community service through organizing initiatives, supporting public service programs and by contributing to outreach efforts. These experiences have reinforced her passion for civic engagement and dedication to advocating for inclusive and equitable communities. Chaymaa remains committed to using her skills and knowledge to drive positive social change through social impact and advocacy, integrating psychology, sociology, and health and human services into her work in order to create meaningful change in both individual lives and broader communities. Assistant Professor of Health and Human Services Finn Bell, who taught Chaymaa in two courses, stated, “Chaymaa is consistently one of the most engaged students, who regularly makes connections for how the materials connect to ‘the real world.’ Chaymaa is an exemplar of what it means to be a good academic citizen with noteworthy curiosity and impeccable integrity.”

Future Plans: Chaymaa currently works at a school as part of the administration team. Following graduation, she plans to apply her knowledge and social work skills to support both students and staff. Her goal is to create a positive environment, providing resources and assistance to help students thrive academically and emotionally. She remains passionate about using her social work education and experiences to build a supportive school community and to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those she works with.

Darci O’Neil

Degree: Bachelor of Science in health and human services (public health concentration)

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (W24, F24); Dean’s List (F23-F24)

Academic Achievements and Internships: Darci has demonstrated academic excellence at ��-Dearborn, earning a place on the Dean’s List as an honors student every semester since transferring in Fall 2023 and receiving University Honors in both Winter and Fall 2024. Prior to attending ��-Dearborn, Darci was a student at both Schoolcraft College and Wayne State University. “Before returning to school as a single mom in my 30s, I was a perpetual college dropout and thought that school just wasn’t for me,” Darci said. Initially, she returned with the intention of only completing certification for her pharmacy technician license. Once introduced to the idea of public health, however, she realized that she had a passion for the field. A six-month certification turned into an opportunity to participate in research with cancer patients and she ultimately continued on for her BS. Darci completed a capstone course project and has continued to work with Associate Professor of Health Communication Nick Iannarino on a research project looking at young adult cancer programs and how they address social support needs. Her contributions have included interviewing health care professionals and analyzing data. Health and Human Services Lecturer Timothy Michling, who has taught Darci, stated, “I’ve very much enjoyed working with Darci. She has a combination of intelligence, determination and compassion that will make her a tremendously effective public health professional.”

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Peer mentor with Wolverine Mentor Collective; Public Health Society (treasurer)

Future Plans: Darci is currently seeking a position in the field of epidemiology and plans to gain work experience before seeking a master’s degree. Darci believes that some experience in the field will help her decide whether to seek further education in epidemiology or, possibly, in public health policy.

Assma Ali Said

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in children and families

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (W24, F24); Dean’s List (F23-F24)

Academic Achievements and Internships: Prior to attending ��-Dearborn, Assma was a student at Henry Ford College and Wayne State University. While studying at ��-Dearborn, Assma participated in two internships: M&M Academy Great Start Readiness Program classroom in Fall 2024 and a ��-Dearborn Early Childhood Education Center practicum in Winter 2023.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Assma volunteers at a local mosque and helps organize events during Ramadan to promote unity, spiritual growth and community support. One such initiative is Girls Night, a women-only event designed to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment, especially for women who face cultural and social challenges. In addition, Assma provides tutoring for preschool students after school, helping them build foundational skills while fostering a love for learning. For the past three years, this role has enabled her to support young children in the community, ensuring they feel seen, heard and encouraged to thrive. She is committed to using her skills and story to uplift others and create lasting change within the Arab and Muslim communities. Assma believes her personal journey has empowered her to create positive change and advocate for those who may feel marginalized or unheard. She strives to create a space where women can come together, share their experiences and find strength in each other.

Future Plans: Following graduation, Assma plans to further her education by pursuing a master’s degree in early childhood education, with the goal of becoming a professor and educator who can make a lasting impact in the field. Her experience as a preschool teacher has ignited a deep passion for shaping young minds and she wants to contribute to the development of innovative educational practices that can be implemented in classrooms across the country.

Awards

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Off

Mon, 04/07/2025 - 12:45

Three students from each college are being recognized with the Dean’s Medallion for their outstanding academic achievements, leadership and contributions to the community.

