Looking forward to Commencement

It’s that time of year again. It’s when students dress in gowns, turn their tassels and toss their caps toward the ceiling. About 450 UM-Dearborn students will leave the Fieldhouse on Dec. 17 as members of the Fall 2011 graduating class. Reporter spoke with four students about graduation and their journey toward receiving a diploma.

Rob Brown

Growing up in Detroit, Rob Brown has seen his share of troubled youth.

Some of them sat across from him in elementary school.

“The thing that they were lacking was a good role model,” Brown said.

Brown, who plans to graduate this semester from UM-Dearborn with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, wants to be that role model. His career goals trace all the way back to fifth grade. It was then that Brown encountered his first male teacher, who he described as “very strict.”

“We didn’t even like him at first because he was always giving us homework,” he said. “But as the school year went along, we noticed how his structure and guidance helped us for the better. That really inspired me to want to do it for another person.”

Brown later enrolled in UM-Dearborn’s School of Education, and the rest is history. He plans to stay in Detroit and help area youth stay on the right track.

“I was a product of the city and I want to see it improve,” he said. “I would prefer to work with the troubled youth. I have that opportunity to be a role model.”

And although Brown plans to stay close to campus, he said it’s difficult to leave UM-Dearborn.

“The one thing that did it for me was the family atmosphere,” he said. “You won’t find that on a huge campus.”

Asandi Conner

Being a full-time college student is no walk in the park.

Forget about free time once you throw in a full-time job and a teenage daughter.

Just ask Asandi Conner, who somehow managed to balance all three this semester.

Conner works as operations and development manager at Nsoroma Institute in Detroit. She also takes care of her daughter, a high school junior. And on top of that, she’s pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at UM-Dearborn.

The payoff comes Dec. 17 when Conner receives her diploma. Commencement can’t come soon enough, she said.

“I am so excited because I did not participate in my undergraduate commencement, so this is monumental for me,” said Conner, whose grandmother, mother and daughter will be in attendance. “I’m also looking forward to no more tests, homework assignments and ordering textbooks.”

To add icing on the cake, Conner also will reach her goal of graduating before her daughter’s senior year of high school. That way, she can help her daughter through the college application process.

But tests and homework assignments might not be a thing of the past for Conner, who’s considering a doctoral degree down the road. That said, she plans to enjoy her vacation from school.

“I’m eager for the break,” she said.

Saba Khan

Many of Saba Khan’s classmates are busy touching up their cover letters and searching job sites.

Khan, meanwhile, is using that time to study for final exams and take in her final moments at UM-Dearborn. That’s because Khan, who soon will receive a bachelor’s degree in business administration, already locked down a full-time job at Comau, Inc. in Southfield.

“I got lucky, honestly,” said Khan, who has plenty of friends struggling to find employment. “I see the stress that they’re going through. It’s hard.”

But it wasn’t all luck that earned Khan a full-time gig. She spent more than a year interning at Comau, and was notified six months ago that a full-time offer would be available after she graduated.

That fateful day comes Dec. 17. She plans to transition to full-time in January.

And although Khan is excited about graduation and her job, she admits it will be difficult to leave UM-Dearborn.

“I’m going to miss Dearborn so much,” she said. “I’m going to miss school so much. I remember the day I bought my cap and gown and I started tearing up. It’s bittersweet.”

Khan arrived at UM-Dearborn a shy young woman. But her involvement in the Muslim Students’ Association, including her stint as president, gave her a sense of comfort and confidence.

“It changed me,” she said.

Khan believes her growth, not only as a student, but also as a person, will benefit her in her future endeavors.

Stephanie Kondratow

Hundreds of UM-Dearborn students will receive their diplomas this month.

But only a handful of them will be honored as Chancellor’s Medallion recipients. Stephanie Kondratow falls into that category.

Kondratow, who will earn bachelor’s degrees in marketing and psychology, plans to receive a Chancellor’s Medallion award from the College of Business, where she will graduate from with high distinction.

“I couldn’t believe that they actually chose me,” she said. “I never really thought I would be the student chosen for that honor. I was very excited.”

Kondratow’s involvement on campus with Delta Phi Epsilon, Order of Omega, Golden Key International Honour Society and Beta Gamma Sigma, combined with community service initiatives and academic prowess, set her apart from her classmates.

And what better way to celebrate than a cruise? Kondratow and her boyfriend, Gary DeLuca, plan to board a cruise ship in January that will make stops in Mexico, Belize, Grand Cayman and Honduras. It’s all part of her personal reward for more than five years of hard work at UM-Dearborn.

“It was a lot of work,” she said.

She hopes to stay in Michigan and eventually work in marketing. But for the time being, she plans to enjoy the break.

“I don’t want to rush into any job,” she said. “I want to better myself while looking for a career that suits me.”

As a reminder

The commencement ceremony is set for 2:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Fieldhouse. Delivering the graduation address will be Josh Linkner, CEO and managing partner of Detroit Venture Partners, a venture capital firm helping to rebuild urban areas through technology and entrepreneurship. Linkner also is founder, chairman and former CEO of ePrize, the world’s largest interactive promotion agency. More information on the ceremony.