College of Business

Welcome Back Events

azehel — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:23:42 +0000

Welcome Back Events azehel Mon, 07/28/2025 - 16:23

Join the College of Business for an exciting two-day celebration to launch the new academic year in style! Whether you're a returning student or new to campus, this is your chance to connect, celebrate, and soak up the campus energy.

September 9 from 4:00-6:00PM
Fairlane Center South Student Center outside of the Michigan Rooms

September 10 from 11:30-2:30PM
Fairlane Center South Courtyard

🎶 Live Music to keep the vibes going
🍕 Free Food for all attendees
🎁 Swag Giveaways you won’t want to miss
📸 Photo Backdrop to capture the moment
🎯 Games & Activities for extra fun

Special Appearance by Bruce the Goose!

Come for the fun, stay for the community. Bring your friends and start the semester with a bang!

2025-09-09T16:00:00-0400 to2025-09-10T14:30:00-0400

Fairlane Center South

FCS

19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, MI 48126
United States

https://goo.gl/maps/jtbdZ1KeSAmAnQm6A

Courtyard

United States

On Campus

College of Business

Katelyn Willim

katelw@umich.edu

Current Students

Faculty

International Students

Staff

Undergraduate students

2026 ��-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition

kporembi — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:47:10 +0000

2026 ��-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition kporembi Thu, 07/24/2025 - 09:47

Please join us for one of campus' most inspiring and exciting events as ��-Dearborn students share their innovative ideas in 5 minute pitches for the chance to win thousands of dollars!

2026-03-25T16:30:00-0400 to2026-03-25T19:30:00-0400

Fairlane Center South

FCS

19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, MI 48126
United States

https://goo.gl/maps/jtbdZ1KeSAmAnQm6A

Michigan Room

United States

On Campus

iLabs, Office of Engagement and Impact

Kari Kowalski

313-593-4209

kporembi@umich.edu

Local community members

Prospective students

Staff

Undergraduate students

Second Annual Entrepreneur Showcase

azehel — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 17:52:02 +0000

Second Annual Entrepreneur Showcase azehel Tue, 07/22/2025 - 13:52

Celebrate National Entrepreneurship Week at ��-Dearborn!

Join us for an exciting Pop-Up Showcase highlighting the spirit of innovation and creativity. Discover emerging local start-ups, explore student-run ventures, and show your support for small businesses in our community. Come be inspired—and maybe even shop a little!

2026-02-17T10:00:00-0500 to2026-02-17T14:00:00-0500

James C. Renick University Center

4901 Evergreen Road
Dearborn, MI 48128
United States

https://goo.gl/maps/KkAj6x49gJPZXwuH7

Kochoff

United States

On Campus

College of Business

Kari Kowalski

kporembi@umich.edu

Current Students

Everyone

Undergraduate students

��-Dearborn named an Opportunity University

stuxbury — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 11:18:27 +0000

��-Dearborn named an Opportunity University stuxbury Mon, 07/21/2025 - 07:18

At ��-Dearborn, 50% of students are Pell-eligible. The university has the second lowest tuition among the state's 15 public universities and ranks No. 4 for student earnings after graduation.

As a result of numbers like these, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education recently named ��-Dearborn a top-tier “Opportunity University” through their new Student Access and Earnings Classification. ��-Dearborn is one of four public Michigan universities on this list, along with Central Michigan University, Ferris State University and ��-Flint.

The Student Access and Earnings Classification is based on data from universities across the U.S. indicating the degree of access for students from lower socioeconomic and historically underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds, as well as the wages of Pell-eligible students eight years after enrolling. Here's the methodology.

Annesha Hardy

Annesha Hardy, a Fall 2024 alum who majored in marketing, said she’s not surprised to hear this news — it reflects her story. Hardy, a Pell-eligible student who grew up in Detroit’s Warrendale neighborhood, landed a technical business developer role at Amazon Web Services in Seattle immediately after graduation. “Growing up, you hear the phrase ‘dream big’ — but that’s hard to do when you live in an environment that’s disadvantaged and you don’t know what’s possible for you,” Hardy said. “The people at ��-Dearborn are focused on helping you learn how to do that — and then work to reach what that means to you.”

Hardy — who noted that Amazon was impressed by the AI knowledge she gained through her College of Business curriculum — said that, from the beginning of her educational journey until her graduation, people were there to help. She had mentors from student organizations, like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Hardy received career coaching and sought internships through Career Services. And, right before graduation when Hardy struggled with financial hardship, ��-Dearborn staff members connected her to a scholarship opportunity. “I was working almost full time and going to school full time, but it wasn’t enough. I was running out of resources. When I shared with Dean of Students Amy Finley that I was worried, she told me about the Edward J. Bagale Difference Makers Scholarship — it couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Hardy, who was a 2024 ��-Dearborn Difference Maker.