Congrats to the CASL and COB Medallion winners

stuxbury — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:49:14 +0000

Congrats to the CASL and COB Medallion winners stuxbury Wed, 04/02/2025 - 08:49

From conducting melanoma research to advocating for veterans, ��-Dearborn’s Spring Class of 2025’s leaders and best have accomplished many things. Adding to that: Twelve of this year’s top graduates earned the Chancellor’s Medallion or Dean’s Medallion awards.

Three Dean’s Medallion recipients are awarded per college with one of those students receiving the Chancellor’s Medallion. These students will be honored at April 26’s Commencement.

Here are ��-Dearborn’s College of Arts, Sciences and Letters and the College of Business recipients — including the Chancellor’s Medallion winner, who is a CASL graduate. The awardees from the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Education, Health and Human Services will be profiled in an article on Tuesday.

Chancellor’s Medallion

Ayah Farhat
College of Arts, Sciences and Letters

Degree: Bachelor of Science in biochemistry

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (F22, W23); Dean’s List (F22-F23, F24); James B. Angell Scholar (2024); William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize (2023); SURE Fellowship (2024); Honors Scholar (2025)

Scholarships: Mardigian Library Student Assistant Scholarship; Alumni Legacy Scholarship; Michigan Competitive Scholarship; Excellence Scholarship; CASL Alumni Affiliate Scholarship; Andy and Cheryl Chapekis Scholarship; Dr. Richard A. Potts Endowed Scholarship; William and Alice Jenkins Memorial Scholarship

Academic Achievements and Internships: Ayah is a dedicated researcher who worked with Assistant Professor of Biochemistry Besa Xhabija to conduct cutting-edge research in melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. She characterized melanoma morphologically, optically and behaviorally to better understand its aggressive nature and metastatic potential. Her research has already resulted in a first-author publication in Advanced Biology and has been featured as the front cover of its February 2025 issue.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: ��-Dearborn Mardigian Library Circulation Desk student assistant; American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and ASBMB student chapter (president); Kumon Math and Reading tutor; Wolverine Mentor Collective mentor; volunteer at Corewell Health, Caroline Kennedy Library, ��-Dearborn Food Pantry and ��-Dearborn Wolverine Wardrobe

Future Plans: Ayah plans to attend and present her research at the national conference of the American Chemical Society this fall. Her long-term goal is to become a physician who serves marginalized and vulnerable populations in metro Detroit.

Dean’s Medallion

College of Arts, Sciences and Letters

Vincent Intrieri

Degree: Bachelor of Arts in international studies

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (W24, F24); Dean’s List (F22-F24); ��-Dearborn Difference Maker (2024); Honors Scholar (2025)

Scholarships: CASL Alumni Affiliate Scholarship; Hugh M. Archer Veterans Scholarship; John J. Brownfain Endowed Memorial Scholarship; ��-Dearborn Veterans Scholarship

Academic Achievements and Internships: Vincent was the inaugural president of the Wolverine Media Network, uniting the university’s student newspaper, radio, video and arts journal into a single cohesive structure. He completed the Ottawa Internship in Canadian Parliament and participated in a virtual exchange program with the University of El Salvador in which he completed an e-book in Spanish with a Salvadoran partner. He was a work-study employee in the university’s Veterans Affairs office and is a mentor in the Dearborn Veterans Treatment Court, where he supports fellow veterans who are navigating the criminal justice system. Vincent is a nontraditional student and Navy veteran who retired as a petty officer second class logistics specialist.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Wolverine Media Network (president); Lyceum (editor-in-chief); Student Veterans Association (treasurer); Dearborn Veterans Treatment Court mentor; Veterans of the Game; Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council

Future Plans: Vincent has been admitted to American University’s master’s program in international relations and is considering law school. He is interested in pursuing a career in public interest or international law.

Ahmad Makki

Degrees: Dual Bachelors of Science in mathematics and economics

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (W21, F21, F24); Honors Scholar in economics (2025); Dean’s List (F20-F24); SURE Fellowship (2022); Outstanding Delegate, Model Arab League (2023-2025); Overall Outstanding Delegation, Model Arab League (2024)

Scholarships: Metropolitan Scholarship; Kochoff Impact Scholarship; Mathematics Scholarship; Dr. Ronald Stockton Scholarship; Dean’s Scholarship (U-M Law School)

Academic Achievements and Internships: Ahmad has conducted research with Associate Professor of Political Science Emily Luxon focused on the attribution of responsibility for climate change in newspaper coverage. As a Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Fellow, Ahmad also researched nationalistic bias within networks related to accusation of chemical weapon use.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Arab Affairs League Club (founder/president); Model Arab League; violin instructor

Ahmad is also a talented language learner with proficiency in Korean and Arabic and intermediate skill in West African Creole.

