Commencement 2020 - Wayne State University

APRIL 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSSara ElhasanCollege of Liberal Arts andSciencesSara Elhasan is graduatingwith a bachelor ofscience in public healthand a bachelor of artsin sociology from theCollege of Liberal Artsand Sciences. An alumnaof Fordson High School and the Dearborn Centerfor Math, Science, and Technology, she was drawnto Wayne State University’s dedication to researchand social reform. Elhasan is a proud PresidentM. Roy Wilson ReBUILDetroit Scholar, Ronald E.McNair Scholar and member of the Irvin D. ReidHonors College.Elhasan’s passion for giving back to hercommunity and public service is evident in herextracurricular endeavors. On campus, she is acherished mentor to her peers in the College ofLiberal Arts and Sciences. She has also internedunder the director of the Wayne CountyDepartment of Health, as well as withRep. Abdullah Hammoud at the MichiganHouse of Representatives.Elhasan has been enthusiastically involved inresearch since her freshman year. She was aparticipant in the Centers for Disease Control’sUndergraduate Public Health Scholars Programat Johns Hopkins University and the Universityof California, Davis. This past summer, she wasa member of the Biostatistics and EpidemiologySummer Training Program at the ColumbiaUniversity Mailman School of Public Health.Elhasan has presented her research at variousnational conferences, and was recognized withan outstanding poster presentation award at the2019 Annual Biomedical Research Conference forMinority Students in Anaheim, California.Brenna NoyesCollege of Fine, Performingand Communication ArtsBrenna Noyes isgraduating with abachelor of arts in filmand communicationstudies and design. Shehas been on the dean’slist every semester andhas a 3.9 GPA.Originally from Shelby Township, Michigan, Noyeshas loved living in Detroit and the incredibleopportunities it has provided. While a fulltime student, she interned for such esteemedcompanies as WDIV Local 4, Detroit PublicTelevision, Shelby Township Television and DetroitGrand Prix. She also worked for America’s GotTalent, Sesame Street and the Detroit Jazz Festival.Last year, Noyes worked as a producer for DetroitPublic Television, overseeing projects from start tofinish. She has also written and directed two shortfilms and was selected to showcase one of themat the Lake Michigan Film Festival. Her short filmand feature-length script were also selected to befeatured in the 2019 Faculty Selects Honors Night.As an aspiring screenwriter/director, Noyescontinually strives to invoke creativity and broadenperspectives through her work. She believes increating stories that will break barriers and pushthe boundaries of what has been seen.Following graduation, Elhasan plans to pursueher master of public health in epidemiologyand policy at the University of Michigan Schoolof Public Health in Ann Arbor. She hopes tocontribute to the movement that corrects healthinequities and to further investigate the ways inwhich one’s social, political, cultural and economiccircumstances influence health and well-being.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement9

APRIL 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSJasmine SaadCollege of EngineeringJasmine Saad is graduatingwith a bachelor of sciencein electrical engineeringfrom the College ofEngineering. She was bornto hit the ground running.Originating fromLeamington, Ontario,Saad’s family transitioned to Michigan when herfather began work at Ford Motor Company. Asfamily moves were a frequent occurrence, Saadhad to quickly acclimate to life in four cities andat three different high schools. She credits themotivation behind this dynamic environment toher parents’ opportunistic and adventurous spirits,always looking to provide the family with thegreatest good.Taking their lead, Saad has weaved throughmultiple scholarly, social, political and professionalroles during her four years at Wayne State, fromthe automotive industry to social justice. Herstrong foothold in the Wayne State communityhas led her to achieve elected positions such astreasurer and board member of the campus’Society of Women Engineers chapter, and work asa research assistant in the Department of Civil andEnvironmental Engineering.Saad’s undying curiosity fostered thoughtful andmeaningful conversations with many unexpectedaudiences, resulting in invitations to events suchas the Consumer Electronics Show and Eyeson Design.While many of her accomplishments stayed centralto Wayne State’s campus, Saad has remained trueto her upbringing and love for Detroit, residing ina trail of homes in Woodbridge, Midtown, NewCenter, Ferndale and Corktown.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement10