When it comes to the accessibility part of the Opportunity University designation, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management Melissa Stone said ��-Dearborn’s accessibility and affordability mission is affirmed through the data that the Carnegie Foundation reviewed.

To increase access, the university reworked its financial aid program in 2021 to open doors for more students. The ��-Dearborn Go Blue Guarantee Program, which offers free or reduced tuition to high achieving students from low-income situations, started in 2021. And, in 2025, GBG expanded the scholarship to students whose families make up to $125,000 a year.

“There is immense value in education. There’s the critical thinking skills you gain that will be beneficial to you throughout your life. Education opens doors for career and increased earning opportunities,” Stone said. Among people ages 22 to 27, the average median income in the U.S. is $60,000 for someone with a bachelor’s degree, compared to $36,000 for someone with a high school diploma.

“Looking at lifetime earning numbers, data shows the impact of a college degree can change the trajectory of someone’s life and the lives of people around them. And this extends to their community, region and our state,” Stone adds. And a vast majority of ��-Dearborn students stay in Michigan: 95% of students who accepted employment in 2023-24 remained in the state.

Fatmah Saleh

Alum Fatmah Saleh, a Pell-eligible student who graduated in spring 2025, grew up, went to school and continues to live in Dearborn. Prior to commencement, she accepted a full-time international accounting analyst position at Stellantis. “My degree has helped me build a life where I have a job at a company I care about while living in a community I love. And I’m able to work hybrid, so I have the opportunity to be home with my mom, too,” she said. Saleh, an accounting major, has worked full time since her high school graduation to help support her mom, who has a long-term illness. Saleh is her mom’s caregiver. Her father passed away when she was six.

While the cost of attending ��-Dearborn is among the lowest within Michigan’s public universities, ��-Dearborn grads’ annual earnings are very competitive. According to Student Access and Earnings Classification data, ��-Dearborn Pell grant recipients go on to earn a median income of $57,847, while median earnings in the region are $37,232.

When including both Pell-eligible and non-Pell-eligible students at ��-Dearborn, the average salary earned is just above $62,000, said Career Services Director Laurel Draudt. The Career Services team surveys graduating undergraduate students six months postgraduation for the annual National Association of Colleges and Employers First Destination self-reporting survey.

Both Saleh and Hardy are pleased with the jobs they landed after earning their degrees and the earnings that come with those. They credit ��-Dearborn’s career support offerings — as well as their own tenacity and drive — as instrumental in their achievements. Both had internships that they found after attending career fairs: Hardy at ADP and Amazon, Saleh at Yakuzi and Stellantis.

Draudt says internships are key because employers use them to find top talent, as was the case for Hardy and Saleh. She says ��-Dearborn makes an effort to get the message out to all students to get involved in internship fairs, mentoring programs and resume workshops starting the first year. “The sooner you get involved, the more competitive you will be,” she said. Draudt said Career Services has had 931 interactions with Pell-eligible students since they began recording student interactions in Fall 2022.

The success of the Pell-eligible students they have worked with is reflected in student testimony and the data gathered in the Opportunity University designation. But Draudt wants to do more: “We need to continue getting the word out to our students, many of whom are first in their families to go to college. It’s especially important to reach them because they may not have someone at home to let them know that these opportunities are right here,” she said. Career Services holds internship and job fairs twice a year, and offers job outlook resources that include average salary numbers, networking events, virtual interview coaching and more.

Hardy said ��-Dearborn offers a supportive community that helped build her skill set, resume and confidence. She’s now eyeing graduate school to understand the more technical side of her field.“I’m dreaming big. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time at ��-Dearborn,” she said. “Getting into ��-Dearborn got me into the rooms — classrooms, interview rooms, board rooms — that changed my life.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

Accessibility or Affordability

Business Career Center

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Off

Mon, 07/21/2025 - 11:17

New Carnegie designation recognizes schools with high access and post-grad earnings.

Alum Annesha Hardy, pictured above, said she’s not surprised to hear that ��-Dearborn was named an Opportunity University for its work with Pell-eligible students — it reflects her story. Photo by Derek Juntunen

News

Five fun things to do this summer

stuxbury — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 02:47:43 +0000

Five fun things to do this summer stuxbury Sun, 06/15/2025 - 22:47

��-Dearborn has more than classes — it’s full of enjoyable activities and unique experiences. And the summer, a quieter season on campus, is a great time to visit the university.

Check out these five fun things (most are free!) to do at ��-Dearborn this summer.

Get out and play some games.