Future Plans: Ahmad has been admitted to the University of Michigan Law School and intends to attend starting in Fall 2025.

College of Business

Christian Ankawi

Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and finance

Awards, Honors and Distinction: Honors Scholar (2025); James B. Angell Scholar (2023, 2024); University Honors (F21-F22, F23-F24); Dean’s List (F21-F24)

Scholarships: Kris & Ruth Pfaehler Scholarship; Allard Family Trust Scholarship;

��-Dearborn Dean’s Scholarship; COB Undergraduate 4+1 Scholarship

Academic Achievements and Internships: Christian’s career in accounting began in summer 2022 with an internship at Rocket Central, where he collaborated with senior leaders to resolve disputes and developed a review process that resulted in shorter lead times for reimbursements and expense requests. The following summer and fall he worked as a tax intern at Carhartt and performed a variety of tasks. In summer 2024, he was an audit intern at Doeren Mayhew and gained more specialized experience.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Supplemental instructor for College of Business; Beta Gamma Sigma honor society; Accounting Aid Society volunteer; Forgotten Harvest volunteer; frequent guest speaker for Business Foundations course

Future Plans: This summer, Christian will take the first part of the CPA exam and begin a full-time role as an assurance intern at Ernst & Young. As a 4+1 student, he will return to the College of Business in the fall and work toward his Master of Science in accounting and completing the CPA exam. Upon achieving these goals, Christian plans to work full time with a public accounting firm and currently has an open offer to return to Doeren Mayhew.

Elias Elzein

Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and finance

Awards, Honors and Distinction: University Honors (W22, W24, F24); Dean’s List (F21-F22,

F23-F24)

Scholarships: ��-Dearborn Dean’s Scholarship (2021-2024); COB Undergraduate 4+1 Scholarship

Academic Achievements and Internships: In summer 2023, Elias worked as an accounting intern at Varsity Lincoln. In this role, he reconciled bank statements and inventory records, collaborated with the dealership’s CPA on financial statement preparation and gained hands-on experience in several accounting processes.

Extracurricular and Community Projects: Beta Alpha Psi (member since 2022; reporter 2023-2024; co-president April 2024-April 2025); Michigan Model Arab League (team received the 2025 Distinguished Delegation Award)

As an active member and leader of Beta Alpha Psi, an international honors organization for accounting and finance students, Elias has participated in several competitions across the country. He has pursued professional development opportunities through these competitions, including improving his public speaking and presentation skills, and helped lead the ��-Dearborn chapter to a national-level competition.

Future Plans: Elias will spend the summer completing an audit internship at Plante Moran and preparing for the CPA exam. He will return to the College of Business in the fall as part of the 4+1 program to earn his Master of Science in accounting. He hopes to continue working with Plante Moran upon completing his master’s degree and earning his CPA.

Carlos Gonzalez

Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration in digital marketing

Awards, Honors and Distinction: James B. Angell Scholar (2023); University Honors (W22-W23); Dean’s List (W22-F24); Honors Scholar (2025); student speaker at the College of Business Celebration of Excellence (2024); Bill Linn Fiction Prize Honorable Mention (2023)

Scholarships: LEAD Scholarship; ��-Dearborn Dean’s Scholarship; Jeffrey R. & Donna T. Smith Scholarship; Michael & Vana Surmanian Family Scholarship; ��-Dearborn Honors Scholarship; Central Study Abroad Scholarship; College of Business Fast Track Scholarship; Russel J. Ebeid Scholarship; Louanne Sanez Scholarship

Academic Achievements and Internships: Carlos began participating in ��-Dearborn’s Digital Storytelling project as a first-year student when he created his own story. He was promoted to a mentorship role his sophomore year. As a mentor, he guided new participants through the creative process by organizing workshops and helping with technical challenges. Carlos took on more responsibilities over the years, such as assisting with curriculum development, and eventually became a lead strategist for directing faculty members on their own digital stories. He also worked as a digital marketing intern for MedsFinder in summer 2021 and as a digital marketing and business strategy intern for ESOP One from August 2023 to August 2024. Christopher Spilker, head of the Mardigian Library Research Center, observed that Carlos was an integral part of the Digital Storytelling project, stating that “his dedication not only strengthened the program but also inspired those around him.”

