Office of Fellowships helps Warriors find pathways to success

Student success takes a variety of forms at Wayne State. One office on campus is helping students chart their career paths and learn outside of the classroom - and sometimes even outside of the country.

The Office of Fellowships connects students with a variety of fellowships and scholarship opportunities. Led by Lauren Orr, program manager for fellowships and high-impact learning, the office is amplifying its reach and helping students achieve one-of-a-kind learning and career-related experiences.

Whether students are looking for national, international, general or discipline-specific opportunities - such as the Udall Scholarship that Jonathan Teh won last spring - there are a variety of fellowships to explore.

For Wayne State senior Maryam Alzuhairi, working with the Office of Fellowships helped her pursue education abroad through the competitive Gilman Scholarship. She independently discovered a study abroad program in Stockholm, Sweden, and the office helped make it a reality for her.

"I am very thankful for Lauren Orr and the team in the Office of Fellowships," said Maryam. "The application was straightforward, but I needed help on my essays. Lauren helped me clarify and focus on my main points."

It paid off. Maryam was one of four Wayne State students to receive a Gilman Scholarship, and she spent the spring in Sweden taking classes on international politics-perfect for a pre-law political science student like Maryam. She also enjoyed learning Swedish, meeting other scholars and professors from Scandanavia and beyond, and traveling on the program's "study tours."

"It was an amazing experience," said Maryam. "It gave me more insight into the world and opened doors to international work as well."

Maryam said she had not been planning on studying abroad, but once she discovered the opportunity and the Gilman Scholarship, she knew it was worth pursuing. She encourages anyone who is interested to put their ideas down and give it a shot.

"It doesn't hurt to try," she said.

Dr. Kevin Deegan-Krause, faculty advisor to the Office of Fellowships, says that the process of applying is alone worthwhile.

"Our services don't just help students win scholarships, but they also help them think through who they want to be and where they want to go," said Dr. Deegan-Krause. "We can't guarantee a fellowship, but we guarantee that the process of applying is incredibly rewarding to students."

In the process of searching for and applying to fellowship opportunities, students begin to think outside of their classroom experience and imagine what they might like to do beyond Wayne State. Dr. Deegan-Krause explained that writing application essays helps concentrate their thinking, gets students connected with faculty, and helps students think about their career goals and passions.

One student who experienced this rewarding process firsthand is Jeren Ghoujeghi, who graduated with honors in public health in 2023. During her time at Wayne State, Jeren was on the pre-med track and knew she wanted to one day be an OBGYN. She became deeply involved in health initiatives on campus and founded Students for Reproductive Justice.

Through Dr. Deegan-Krause, who was one of her professors in the Irvin D. Reid Honors College, Jeren connected with the Office of Fellowships to explore more opportunities.

"I was naturally interested in healthcare advocacy, and the Office of Fellowships encouraged me to turn this passion into career goals," said Jeren. "They introduced me to fellowships and scholarships, and the Truman Scholarship caught my eye."

She began building her application, which required a policy proposal and an outline of career goals five to seven years after completing the degree.

"The team really encouraged me to dig deeper in order to set myself apart," Jeren said. "The process of applying helped me reflect on what I wanted to do and how I could make an impact. Thinking about my experience and my goals helped me better understand what my path could look like."

Jeren said the process helped clarify her personal and professional goals, and she felt like she had a whole team supporting her. In the end, it prepared her for rigorous medical school applications and interviews.

Jeren ultimately became Wayne State's first Truman finalist. Once she reached the final stage, the Office helped her prepare by conducting practice interviews. While at the final interview in Chicago, Jeren recalled looking around the room and seeing all the other students competing for the scholarship.

"I remember having a little whisper of doubt, looking at all these people who often come from ivy league institutions. I had to remind myself that I deserved to be there as much as anyone else," Jeren said. "We come from a resilient place, one of the coolest cities, and I was proud to represent Wayne State and Detroit that day."

Now, Jeren is in medical school, working toward the goals she discovered and clarified through the process of applying for the Truman Scholarship and with the help of the Office of Fellowships team.

Students who are interested in learning more and getting connected with high-impact opportunities can explore fellowships, join their Canvas page for more information, or schedule a fellowships advising appointment.