Photo by Annie Barker

On a nice sunny day, head to a grassy area with a giant Jenga or ladder golf — or, on a rainy one, play some checkers or Uno in the newly renovated area of the Renick University Center.

The Office of Student Life has many games the university has for students, faculty or staff to check out for the day. There are nearly 20 board games and five yard games to choose from. There are also waterproof picnic blankets available for checkout. “We offer this for something fun to do while on campus, as a way to connect with others, and as an activity for student organizations hosting events,” says Student Life Director Alex Bakhaus.

Interested? Go to the Campus Involvement Hub (RUC 2190) with your MCard to check out the games. Games are available on a first-come first-served basis. For student organizations or departments interested in checking things out ahead of time for an event, there’s a request form.

For a game that’s not quite as leisurely, consider pickleball — a popular sport that combines aspects of tennis, badminton and pingpong. There are a couple courts behind the Fieldhouse in parking Lot F. Want to play, but need equipment? The ball and paddles can be checked out at the Fieldhouse. Go to the lower level with your MCard.

See a starry, starry night at the observatory.

Photo courtesy of the ��-Dearborn Observatory

People can stargaze through the telescopes on the observing deck of the Science Learning Research Center this summer. ��-Dearborn’s annual “Public Nights at the Observatory” events start on Friday, June 20 at the ��-Dearborn Observatory. Additional summer dates are June 27, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, Aug. 15 and Aug. 25. For times, directions and future dates, go to the observatory’s website.

“During the summer, you can see stars, globular clusters and nebulae. Some of the prominent constellations of the summer sky are Lyra, Cygnus and Aquila, which are home to the three bright stars that make up the ‘Summer Triangle’ — Vega, Deneb and Altair respectively,” says retired Physics and Astronomy Lecturer Carrie Swift, who runs the observatory’s public events. “And, of course, if it’s up, you can observe the craters and maria of the Moon through a telescope. For many people, that is a highlight of their experience at the observatory.”

If staff levels permit, participants may take a brief tour of the observatory’s dome, which houses the observatory’s .4-meter telescope and learn more about how modern astronomical observations are made.

People are also encouraged to ask questions if they see anything interesting. Swift says educational outreach is a goal of the program. Observatory nights are free and open to the public. These events only take place if the sky conditions are favorable. Please check the website before coming to campus.

View art on campus.

Photo by Annie Barker

The Stamelos Gallery Center is located at the center of campus, right on the first floor of the Mardigian Library. This summer there’s an exhibition by a 2011 ��-Ann Arbor grad: “Laura Cavanagh: Perchance to Dream” runs through Aug. 10.

The exhibit features two bodies of work from Cavanagh. In one, she creates artworks of imagined women in a collage-style that’s heavily influenced by portraiture from the Renaissance Era. In the other, she fabricates mid-20th century interior and exterior spaces that are inspired from Cavanagh’s personal memories of watching older films and television shows.

Art Curator and Gallery Manager Laura Cotton notes that the artist wants to take viewers on a visual odyssey, either to a time in history that they can recall firsthand or to a time they can only imagine. See Stamelos Gallery Center hours.

If you want to explore university art outdoors, there are sculptures displayed across campus grounds. In addition to planning exhibitions, Cotton is working with ��-Dearborn student interns in the university’s Art Collection and Exhibitions Department to research and gather information about these large artworks for future plaques. “Most of these sculptures had no information in our files and we've had to do a lot of digging and contact artists to find information on them,” Cotton says.

So far, they’ve learned that the welded bronze and copper tree-like sculpture outside of the ELB doors, “Nexus,” was a 1961 gift to campus from the Class of 1924 ��-Ann Arbor engineers. They also discovered that "10 Stories," a tall rust-colored welded steel sculpture near the Social Sciences Building, was once at Chicago’s Navy Pier. That sculpture’s artist, Michigan Hot Glass Workshop founder Albert Young, wanted to merge shapes found in nature — like in honeycombs or flowers — with industrial materials. If you have information about campus sculptures that you’d like to share, reach out to Cotton.

Photos courtesy of Laura Cotton are "Nexus," left, and "Ten Stories," right

Explore nature trails.

Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

Don’t be a bump on the log — but see some wildlife friends who are when you walk the trails at the Environmental Interpretive Center.

EIC Naturalist Mike Solomon says it’s the time of year when turtles are often seen basking in the sun on the logs in the middle of Fair Lane Lake. “There’s always something new to see with the changing seasons. Right now, you can hear the frogs and see the turtles. The turtles are relaxing in the sun, just like I’d like to be,” he says.

Photo by Mike Solomon

In addition to wildlife — which include a variety of birds that migrated to the EIC for the summer from locations around the world — walking the trails offers pretty sights like blooming flowers, along with fresh air and exercise. “For long weekends, people pack up and drive a few hours to go up north for what you can get right here,” Environmental Studies Area Manager Rick Simek says.