DECEMBER 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSMegan BaranMike Ilitch School ofBusinessMegan Baran isgraduating with a masterof business administrationfrom the Mike IlitchSchool of Business. Shepreviously earned abachelor of science inpsychology from Wayne State University.Baran has been an active member of the GraduateBusiness Student Organization and also foundedthe WSU chapter of Net Impact, where she alsoserved as president. Net Impact is an internationalnonprofit organization that aims to use business asa force to build a more just and sustainable world.By participating and hosting volunteer eventshosted by Net Impact, Baran fulfilled her passionto give back to the community while focusing onsustainability.Baran was selected for the Net Impact PlantBased Food Fellowship, an innovative learningcommunity of 20 fellows from across the UnitedStates. During her fellowship, she worked onsalient issues that impact the future of food andthe environment. She also completed a leadershiptraining program as part of the fellowshiprequirements, strengthening her leadership skills.Tia L. FinneyGraduate SchoolRev. Dr. Tia L. Finney isgraduating with a Ph.D.in education evaluationand research from theGraduate School.Finney is a lifelong learnerat Wayne State University.She has a bachelor ofarts in communication, a master of education ininstruction technology and a master of arts incommunication.Finney has worked for Wayne State Universityin many capacities since 2002 and currently isthe supervisor of medical testing at the Schoolof Medicine. She is also a licensed and ordainedminister.For more than 28 years, Finney has been an activemember of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Sheis a strong advocate for Wayne State Universityand has a passion for educating and empoweringyoung people. Finney operates daily in accordanceto her motto: “Live in such a way that if someonespoke badly of you, no one would believe it!”Baran is also a member the Mike Ilitch School ofBusiness chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. Electionto membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is byinvitation only and is the highest scholastic honorthat a student in business administration canachieve.Baran won the Brenda M. Derby MemorialAward at the 2020 Marketing and Public PolicyConference. The award is presented nationallyto an outstanding doctoral student whodemonstrates excellence as an emerging policyresearcher.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement11

DECEMBER 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSLisa GordonSchool of Social WorkLisa Gordon, a Detroitnative, is graduatingwith a master of socialwork in the clinical trackwith a focus on cognitivebehavioral therapy.She is a recipient of theJames W. Leigh EndowedScholarship, a member of Phi Alpha Honor Societyand has a 3.97 GPA. Gordon earned her bachelor’sin marketing from Michigan State University.Gordon’s research interests include substanceabuse and mental health disorders, harmreduction modes, adverse childhood experiences,and the foster care system. She currently has adevelopment plan with the Michigan CertificationBoard of Addiction Professionals to become acertified alcohol and drug counselor.Gordon’s professional experience includesownership of Team U Consulting LLC, a careerand personal development firm with morethan 15 years of experience years in workforcedevelopment, nonprofits, program management,training and coaching.Ion JarmondCollege of NursingIon Jarmond is graduatingwith a bachelor of sciencein nursing from theCollege of Nursing.Jarmond retired fromthe Navy in 2012 after20 years as a Navy FleetMarine Force Corpsman,where he was trained in combat medicine. Heserved as an emergency medical technician, aneuropsychiatric technician, and as a technician inthe emergency room and in the labor and deliveryunits. Jarmond completed two tours of duty withthe Marine Corps in Hawaii and Iraq.Jarmond earned three associate degrees fromFrederick Community College in Maryland priorto completing the rigorous 18-month seconddegree B.S.N. for Veterans program at the Collegeof Nursing. His previous degrees are in generalstudies, pre-nursing and American Sign Language.Gordon frequently volunteers in community-basedmentoring programs and is a member of theDetroit chapter of Michigan’s National Alliance onMental Illness.Gordon is blessed to be the mother of twoamazing Warrior sons, Michael and Andre.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement12