Extracurricular and Community Projects: LEAD Scholars member and LEAD Advisory Board member; ISPM-Italy participant; LeaderShape participant; Real Estate Association; Eagle Scout.

Future Plans: Carlos plans to pursue his Master of Business Administration in a specialization that will enable him to utilize his talents for storytelling and strategic thinking, such as marketing management or business analytics. He hopes to work for a multinational corporation and one day advance to an executive leadership position where he can inspire others to create meaningful content.

Awards

College of Business

Off

Wed, 04/02/2025 - 12:48

��-Dearborn recognizes a select group of soon-to-be grads each semester for outstanding achievement.

COB and CASL graduating students were awarded for their high achievement. Graphic by Lou Blouin

For a ��-Dearborn student and professor, the influence goes both ways

lblouin — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 13:06:36 +0000

For a ��-Dearborn student and professor, the influence goes both ways lblouin Mon, 02/24/2025 - 08:06

In 2020, Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Wencong Su was looking for an undergraduate student to assist with a project focused on adding innovative energy efficiency measures to the already LEED-certified Engineering Lab Building. At the time, Su was teaching all graduate courses so he didn’t have many undergrads in his orbit. So Su asked for a little help from one of his graduate assistants, who emailed the job posting to the students in a 200-level lab. LaRico Andres, a sophomore and recent transfer from Henry Ford College, thought it sounded interesting and reached out to Su with his resume. Su remembers Andres didn’t exactly fit the description of the type of student who usually applies for these kinds of opportunities. Andres was a few years older than Su, already had a full-time job working as an instrument tech at the Great Lakes Water Authority, and his GPA at the time wasn’t knocking anyone out. But after the two chatted for a little while, Su offered him the job. Andres was personable, seemed excited to learn, and though he was a research novice, it turned out his background in instrumentation was actually quite relevant to the types of things they would be investigating in the ELB.

Andres excelled on the project and it led to many more opportunities to work alongside Su. On one project supported by the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps — a program that helps researchers translate their laboratory work into marketable products — Andres traveled to conferences in Orlando, San Diego and Austin, completing a flurry of more than 100 interviews with industrial professionals in seven weeks about a product Su’s lab was developing. On another project, he and Su created an app that used the ELB’s building management software and the utility’s fuel profile to give users an idea of what being a building occupant added to their personal carbon footprint. As you’d expect, Andres picked up a lot of skills working with Su. But as often happens when two people spend a lot of time together, Andres and Su also started talking about things other than their work. Andres jokes that they initially bonded over the fact that they “both like to eat.” But the conversations gradually grew more personal. Both men had daughters, so they talked about their kids. Su shared some of the challenges he faced when he first came to the United States for college and he knew very little English. Andres reciprocated with stories about some challenges he faced growing up in Detroit, not always having enough money to pay all the bills at once, and some things that happened when he was younger that tripped up his plans to go to college earlier in his life.

Su says he enjoyed Andres' perspective — in part, because Su is someone who’s interested in people, and the ups and downs of Andres’ life made for a compelling personal story. In addition, Su says he’s always been interested in Detroit, and through Andres, a lifelong Detroiter, he enjoyed learning about a side of the city that “you don’t hear about on the TV news.” Interestingly, at a certain point, both men noticed that many of their personal conversations weren’t actually that separate from their field of study: energy systems. For example, Andres shared stories about how, in his family, when the power would go out, that meant you didn’t open the fridge so his grandfather’s insulin wouldn’t spoil. Or how, if the power was out long enough, they’d start barbequing the meat they had in the freezer so it wouldn’t go to waste. Or how he and his relatives used to take turns refilling his grandmother’s boiler when she couldn’t afford to fix it right away. “The biggest burden a lot of my people have is energy, whether it’s fuel, gassing up your car going to work, or just trying to keep your house warm,” Andres says. “I know what it’s like to struggle to pay a utility bill and choose between paying that bill on time or buying food. I know people whose furnaces go out and can’t afford to get them fixed. That’s the impact energy has. Energy helps. But if you don't have a lot of money, energy can be a burden.”