Anyone can walk the trails on their own from sunrise to sunset, but there are also opportunities for guided trail walks. Solomon is leading one later this month: “Photography in Nature Walk” will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 26. He’ll point out interesting scenery, plants and wildlife to photograph. It’s BYOC — bring your own camera — and it’s OK to use your phone. Fancy equipment is not required. Register here. If you photograph a butterfly, bee or other pollinating insect, consider entering the EIC’s Pollinator Photo Contest. Submit photos here. Entries are accepted until Sept. 30, with winners announced by the end of October. Winners will receive EIC-made maple syrup.

If you want to walk the trails on your own, the EIC front desk has trail maps. You can also check out these articles highlighting sights along the campus trail around the lake and near the Henry Ford Estate.

Grab a meal at the Canteen.

Photo by Annie Barker

Right across from the university — it’s visible from the path near the CASL Building that takes main campus’ walkers and bikers across Evergreen Road — is a lunchtime spot that has picnic tables, an airy atmosphere with a canopy of outdoor lights, and a variety of food trucks. The Canteen at Midtown is about a 10-minute walk from the university.

Marketing and Digital Strategy Director Bailey Ayers-Korpal says it’s a new favorite meet-up spot of hers. “The Canteen is a close-to-campus fun place with lots of food options for lunch with a colleague or to meet up with family and friends after work for dinner,” she says. “My personal favorite is a sandwich from The Terry Melt food truck.” Vendor food offerings currently include burgers and fries, shawarma, sushi, pasta bowls and desserts. If you don’t want to sit outside, there is also an indoor food hall.

In addition to good eats, a vibrant Dearborn mural is perfect for photos. There are also a variety of table games to borrow while you wait. If you are particularly good at chess, show off your gaming skills during a work-time break. Here’s a tip to know if you go: They don’t take plastic credit or debit cards. They accept cash at the food trucks or you can use tap-to-pay, like Venmo or ApplePay, through a QR code.

If you want to go for a longer walk, there are many restaurants in downtown west Dearborn — including Buddy’s Pizza, Ford's Garage and Paris Baguette, which took over the old Andiamo location — that you can get to by traveling the Rouge River Gateway Trail. There’s a sign that marks the trail, which can be accessed off Fair Lane Road between the Henry Ford Estate and the backside of the Fieldhouse.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury

Alumni Engagement

Athletics

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Environmental Interpretive Center

College of Business

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Student Engagement

Off

Mon, 06/16/2025 - 02:46

��-Dearborn offers more than a career pathway — while on campus, you can also play games, walk nature trails, stargaze and more.

Stephanie and Kenzie Warneck — children of 2006 alums Rachel and Brian Warneck — play a giant Jenga game at last summer's Alumni Picnic. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

News

‘Persistence is what brought us here’

stuxbury — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 17:54:27 +0000

‘Persistence is what brought us here’ stuxbury Sat, 04/26/2025 - 13:54

“Go Blue! Go Dearborn!” pride filled the ��-Dearborn Fieldhouse over the weekend. At the Class of Spring 2025 Commencement, families cheered as the university’s newest alums walked across the stage. Newly conferred graduates held up decorated graduation caps. And young children clapped for their parents.

On Saturday, April 26, 1,056 Dearborn Wolverines celebrated 1,074 earned degrees over three 90-minute ceremonies. Two undergraduate ceremonies took place at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and a graduate ceremony was held at 5 p.m. — 687 undergraduate, 378 graduate and nine doctoral degrees were awarded.

Graduates spanned generations, with the youngest aged 17 and the oldest nearing 70. When addressing the graduates at the three ceremonies, Chancellor Domenico Grasso applauded the pursuit of knowledge and encouraged students to continue it beyond graduation day. “We do not stop being curious because we grow old, we grow old because we stop being curious,” he said.

Beyond age range, ��-Dearborn’s diversity encompassed many geographic locations and cultural heritages. Reflecting this, undergraduate student speaker Asil Khanafer’s family is from Lebanon. Alum and undergraduate ceremony keynote speaker James Scapa is the son of Greek immigrants who moved to New York City.

Undergraduate keynote speaker James Scapa

Scapa spoke about how he’s descended from Holocaust survivors and grew up in a “humble upbringing” where his parents – who spoke Greek, French, Italian and Judeo-Spanish, but struggled with English – worked hard to make ends meet. A determined risk-taker, Scapa went to Columbia University, worked at Ford Motor Company after graduation, completed his MBA at ��-Dearborn and — a couple years after that graduation — founded his own dream business, Altair, in 1985 with $1500. He recently sold the software and technology company, after 40 years, for $11 billion. Speaking to the undergraduates, Scapa shared how he sets and achieves goals, which include developing a vision and refining it each year, sticking to set values, making decisions through envisioning the future and embracing diversity. “Life is short and much more interesting if you are learning from people who come from different places physically and intellectually,” he said.

