Faith K. Osei doesn’t hesitate when asked what brought her to Wayne State University from Minneapolis three years ago.
“Location!” says the 21-year-old financial professional. “Not only was it important to be in a big city, but the diversity and academic support attracted me here. And I am happy that I made this choice!”
Almost every student would be happy considering the results Osei is enjoying. The Minnesota native is in her third year at Wayne State University, where she is part of the dynamic Multicultural Professional Preparatory Education Program (MPREP) learning community at the Mike Ilitch School of Business and has had an invaluable internship at Huntington Bank. gained a summer’s worth of hands-on experience managing investor portfolios. Osei also recently joined MPREP as a learning community social media ambassador.
As Wayne State launches its bold new College to Career campaign, President Kimberly Andrews Espy’s ambitious, university-wide efforts to ensure graduates are prepared for career success, Osei’s recent workplace experiences demonstrate the university’s commitment to producing successful professionals.
Osei, who aspires to pursue a career in private banking, was part of a 12-week internship program at Huntington Bank from May to August, which gave him the opportunity to conduct portfolio analysis for key clients and familiarize himself with investment tools. and strategies he believes will give him an early advantage in finance.
“I learned a lot about the different roles and paths you can take in personal wealth management,” Osei said. “I also learned to sharpen my skills for group projects/presentations, networking events and lunch meetings. The program also featured a series of leadership speakers.
Osei said he learned a lot about inter-office dynamics in a way that classrooms can’t always convey.
“The most important thing I took away from this experience was vulnerability,” she said. “Being responsive at work makes it easier to communicate between colleagues in times of need, support, or general efficiency.”
Osei says he learned about the internship after meeting a talent recruiter who recommended he apply for the job. In a twist of fate, that recruiter later came to speak to him and the other students in the MPREP program.
“I made sure to contact him after the presentation and the rest was history,” Osei said.
Osei, whose parents are from Ghana, credits the MPREP program as a key factor in helping her and other students gain access to professional networks, job referrals and opportunities for often underrepresented students.
After signing up a few months ago to help the learning community develop its social media presence, Osei says he’s happy to have the chance to give back to a program that has offered him so much help.
“I’m excited to use my position not only to encourage others to join, but also to showcase the many opportunities MPREP has at MISB, Wayne State, Detroit, and even across the country.”
MPREP Director Lauren Scott praises Osei and her colleagues in the program: “Our ambassadors are upperclassmen who have been at MPREP long enough to understand our values and mission and can be leaders for other students in the group. They are given roles to develop their professional skills and support their passions and interests. Faith has helped us revitalize our social media platforms, connect with like-minded organizations, share our stories with the community, and she keeps us engaged and engaged with new audiences.”
Inspired by her family, her summer experience and MPREP, Osei says she also plans to teach financial literacy and spread the gospel of generational wealth.
“Financial literacy is an important part of life that people don’t know about yet,” he says.
But as important as his career is, Osei says he also enjoys driving along the way: “It’s been an amazing journey.”