Former FCBE Student Honored With Medal of Inspiration Award

For release:  August 20, 2015

Abdullahi Abdullahi, former FCBE accounting student, was awarded Beta Alpha Psi's Medal of Inspiration Award this past weekend. The Medal of Inspiration Award is sponsored by the American Institute of CPAs and is granted to students who have experienced extreme hardships in his or her life and who has demonstrated an unusually high level of success despite the adversities. The award included a $5,000 cash stipend.

Abdullahi's family sought refuge in Kenya in the midst of the Somali Civil War and settled in the United Nations' refugee camp, Dadaab. He remained here until he was granted the opportunity to relocate to the United States and begin college at the University of Memphis. Despite coming from the largest refugee settlement in the world at the time, Abdullahi has always remained optimistic that he would reach his goal of receiving an education.

Not only did Abdullahi obtain the education he always wanted, he was also involved in many activities while attaining his accounting degree. While with FCBE, he was part of the Avron B. Fogelman Complete Professional Program, Suits for Success, Toastmasters, MILE, Accounting Careers of Tomorrow, Beta Alpha Psi, among many more. On top of all that he also worked as a math tutor at Central High School and with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteering to provide free Income Tax Preparation Assistance to low-income, elderly, disabled, and limited English speaking people. He continues to give back to his community by coordinating youth engagement activities, speaking against female violence, and volunteering with HIV/AIDS awareness programs.

Upon graduation from FCBE, he obtained a position with International Paper as its credit analyst for the finance department.