Khanafer, who earned a Bachelor of Science in behavioral and biological sciences, focused on not letting disappointment, loss and failures become defining moments. To illustrate that point, she talked about how her father, who grew up in Lebanon, had a prized coin as a boy and dreamed about what he could use it for. But, while holding it, he tripped, dropped it in the street and couldn’t find it despite extensive searching.

Undergraduate student speaker Asil Khanafer

“There will always be moments when we trip, when we lose something valuable, when we feel like we’re searching for something we’ll never find,” said Khanafer, noting that her father is very successful, despite this frustrating moment in his childhood. “But we are not defined by what we lose. We are defined by what we do next.” Reflecting on her years at ��-Dearborn, Khanafer said to the graduates, “We didn’t let our failures define us. We kept going — driven by determination, a little bit of luck and countless hours spent on the second floor of the library. Whether we were studying late into the night or just catching our breath after the chaos of first-week parking, we were pushing forward. And today that persistence is what brought us here — to this moment, this achievement and to this new beginning.”

Speaking of new beginnings, there was also an important first at the ceremonies. Regent Carl Meyers — the first U-M regent from ��-Dearborn, who was elected in November 2024 — congratulated the graduating class of his alma mater for the first time. “It feels good to be home . . . I hope you remember the lessons Michigan has instilled in you, including searching for the potential in every opportunity and working to overcome roadblocks that may arise along the way,” said Meyers, a 1979 alum.

At the doctoral and graduate ceremony, student speaker Mohsen Chaaban — who earned his Master of Science in cybersecurity and information assurance — acknowledged the Class of Spring 2025’s resilience. He described students who worked long hours while also going to school, who took care of children when they barely had enough energy for themselves, who battled illnesses, who overcame doubt. “This diploma isn’t just a piece of paper — it’s proof that we kept going. It represents every obstacle we faced, every moment of doubt we conquered, and every time we chose to rise instead of retreat,” he said. “The future is ours to shape. Some of us will write the next great innovation. Some of us will build businesses that change lives. Some of us will become leaders, educators, artists or world-changers. And some of us — let’s be honest — will take a very well-earned nap before figuring out what’s next. And that’s OK, too.”

Doctoral and graduate ceremony student speaker Mohsen Chaaban

Graduate ceremony keynote speaker Timothy Yerdon, a College of Engineering and Computer Science alum, has helped shape an era of innovation as executive leader of SAE Industry Technologies Consortia. Looking back at his decades of work, he offered guidance through a “seven-point manifesto to my future self.” Referencing it, Yerdon encouraged ��-Dearborn graduates to keep up with technological advances, learn from the leaders they encounter, find opportunities in moments of crises and problem-solve.

Graduate ceremony keynote speaker Timothy Yerdon

“Graduates, in this era of rapid technology change, remember this: Your uniquely human capacity to think critically and act decisively remains your ultimate compass and the truest measure of your future success. Chart your course with vigor, intellect and intention. Stay true to your personal values. As you progress in your careers, I hope each of you will compile your own manifesto, from your own experiences, to help those coming behind you find purpose and success,” he said. “Congratulations, Class of 2025.”

See more photos from the big day.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

Commencement

Student Success

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

College of Business

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Off

Sat, 04/26/2025 - 17:47

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

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

News

Class of Spring 2025: Fatmah Saleh

stuxbury — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 14:17:04 +0000

Class of Spring 2025: Fatmah Saleh stuxbury Wed, 04/23/2025 - 10:17

Fatmah Saleh, a College of Business student, interacts with global corporation leaders as an executive board member for ��-Dearborn’s chapter of the Financial Management Association. She has completed internships with automotive suppliers like Yazaki North America and Stellantis. And, immediately after her Spring 2025 graduation, she’ll start a position as an international accounting analyst with Stellantis.

Saleh also has a SAP business platform certification, a good GPA and is a familiar face among business students. While talking with Reporter in the Renick University Center recently, students waved to her as they walked by. Saleh's upbeat demeanor is a good complement to her dedication to the field of business — her email signature even has a quote from entrepreneur Mark Cuban. It reads, “It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. You only have to be right once.”

Saleh — who first saw Cuban on the show “Shark Tank” — explains that the quote resonates with her. Behind the scenes everyone struggles, but success is when someone keeps trying, perseveres and eventually gets it right. People wouldn’t know it when meeting her, but Saleh has experienced many challenges in her 23 years.