Andres’ testimony left an impression on Su, and eventually the two of them started kicking around ideas for projects focused on energy justice, an emerging field that focuses on equity, affordability, accessibility and participation in the energy system and the ongoing transition to new energy technologies. That lens became the cornerstone of their 2023 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience project, in which Andres helped create an interactive mapping tool that explores the connection between historical real estate redlining and disparities in energy access in metro Detroit. Using Andres’ dashboard, a user can quickly toggle through different layers and explore whether a neighborhood is formerly redlined, where current utility outages are and their causes, locations of renewable energy installations and EV charging stations, as well as census data that provides demographic information about the people currently living in the neighborhood. One of the big reveals from Andres’ work is that metro Detroit neighborhoods that were historically redlined tend to be lower-income, non-white, have power outages that tend to be longer, and have less access to renewable energy and EV charging infrastructure. Their work on the app led to an IEEE conference publication in 2023.

Andres shows off an interactive mapping tool he helped create that explores the connection between historical real estate redlining and disparities in energy access. Photo by Annie Barker

After the project, Andres was nearing the end of his undergraduate career, and Su began asking him a little more frequently and persistently if he’d ever thought about grad school. Andres says that honestly wasn’t on his radar when he initially transferred to ��-Dearborn. At that time, his thinking pretty much revolved around the straightforward calculus that getting an engineering degree would help him get a higher-paying job and lead to a more comfortable life for him and his family. But after working in Su’s lab, particularly on the energy justice-focused mapping project, he says his perspective began to change. “If I did the safe thing and got a job, yeah, that would help me. But working with Professor Su helped me see what it is that I really wanted to do. And what I really wanted to do was help people,” Andres says. To do that, Andres decided to take a chance and continue his education, enrolling in the department’s doctoral program, where he’s now continuing his work alongside Su. Andres is still just in his first year of the program, but the pair have already started discussing ideas for Andres’ dissertation research. Not surprisingly, energy justice topics are rising to the top of their list. One idea they’ve been kicking around recently is creating a machine learning-based app that would use weather and outage data to forecast the likelihood of power outages, sort of like the snow day prediction models that have become super popular with parents and kids. “A technology like this could have multiple applications,” Su says. “It could help a utility identify where they need to upgrade their infrastructure to make it more resilient, or where they might need to deploy the most crews ahead of a storm. But it could also directly help people. Like, if you saw that there was a 90% chance you were going to lose your power for five hours tomorrow, people could charge their batteries or make a trip out to get food.”

Andres says it’s still a little wild to think he’s in a PhD program, and the future he’s contemplating for himself now is much different than the one he was thinking about a few years ago. For the time being, he’d love to continue to do research in the energy justice field and develop innovative ways to help people. He also wants to start a nonprofit that gets young people excited about things like sustainable energy technologies and smart cities. Ultimately, if all goes well, he’d love to be a college professor just like his mentor. “It’s funny, the opportunities that come up in your life,” Andres says. “Like, what if I had ignored that email? What if I hadn’t stepped out and emailed professor Su? He saw something in me that I didn’t even know about myself. And he probably doesn't even know how many other people that’s going to touch. My daughter and little cousins, they all get to see that, ‘Hey, Uncle Rico is gonna be a doctor.’ Because of Professor Su, I’m setting a new example for the people in my life. My wife, sister and other family members, everybody is, like, ‘Wow, you was always smart.’ I just went the long way. And I’m just glad I have an opportunity now to make an impact in the community.”

That a college professor would have such a profound impact on a student isn’t super surprising. It’s what many faculty shoot to achieve every day. But Su says Andres has also had a big influence on him. On a personal level, he finds Andres' life so inspiring, and admires his work ethic, the personal sacrifices he’s making to be part of the PhD program, and his vision for using research to help people in his community. Their relationship has also had a big influence on Su’s own work. “For example, losing power for one hour in a wealthy neighborhood compared to a disadvantaged neighborhood, it has totally different impacts. Or if you lose power, then that suddenly becomes a food issue for some people. I never really thought about stuff like that before,” Su says. “Now, I'm thinking more about how our research has the potential to help people. Because, otherwise, maybe you’re just publishing a paper with some very fancy solutions and complicated equations. But how are you helping average people?”