DECEMBER 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSDorothy JonesCollege of Fine, Performingand Communication ArtsSoundousse ZouaniCollege of EngineeringSoundousse Zouaniis graduating with abachelor’s in electricalengineering from theCollege of Engineering.She is an alumna ofPlymouth High School inCanton, Michigan.Dorothy Jones isgraduating with abachelor’s in publicrelations from the Collegeof Fine, Performing andCommunication Arts.Jones actually beganattending Wayne State when she was in the sixthgrade by participating in the Detroit Area PreCollege Engineering Program (DAPCEP) and WSUMath Corps, a combined academic and mentoringprogram for Detroit public school students ingrades 6-12. During her time with Math Corps,Jones was a student, a program assistant and acollege assistant.Growing up, Jones wanted to go into televisionand had a passion for teaching others, learningabout social media and helping people in hercommunity.While a student, Jones received the Spirit of theMath Corps Award and Excellence in TeachingAward, became an APEX graduate, and was bothan Ida Faigle Foundation Scholar and an A5 FamilyConnections Scholar.Jones is currently in the process of opening ForOur Hand Only, a nonprofit that will focus onscholarships and mentorships in the Detroit PublicSchools.During her time at Wayne State, Zouani washeavily involved in the Society of WomenEngineers, serving in a variety of leadership roles— including a one-year term as president — andsharing her passion for engineering with local highschool students as part of her belief in the value ofdeveloping the pipeline for future generations ofengineers.Zouani also excelled in the classroom, maintaininga regular presence on the College of Engineering’sdean’s list.During the summers, Zouani developed her skillsthrough industry-based internships at Ford MotorCompany and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Duringthese rotations, she worked on various vehicle lineups and electrification technologies.Zouani’s professional objective is to makepeople’s lives better by developing transportationtechnologies that inspire and connect thecommunities in which we live and work globally.One of Jones’ final achievements includesspeaking in front of more than 1,000 people atthe Leadership Experience Tour, hosted by FairConsulting Group.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement13

DECEMBER 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSDennis Andra Brown Jr.Irvin D. Reid HonorsCollege, College of LiberalArts and SciencesRamessha ShaheenIrvin D. Reid HonorsCollege, College of LiberalArts and SciencesDennis Brown isgraduating with abachelor of science inpsychology with honorsfrom the College ofLiberal Arts and Sciencesand the Irvin D. Reid Honors College.Rameesha Shaheenis graduating with abachelor of sciencein public health withhonors from the Collegeof Liberal Arts andSciences and the Irvin D.Reid Honors College. Shaheen completed bothdepartmental and university honors throughouther undergraduate career.While at Wayne State, Brown focused most ofhis extracurricular activities around psychology.His academic, extracurricular and co-curricularactivities and achievements include being anHonors student, an Honors student ambassador,a member of the International Honors Society,the secretary of the African American PsychologyStudent Organization and a mentor for thePsychology Academic Support Services.These accomplishments contributed to his workwith a nonprofit organization called The YouthConnection, which serves youth and families.There, he gained experience working withfamilies and children, educating them about theconsequences of substance abuse and conductingfamily-building exercises.Brown also had the opportunity to join the McNairScholars Program, where he trained to developan independent research project while developingawareness of the graduate school applicationprocess.As secretary of the African American PsychologyStudent Organization, Brown tested andsharpened his leadership skills by running e-boardmeetings and making sure his fellow membersstayed on track with events and fundraisers. As anHonors student ambassador, he spoke with otherstudents and parents about his experience as anHonors student, providing advice about adjustingto school life and keeping up with Honorsprojects. As a mentor for the Psychology AcademicSupport Services, he tutored undergraduatestudents in psychology courses, helped them learnthe material, and taught fun and exciting ways tostudy.Shaheen took on the role of a biology peer mentorin 2018 and was a resident advisor for the 201920 school year at University Tower Apartments.She helped start the Wayne State Esports Clubin 2018 and was on the organization’s eboard;the club now has more than 500 members. Shecompeted in several Tespa seasons and othertournaments on the Wayne Warriors OverwatchTeam through the club over the last two years. Inaddition to video games, music plays a large rolein her life. Shaheen played viola for the CampusString Orchestra after 11 years of experience inorchestral music.As a pre-medical student, Shaheen has a varietyof experiences in Detroit hospitals for longterm volunteering and working in emergencymedicine, orthopedic and neurosurgery, physicalrehabilitation therapy, internal medicine, andpediatrics. Research is also a major part of thepre-medical track. She assists in a drug researchlaboratory through Wayne State that is focused onopioids/ benzodiazepine usage in Detroit. She iscurrently in the process of starting a new researchproject through Wayne State on the topic ofesports and student performance.Shaheen hopes to attend medical school in thefuture.Brown has maintained a 3.6 GPA while balancingthree jobs and being an active student in hiscommunity.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement14