Her father passed away when she was six. She’s worked full time since her high school graduation to help support her mom, who has a long-term illness. And Saleh is her mom’s caregiver. “Family means everything to me. I wanted to go to college, but wasn’t even sure I should because I wanted to be there for her. My mom and my older brother encouraged me to enroll. That was very important to my mom,” says Saleh, noting that her brother — who is 18 years older — secured a home as a young adult and moved the family into it after their dad passed away. “Her doctor wanted her to have surgery this month, but she told him that it needed to wait until after my graduation. She scheduled her surgery to happen four days after I graduate. That’s how important that day is to her.”

Fatmah Saleh's father, mother and brother are pictured with a young Saleh, circa 2003.

On top of these challenges, she’s gone through life with a stutter in her speech. Talking with Saleh, it isn’t noticeable. But growing up with a speech disorder has impacted her. “It’s something I’ve battled with for as long as I can remember. If I’m being honest, it’s the one thing that’s made me question my potential the most. Every interview, every meeting, every classroom presentation, I used to wonder: ‘What if I mess up? What if they don’t take me seriously because of the way I speak?’ That fear was real,” Saleh says. “But it never stopped me.”

Acknowledging it as a part of her identity, Saleh looked at ways she could minimize her stutter’s negative effect. She joined the College of Business’ student organization FMA, where she often gives Introductions at events or meetings. Realizing that her stutter is more prominent when she is nervous, she builds in time to adequately prepare for presentations. She attends ��-Dearborn career fairs regularly to gain confidence when interacting with potential employers. And she’s honest about her challenges when she has interview opportunities.

When she had an interview with Yazaki for a student analyst position — a role she heard about at a ��-Dearborn career fair — Saleh was taking a full-time course load while working at an accounting office. She scheduled the Zoom interview between work and class time. “I had to do the interview in my car because of my schedule. I was worried that I wouldn’t get the position because I was obviously in my car. I was honest when the interviewer asked about it,” says Saleh, who also mentioned her stutter near the beginning of the interview. “Instead of it being seen as a negative, they felt it showed them that I was very determined because I'm not going to allow anything to stop me. I got the job.”

That year-long experience in the automotive supplier field led to an internship at Stellantis as a student analyst. The Stellantis role was especially important to Saleh because her father once worked for the corporation as a production employee. “I remember going with my dad to work and how much I liked being there with him,” she says. “It is a memory that stayed with me. Now I work for the same company. To me, it is a sign that God is looking out for me and my dad is too.”

She says the past year with Stellantis also reminded her that her challenges will not detour her. “It was more than just a professional opportunity. It was personal. I walked into a global company with a lot of self-doubt, but what I found was support, encouragement and proof that I belonged. I wasn’t just ‘the girl with the speech issue.’ I was a valuable part of a team,” she says. “I contributed. I grew. I found my confidence.”

She credits ��-Dearborn staff and faculty with moving her toward her goals too. A first-generation college student, Saleh, says COB Advisor Lori Ormsby guided her through finding the right classes that fit with her busy work and home life. She says COB faculty have also been supportive of her pursuing the Certified Public Accountant designation after graduation and have provided her with study resources.

Feeling a strong level of support in her life, she says she pays it forward and provides the same for her friends and classmates. She listens to their concerns, helps tailor their resumes and links peers to opportunities. Through her time in FMA, she’s made strong connections at Ford Motor Company, General Motors and more. “I learn about job opportunities. If I know someone who would be a good fit, I’ll help connect them. For example, I recently helped someone land a supply chain rotational program position at Ford,” she says.

Once again quoting Mark Cuban, “sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is.” Approaching graduation, Saleh has put in her sweat equity — and it’s paid off dividends. “I have good friends. I have a life where I have a job at a company I care about. And I’ll be able to work hybrid, so I’ll have the opportunity to be home with my mom, too,” she says. “Others believed in me, believed I could do it even with everything happening in my life. I am thankful for them. I now believe in myself.”

Saleh is dedicating her graduation to her mother, brother and family. She says they always showed up for her and their selfless actions taught her a valuable life lesson about being present. Her advice to those who are struggling? Keep showing up.

“I’ve learned that success isn’t always loud. It’s not always obvious,” Saleh says. “Sometimes, success is quiet resilience. It’s choosing to speak up when it’s hard. It’s pushing past fear when no one sees the battle you’re fighting. It’s choosing growth over perfection. When I graduate this month, that’s a lesson I will be taking with me. You don’t need perfect grades or perfect speech to build a powerful future. You just need to keep showing up.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

Commencement

College of Business

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Wed, 04/23/2025 - 14:16

College of Business grad Fatmah Saleh is graduating with a full-time job at a Fortune 500 company. But she is most proud of how she persevered at ��-Dearborn.