###

Story by Lou Blouin

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Off

Mon, 02/24/2025 - 12:56

Unlikely collaborators who met through a job posting, first-year PhD student LaRico Andres and Professor Wencong Su have forged a partnership that’s left a lasting mark on both men.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Wencong Su (left) and doctoral student LaRico Andres have teamed up on a number of research projects focusing on energy justice. Photo by Annie Barker

Student-led garden grows food and community

stuxbury — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:56:52 +0000

Student-led garden grows food and community stuxbury Tue, 02/04/2025 - 14:56

When it’s freezing cold outside, it helps to “think spring.” That’s what College of Education, Health and Human Services Fall 2024 grad Sasha Kindred is doing. More specifically, she’s planning how the ��-Dearborn Community Garden — with its zucchini, tomatoes, green beans, sweet peppers, cabbage and more — can have another successful year.

“I know it seems early, but we are working to plan what’s needed for our community garden,” says Kindred, a Planet Blue Ambassador and an intern for ��-Dearborn’s Sustainability Programs. “This gardening project is a newer initiative on campus that gets people thinking about sustainability in a different way, and of what we can do to help ourselves and the people in our campus community. During these times of uncertainty, there are many sustainable skills that we can adopt to help ensure that basic needs are met.”

The student-led garden, which is located in the Environmental Interpretive Center’s Community Organic Garden, aims to build community, while addressing food insecurity among students. This Planet Blue Ambassador initiative started in 2024.

Last fall, the garden helped stock the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry with fresh produce. The garden team, led by Kindred, is looking for interested students, faculty and staff to help do that again.

Interested in getting involved? Sign up to volunteer, suggest what to grow and ask for more information. All skill levels are welcome.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office reports that 23% of undergraduate students in the U.S. — 3.8 million — experienced food insecurity in 2020, more than twice the rate of food insecurity among the U.S. population that year. And that number keeps growing.

Dearborn Support Community Support Coordinator and Case Manager Tatiana Rodriguez, who manages the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry, sees this trend at the university. In the 2022-23 academic year, the student food pantry distributed about 8,000 pounds of food. During the 2023-24 academic year, the food pantry distributed around 46,000 pounds of food. And from Fall 2022 through Winter 2023, the food pantry served an average of 102 students a month — in January 2025 alone, 451 students visited the pantry.

“With the high prices of food, gardening is an important way to be self-reliant and to help others,” says Office of Sustainability Programs Coordinator Grace Maves. “There was also a mutual aid component to it. Our friends at the EIC would let us know when someone renting their own garden plot needed a hand and our volunteers would jump into action.”

Approximately 45 pounds of fresh produce was donated to the Student Food Pantry through this garden initiative in 2024. The types of fruit and vegetables grown were based on student preferences, which were gathered by an online survey. Kindred says cultural connections are made through the garden too. At the end of the gardening season, students harvested hundreds of marigolds — a natural pesticide for gardens — to make garlands that they donated to student organizations hosting Día de los Muertos celebrations.

Maves says the community garden was made possible by contributions from the Environmental Interpretive Center, a team of 40 active volunteers and dedicated faculty and staff. She says faculty and staff donated time, gardening experience and items. For example, CEHHS Assistant Professor Finn Bell donated sweet pepper, cabbage, leek and cherry tomato seedlings, along with a variety of several seeds.

Faculty and staff — like Custodian John Berger, left, and Electrician Jeremie McCoy — came out to support the garden too.

“We had a core of dedicated volunteers who spent time tilling the soil, planting, weeding and growing friendship,” Maves says. “They put their hands, heads and hearts into this garden.”

Among those was volunteer Aronhot "Aron" Malau, a criminology and criminal justice graduate student. Malau grew up on a farm in North Sumatera, Indonesia, where he helped his parents grow coffee, rice and vegetables. He was among the first to work on the plot, clearing weeds and prepping the soil.

Malau, an international student, says he saw the garden plot as a way to meet more people on campus, connect with his home and leave a positive mark at the university.

“I was so happy to have this opportunity to get out and do something good, using what I learned on my parents’ farm. My work in the university garden is something I will always remember. When I come back and bring my kids, I will show them the spot where I worked,” says Malau, who graduated in Winter 2024 and now works as a tax officer in Jakarta, Indonesia. Malau and his wife have three young children. One was born in 2024 while he was a ��-Dearborn student. They named their youngest child Clara after Henry Ford’s wife. “We all have different gifts and skills. If one of those can help someone who is less fortunate, isn’t that a beautiful thing?” Malau adds.