DECEMBER 2020 STUDENT COMMENCEMENT SPEAKERSEmily HanusCollege of EducationStephanie HawkesCollege of EducationEmily Hanus is graduatingwith a bachelor of sciencein learning design andtechnology. She is also auniversity honors student.Stephanie Hawkesis graduating with adoctor of education ineducational leadershipand policy studies. Shecurrently serves as theassistant director forWayne State’s Office ofMulticultural StudentA graduate of NorthFarmington High School,Hanus was a recipientof the Wayne State University’s President’s Awardand served for three years as a recruitment andretention officer for the Future Alumni Networkand as a resident advisor in Towers.As part of her degree work, Hanus was an intern atGrand Circus. She was invited to continue workingon projects and helped develop in-person andonline courses for the company’s boot camps andworkshops. An LMS support technician for WayneState’s academic applications team, she plansto pursue a career in instructional design aftergraduation.Lauren HedrickCollege of EducationLauren Hedrick isgraduating with amaster of education ineducational leadership.She received herbachelor’s in earlychildhood education fromMichigan State Universityand has taught preschoolfor 10 years. She recently began a new role as anadministrator.Excited about the new direction of her careerjourney, Hedrick is pursuing a doctor of educationin educational leadership and policy studies.Hedrick has a heart for education and wants tocreate change for future students and make adifference in their lives.Engagement (OMSE).Hawkes earned a bachelor of science in language,literature and writing for secondary educationand a master’s in higher education from EasternMichigan University. Hawkes grew up on the eastside of Detroit and is a proud graduate of theDetroit Public Schools Community District.A first-generation college student, Hawkes’interests lie in support programs and initiativesthat assist historically excluded and underservedstudents to be successful in higher education.Outside of her work with OMSE, she teachesthe Academic Success Center’s First-YearSeminar course, chairs the Health and WellnessSubcommittee for the Commission on the Statusof Women, co-chairs the Educational AdvisoryBoard Inclusive Excellence Committee, and serveson two of the president’s Social Justice ActionTeams.Outside of her work at Wayne State, Hawkes aimsto stay active in relevant professional organizationsby attending and presenting at local and nationalconferences. In addition, she has served invarious leadership roles in state and regionalorganizations, including publication chair for theMichigan Tutorial Association, communications cochair for American College Personnel Associationfor Michigan, and hospitality co-chair for the 2019National Academic Advising Association Region 5Annual Conference.During her time as a doctoral student, Hawkesparticipated in the Unified Collegiate EsportsAssociation, Jackson Scholars Network andco-authored her first article in the Journal ofInterdisciplinary Studies in Education.Wayne State University 2020 Commencement15

POSTHUMOUS DEGREESAs we celebrate our 2020 graduates, it’s important to remember those who passed before they were ableto fulfill their dreams. In recognition of their commitment and Warrior spirit, Wayne State University posthumously recognizes the following graduates:Darrin Adams receivesa bachelor of arts insociology from theCollege of Liberal Artsand Sciences. Adams isremembered as

Wayne State University 2020 Commencement 8 Farhana Aktar. School of Social Work Farhana Aktar is . graduating with a . master of social work . with a concentration in innovation in community, policy and leadership from the School of Social Work. She also received her bachelor of science in social work from Wayne State University.