Class of Spring 2025 graduate Fatmah Saleh says the key to overcoming challenges is to keep showing up. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

News

The Administration Building and Social Sciences Building are getting makeovers

lblouin — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:24:20 +0000

The Administration Building and Social Sciences Building are getting makeovers lblouin Wed, 04/23/2025 - 08:24

Moving the College of Business and College of Education, Health and Human Services, both now housed in the Fairlane Center, to the main campus is one of the key parts of ��-Dearborn’s current Comprehensive Campus Plan. If all goes according to schedule, the faculty and administrative staff from CEHHS will make a move to what’s now the Administration Building in time for the Fall 2026 semester. (The building will also likely get a new name!) By late the following year, COB plans to take up residence in a renovated Social Sciences Building, much of which has been vacant ever since the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters brought its social science faculty to the CASL building a couple years ago, though some classes are still taught there.

Facilities teams will be kicking off one of the first big steps in that process in just a few weeks when they relocate administrative staff from the AB to temporary offices in the SSB in order to make way for construction teams. Director of Facilities Planning and Construction Emily Hamilton, who’s overseeing both projects, characterizes this as a more “modest” renovation than the recent overhaul of the Renick University Center’s first floor. But like that project, one of the guiding principles is to do a lot more within the same amount of space. Business Affairs will consolidate Financial Services and Student Accounts into the existing suite. All other administrative departments within the AB — the Chancellor’s Office, Provost’s Office, Office of Research, External Relations, Institutional Advancement and Alumni Engagement, and Human Resources — will be consolidated into the east wing of the building, making the west wing available for CEHHS. Hamilton says to accomplish that, the design teams are taking advantage of hybrid and remote work schedules, a dramatic decrease in the need for paper file storage, and shared reception areas, which have left many units needing less physical space. This new administrative wing of the building is also gaining a kitchen, a flexible meeting room space, a few flex offices and a copy room, all of which can be used by any of the administrative units.

Most of the renovation budget is being funneled into the CEHHS wing of the building, where the plan calls for new faculty offices, a dean’s suite, a college-level advising office, two classrooms, open student collaboration and lounge spaces, and several multipurpose spaces that faculty and staff can use for meetings or lunch breaks. Hamilton says that if the budget allows, the team is also planning to update the underutilized open space in the middle of the building. Cosmetically, the interior is getting new paint, carpet, ceilings and some modern sliding office doors like those in the renovated RUC, which save a lot of space compared to conventional in-swing doors.

A rendering of an open collaboration area in the renovated Administration Building. Credit: Neumann/Smith Architecture

The renovation of the SSB is currently in the early design phase, but Hamilton says they’re already discussing some exciting renovation ideas. On the exterior, the east side of the building will be getting a new, more welcoming entry. And inside, the team will be rethinking the two auditoriums. In conjunction with the Registrar's Office, the facilities team recently completed a space utilization study and found that there is diminishing need for this once-quintessential style of college classroom. (She says COB doesn’t use this classroom style at all anymore.) In a portion of these spaces, the plan calls for removing every other row of fixed theater seating so the new wider terraces can host fixed tables and moveable chairs, suitable for case study use. The design team is also investigating making a portion of these rooms ground level to house the college’s labs, including its flagship Bloomberg Lab. Similar to the lab’s current location in the Fairlane Center, you can expect lots of glass, so passersby can look in on the action. The SSB’s main hallway will also be widened to carve out more informal hangout and collaboration spaces for students, as well as space for events.

With both the AB and SSB, Hamilton says the facilities team has collaborated closely with the colleges to create designs that best serve their needs. Work on the AB is currently out for bid and will begin this summer. Because the SSB is being used to temporarily house the administrative units, work won’t start on that project until the AB renovation is complete.

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Want to learn more about ��-Dearborn’s plans to reshape its physical campus? Check out our recent story on the Comprehensive Campus Plan. Story by Lou Blouin

Faculty and Staff

University-wide

College of Business

College of Education, Health, and Human Services

Facilities Planning

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Wed, 04/23/2025 - 12:16

It’s been two decades since all four of ��-Dearborn’s colleges were on the main campus. One of the first big steps in the plan to bring COB and CEHHS back is kicking off in June.

The Administration Building is set to become the new home of the College of Education, Health and Human Services. The renovation includes several new informal hangout and collaboration spaces for students. Rendering by Neumann/Smith Architecture

News

‘Forever built-in best friends’

stuxbury — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:02:53 +0000

‘Forever built-in best friends’ stuxbury Wed, 04/09/2025 - 09:02

Quadruplets Elizabeth, Catherine, Gabrielle and Colin Sethi — born in that order — are often in sync. They are all Dearborn Wolverines. They are all in the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity. They are all creative. “If you follow astrology, that’s the Pisces in us,” says Elizabeth, noting that she enjoys fashion design and Catherine likes crafting, while Gabrielle journals and Colin draws.