��-Dearborn senior Sophia Hawkins not only volunteered in the garden, she was also a part of a food scarcity-focused class that brought the idea of a community garden to Maves and Kindred. While taking Sociology Associate Professor Carmel Price’s “Poverty and Inequality” course in Fall 2023, Hawkins had the idea to start a garden and classmates were interested. But, with students graduating and the challenges of recruiting new volunteers, the project needed a long-term university-based home that went beyond the semester.

At the end of the growing season, students had a Harvest Party where they cleared the plot for the 2025 season.

“In class, we talked about ways to support people around us. I wanted to grow food with the goal of donating it to the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry. I’ve been to the food pantry and it’s a great resource we are blessed to have, but it doesn’t always have fresh produce items. I thought about what we, as students on tight budgets, could do to change that. We could work to grow our food,” says Hawkins, who’s majoring in criminology and criminal justice. “I’m so glad Sasha and Grace wanted to take the community garden idea on. They’ve done an amazing job with it. Come out and help — it’s fun to get your hands a little dirty.”

Kindred says she looks forward to working in the garden and having the ��-Dearborn community come together to do good for the food pantry, create sustainable skills and to enhance overall campus well-being.

“We are directly contributing to an important cause through our donations, which is motivating. But there are multiple things gained from learning how to garden and working together as a community. You have the opportunity to learn something new, meet people with similar interests, receive mental health benefits from working outside with the land, and grow more confident in your ability to grow your own food,” she says. “This is a cause that has multiple positive effects.”

Questions about the ��-Dearborn Community Garden? Reach out to Maves or Kindred.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury. Photos courtesy of Sustainability Programs.

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Tue, 02/04/2025 - 19:56

The ��-Dearborn Community Garden — which is seeking volunteers for the 2025 season — cultivates food sustainability skills, brings people together and stocks the ��-Dearborn Student Food Pantry with fresh produce.

��-Dearborn alum Daille Held, left, and senior Sophia Hawkins spent summer 2024 Saturdays volunteering in the student-led community garden.

Campus Colleagues: Becky Richardson

stuxbury — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 19:36:10 +0000

Campus Colleagues: Becky Richardson stuxbury Tue, 02/04/2025 - 14:36

Becky Richardson’s desk — complete with its encouraging messages — is often one of the first things people notice when walking into the SOAR Program’s office in the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters Building: “All who enter as guests, leave as friends.” “Take the risk or lose the chance.” “Today is the day.”

There’s also the traveling sign that she’s given out to SOAR (Support, Opportunities, Advocacy and Resources for nontraditional undergraduates) students. That one reads, “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

“Our students have been through a lot. Many of our students face personal and financial obstacles, most are raising families and many also care for older adults. That’s a lot of responsibility,” says Richardson, SOAR program assistant. “As silly as it might seem, seeing motivational words helps keep them in your head. I want these signs to remind our students that on tough days, they can get the support they need in the SOAR office — even if that’s just to vent. I have tissues ready for sad tears and happy ones.” With its mission to increase access to post-secondary education for nontraditional adult learners experiencing socioeconomic challenges, SOAR offers up to three semesters of partial tuition support and help with supplies like books and technology, along with other needs.

Richardson recently received the University of Michigan's Distinguished Diversity Leaders Award. A champion for students, Richardson advances a welcoming, supportive environment at ��-Dearborn. She’s an advisor and co-founder for ANTS, the nontraditional student organization; a co-counselor for ��-Dearborn’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, an honor society for adult learners; a Center for the Education of Women+ Scholar who now serves on their scholarship committee, and a member of the ��-Dearborn Prison Education Working Group.

In this month’s Campus Colleagues, Richardson shares why education advocacy is so important to her and how a little bit of the right support can go a long way.

Find people who will support you with your goals — they are out there.

Richardson says education is an equalizer. It helps grow skills and confidence and changes lives. She knows this from experience.

Richardson and her husband lost their jobs during the recession. Their home and cars soon followed. Then, after years of struggling and moving from place to place with their four children, a Michigan Works caseworker offered some advice. “He suggested going back to school and told me about the SOAR Program at ��-Dearborn. It changed my life,” she says.

It sounds like a nicely wrapped up story. But Richardson says it was a struggle for the seven years — from 2011 to 2018 — she took to earn her bachelor degree in behavioral sciences and women’s and gender studies. She says the SOAR office, and SOAR Director Ellen Judge-Gonzalez in particular, helped her see things that she didn’t see in herself.

