Each academic year, the College of Business faculty and staff choose a graduating senior for the Outstanding Student Award. Students considered for the prestigious award must be graduating during the current academic year and have earned a GPA of 3.2 or higher.
Haadia Malik, a senior marketing analytics major from Oshkosh, WI, was selected by the faculty and staff as this year's recipient from a list of 488 students who met the award's GPA requirement. She was presented with the university's medallion by Dean Brewer Doran in a virtual celebration. Her name will also be added to the plaque in Schneider Hall listing past award recipients.
The student receiving the award should demonstrate great promise and outstanding achievement in his/her chosen field. Personality and involvement in university activities are also important attributes.
Meet Haadia Malik, 2021 Outstanding Senior
Early in her college career, Malik saw a need for diversity advocacy for business students of color.
"When I first came to the College of Business (COB), I was very shy and anxious because I was attending a predominantly white school. At several points in the beginning of my college career, I wanted to transfer to a smaller school in a bigger city because I thought that it would fit my needs better."
Fortunately, a COB alumnus explained that the anxiety she had was her opportunity to grow her comfort zone for the next four years at UW-Eau Claire. Because of his advice, she was motivated to grow outside her comfort zone, take leadership roles, and learn valuable skills.
She took the initiative to create the Business Association of Multicultural Students (BAMS) and served as the president for two years. Through hard work and dedication, the BAMS executive board was able to triple the membership of the organization in two short years.
Malik also represented students on the university's Climate Survey, Curriculum, and Vice-Chancellor Search Committees and served as Director of Equity on the Student Matters Commission, and a director on the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate.
"All of my experiences within my time in the COB have prepared me to pursue my goals by allowing me to gain exceptional leadership experience and connections throughout every aspect of my education."
Being a member of the College of Business Assurance of Learning and Curriculum Committees allowed her to understand and apply the importance of well-defined communication and collaboration among members of different departments.
Malik applied her business education to help companies accomplish their goals.
With the networking and support of the COB, she completed two internships at Jamf and one at PESI Inc. In those internships, she connected with different analysts and learned she wanted to help organizations make enhanced business decisions by using data.
"The education I received through the COB allowed me to be prepared for my career because of the diverse set of classes that gave me knowledge in different areas of business," says Malik.
"I am incredibly thankful for the life-long relationships with other COB students and faculty because they helped me be a better businesswoman and grow as a human."
Malik, who will graduate on May 15 with a 3.72 GPA, has accepted a position as a Consulting Development Program Analyst with Accenture.