But there are times where the four fraternal quadruplets may not be aligned — like when they order pizza from the Renick University Center’s cafeteria. “When we’d be on campus together all day, we’d get lunch. Since there are four of us, we’d get a specialty pizza to share. Except we couldn’t always agree on toppings — so we’d put some things on one half and other toppings on the other half. I think the people at the pizza counter hated to see us coming,” says Elizabeth, laughing.

The four siblings gathered for an afternoon Zoom call in their West Bloomfield home right before April 10’s National Siblings Day — Elizabeth, the oldest, coordinated getting four busy people all together in the same place — to discuss campus life and reflect on what next year might look like with two of them graduating this semester.

Elizabeth says it is rare that they are home together from class, internships, work and study groups before 9 p.m. Congregated in the kitchen, Catherine is making chai. Gabrielle is grabbing Oreos. And Colin is working on homework on his laptop.

"Gabrielle is the person that, if you're having a bad day, you want to go to her because she's just super bubbly and makes you happy. Colin's the funniest and has a sarcastic sense of humor. Catherine's the most athletic and independent. She inspires us to be open to new experiences,” Elizabeth says. “I like to express myself through fashion. And I'd definitely say that I'm the most serious and like to keep everything organized. They like to remind me that I’m not mom.”

Elizabeth, a digital marketing major, and Gabrielle, a psychology major, will celebrate their graduation from the College of Business and the College of Arts, Sciences and Letters at the same ceremony on April 26. Both sisters plan to move out of state to continue their education. Elizabeth will attend graduate school at LIM College in Manhattan for fashion merchandising and retail management and Gabrielle was accepted to a master’s program in social work at Columbia University.

“When we were in high school, we toured universities like Duke and the University of North Carolina, but we weren’t quite ready to leave home. ��-Dearborn is a good school that’s close to home — we all decided to go there together,” Elizabeth says. “It’s going to be a little weird not to be the four of us, but I’m ready to make a big move.” Colin, a finance and supply chain double major, expects to graduate in Fall 2025 and Catherine, a premed major, plans to graduate the semester after Colin.

But, before graduation, they have a couple more Alpha Kappa Psi meetings to attend together. Colin and Elizabeth, who are College of Business students, joined first. Then, after hearing how beneficial the fraternity was with networking and job-skill honing, Catherine and Gabrielle joined.

Even though they do a lot together, people often don’t confuse them — anymore. Elizabeth is 5’2” with curly hair and Catherine is 5’7” with straight hair. However, in grade school, they’d often have to remind their teachers who is who. “We didn’t look alike then either, but I think having us in a class together can be confusing at first,” Elizabeth says. “That hasn’t been a problem at ��-Dearborn.”

Each agreed that their time at ��-Dearborn has helped them further develop their own career interests and make new friends separate from one another. But they also continue to find ways to spend time together. For example, they regularly try new restaurants in downtown Dearborn since it is so close to campus. A current favorite is The Great Commoner on Michigan Avenue.

They were raised to be individuals by their parents — fun fact: mom Carol is a ��-Dearborn alum — and they will continue to grow in their own directions while also sharing their successes with each other.

“We have all different mindsets and perspectives on things, but we all agree that we have a special bond and will be there for each other no matter where we end up in the future,” Elizabeth says. “I am so grateful to have three forever built-in best friends.”

Story by Sarah Tuxbury

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

College of Business

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Wed, 04/09/2025 - 13:02

Quadruplets Elizabeth, Catherine, Gabrielle and Colin Sethi will begin to travel different paths after graduation — but they know their bond will continue.

Catherine, Elizabeth, Gabrielle and Colin Sethi — pictured in that order — decided to become Dearborn Wolverines together. Photo courtesy of Sethi family

News

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

Student Success

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

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

News

College of Business

Welcome Back Events

Fairlane Center South

2026 ������-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition

Fairlane Center South

Second Annual Entrepreneur Showcase

James C. Renick University Center

������-Dearborn named an Opportunity University

Five fun things to do this summer

Get out and play some games.

See a starry, starry night at the observatory.

View art on campus.

Explore nature trails.

Grab a meal at the Canteen.

‘Persistence is what brought us here’

Class of Spring 2025: Fatmah Saleh

The Administration Building and Social Sciences Building are getting makeovers

‘Forever built-in best friends’

Three of a kind

2026 ��-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition

��-Dearborn named an Opportunity University