“I originally wanted to get a degree where I didn’t have to interact with people. I wanted to work in a medical lab. My previous jobs were doing collections and working at a funeral home. As much as I tried to be positive, I was meeting people at their worst times and it wore me down,” Richardson says. “When I was a student, Ellen kept encouraging me to join student groups and work at the registration desk for events. She saw a natural ability in me when it comes to working with people. She later hired me as a student employee for SOAR and that turned into the fulltime position that I have today. Helping people transform their lives is hard, but rewarding. It’s exactly where I need to be.” Richardson has worked in the SOAR office for a decade.

The office itself is also a refuge because it’s a place where SOAR students share their stories of tribulations and triumph. Richardson says hearing how people overcome challenges is motivating. “You want to find people who help you feel less alone on your journey,” she says. “They will help you keep moving forward even on the hardest days.”

Richardson says she never expected to find a college initiative like the SOAR Program. But going through state social services programs and following up on advice shared with her changed the trajectory of her life. “It might not feel like it right now, but there are people who want to support you,” she says. “Don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And be ready to give it your all when a door opens.”

For adult learners considering a return to school to earn their first bachelor’s degree, check out the SOAR Program.

SOAR Program Assistant Becky Richardson, holding award, is pictured at the Jan. 28 awards ceremony in Ann Arbor with, from left, Disability and Accessibility Services Coordinator Judy Walker, SOAR Director Ellen Judge-Gonzalez, ��-Ann Arbor Executive Assistant to the President Brenda Rutkey, who is Richardson's sister, and Sociology Professor Francine Banner. Photo by Michigan Photography

After reaching goals, look for ways to pay it forward.

With her kids and husband — as well as many ��-Dearborn colleagues and professors — cheering her on at the ��-Dearborn Fieldhouse, Richardson says she will never forget her December 2018 graduation day. “When I walked across the stage, I could hear people yelling my name,” she says. “It was surreal to actually experience something that had only lived in my mind for so long.”

She says many of the same people also nominated her for the U-M award. Nominators were Judge-Gonzalez, Sociology Professor Francine Banner, Criminology and Criminal Justice Lecturer Aaron Kinzel, CASL Advising and Academic Success Administrative Assistant Maureen Sytsma and Disability and Accessibility Services Coordinator Judy Walker.

“This award is something I didn’t see coming. I almost didn’t believe it was real when I first got the email. The subject line said, ‘Congratulations’ and it came in at 4:26 p.m. in the afternoon right before the holiday break began. After all of the spam email warnings we’ve gotten, I thought maybe it was one of those,” Richardson says with a laugh. “But it was very real. It’s amazing to be at a place where the people continue to lift you up.”

Richardson works to express her gratitude through service to others. When SOAR students tell her they are behind on rent or their utilities are shut off, she connects them to financial support opportunities or organizations. If courses are a challenge, she lets them know about academic support services on campus. And there’s her open-door policy for her students. “Sometimes all we want is to know someone cares,” she says. “It’s important to remember where you come from and to be that person you once wished was there for you. I can’t say I’m perfect, but I try.”

Richardson is also an education advocate for citizens reentering society after prison. She served as a teaching assistant for a ��-Dearborn program at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility and has seen the successes of some of her formerly incarcerated SOAR students like ��-Dearborn graduate Penny Kane.

“It’s as simple as, treat people how you want to be treated. What shocked me the most when I first worked in the prisons is how the women are trained to see themselves. When I asked their names to sign in, the women started listing off numbers. I kept saying, ‘No, I want to know your name and how to address you.’ Over time, they used their names instead of numbers — it changed the whole dynamic in such a positive way,” she says. “The returning citizens population is one group I am passionate about helping. I know people who have done their time and have difficulty getting jobs or an education because they were once in prison. Why are we still penalizing them beyond their sentence?”

In the SOAR office on an early Wednesday morning, Richardson makes coffee and heats water for tea — she wants it ready for the students who drop in to use SOAR computers or just want to talk. She organizes a virtual meet-up for her remote students. And she seeks out scholarship opportunities to help a student in need.

“I’m here today — with my college degree and a job I love — because of all the people who supported me. I want to be that person for someone else,” she says. “I’m here to pay it forward.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

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