Alumnae sisters graduate on the same day from MSU and WSU

May 2 was a proud day in the life of HFC STEM instructor Dr. Ali Hariri as he witnessed two of his daughters, Rana and Nour (both HFC alumnae), receive their college degrees.

It was a very busy day. Rana earned her doctorate of nursing practice from Michigan State University, and Nour earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Wayne State University. The two ceremonies were more than an hour away from each other, but Ali was undaunted.

“Rana's graduation was at 2:00 p.m., and Nour's was at 5:30 p.m. I was at MSU until 3:00 p.m. when Rana walked up to the stage. Then I went straight to Wayne State. I arrived before Nour walked up to the stage,” said Ali.

“It was such an honor to share this memorable and special day with my little sister,” said Rana, the eldest of four daughters.

Nour, the third daughter, was glad things worked out.

“We both hit a milestone in our lives on that day, and our parents were our biggest supporters,” she said. “I am grateful that they were able to attend both graduations, along with my siblings and friends who watched us live online. The day was perfect, and I’m so happy with how everything turned out.”

HFC is a family tradition

HFC is indelibly part of the Hariri family’s identity.

• Ali has taught at HFC since 2000, and he also took classes here while teaching.
• Hikmat, Ali’s wife of 33 years, earned her associate degree in computer information systems at HFC.
• Rana was a pre-nursing student at HFC. She was dual-enrolled at HFC while attending Crestwood High School. She earned her associate degree in nursing from Schoolcraft College. At MSU, Rana earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing.
• Rola graduated summa cum laude from Wayne State, earning her doctorate in pharmacy. She was dual-enrolled at HFC while attending Crestwood.
• Nour was a pre-engineering student at HFC. She was dual-enrolled at HFC while attending Crestwood.
• Manar was dual-enrolled at HFC while attending Crestwood. She currently attends HFC.

“My four children, my wife, and I got an excellent education at HFC,” said Ali. “As a proud father and faculty member, I wanted to recognize my daughters’ accomplishments and encourage more students to attend HFC for their first two years before transferring to a university.”

Both daughters benefitted by attending HFC. Rana is a registered nurse at Corewell Health, where she’s worked for seven years. She plans to take the ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner Certification exam to serve as a family nurse practitioner.

“Being a dual enrollment student helped me transition from high school to a university, setting me up for success,” explained Rana. “HFC prepared me for college life. I don’t think I would’ve succeeded as much as I did otherwise. HFC was a great steppingstone and helped me take school more seriously.”

Nour’s launchpad for success

Nour is an electrical designer at HED, an architecture firm in Royal Oak. She plans to take the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, the first step in becoming a licensed Professional Engineer. Nour attended Wayne State, like her father.

“He always spoke so highly about it,” recalled Nour. “I looked into the engineering program and saw really good ratings of the professors and the program. I had several friends who also spoke highly of Wayne State. I was also very excited to get out of my comfort zone and enter a place outside my hometown of Dearborn Heights. I’ve always loved the city, so going to school in Detroit has been a wonderful experience. I’ve met so many new people and made many new friends. It was a door to an opportunity that I wouldn’t have gotten elsewhere.”

All that wouldn’t have happened if not for HFC.

“I didn’t just learn course content, I learned how to study, how to manage my time, and how to advocate for myself as a student,” explained Nour. “I learned how to do things for myself, which helped me a lot at Wayne State.”

The university setting was more than she had thought it would be as a high school student, Nour admitted.

“I don’t think I would’ve been as successful if I hadn't built and shaped the type of student I strived to be at HFC,” she said. “At HFC, it was a step-by-step process that got a bit tougher each semester. I learned how to be a better student. By the time I went to Wayne State, I already had a foundation on how to study for exams and knew what worked best for me. Things got tougher at Wayne State in terms of understanding the material and the time needed to study for exams. Because I already learned how to do these things at HFC, I was able to apply them at Wayne State.”

Why attend HFC first?

“It’s a place where you can grow both academically and personally without getting lost in the crowd,” said Nour. “It offers a high-quality education with smaller class sizes, which means you get more one-on-one support and build real relationships with your professors. Whether you're just starting out, figuring out your path, or planning to transfer, HFC gives you the tools and guidance to succeed.”

One of her fondest memories of HFC is the sense of community and support.

“The environment was welcoming – from the professors to the staff to my classmates,” she said. “Everyone genuinely wanted to see each other succeed. I felt like people knew me and cared about my goals. I have great memories of everyday moments, such as staying late in the library to prepare for exams, working on group projects, or just having real conversations with instructors who were passionate about teaching. I found my place at HFC – not just academically, but personally. I came in trying to figure things out and I left with a clear direction and a lot more confidence.”

Nour continued: “I got exposed to different fields and had opportunities to build practical skills, along with learning how to communicate and present myself in a professional setting. The support from advisors and instructors helped me feel confident transferring to a university. Now that I’ve graduated, I can see how much those early experiences shaped me. My experience at HFC was the launchpad for everything that came after. It didn’t just prepare me for the next step; it helped me realize what kind of student and professional I could become.”