At the University of Richmond’s graduation ceremonies in May, Marybe Assouan couldn’t help thinking how far she’d come since the crippling auto accident that killed her mother six years earlier. In 2002, her father passed away, leaving a brother in Paris her only remaining immediate family.

At the Robins School of Business Honors Convocation a month earlier, Assouan had received the Charles Norman Award for being the best all-around business student in the graduating class.  Now, leading her fellow students in the Robins School of Business in their graduation procession, Marybe didn’t dwell on the sadness in her past; she thought about her future, which actually had already begun. Well before graduation, after sifting through multiple job offers, including ones from the Big Four, Marybe accepted a position with Deloitte & Touche in Richmond. Working in the firm’s tax division since last December, she’s well on her way toward a CPA, with a goal of also becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

No one ever doubted Marybe would be so successful.  Beyond the 3.91 grade point average she maintained, her quiet determination and her tireless ability to remain open and kind impressed students and professors from her earliest days on campus. Mentors like Dr. Len Goldberg, retiring vice president of student development, and Accounting Department Chair Ray Slaughter knew that she would not only overcome her challenges; she would conquer every challenge in her path. Now her mentors at Deloitte echo the plaudits of her college years.

“Marybe has the ability and the determination to go anywhere she wants in her career, including all the way to the top,” says Tara Matthews (class of 1997), an audit senior manager at Deloitte. “She is also very proactive in her career, and seeks to learn about every opportunity that the firm has to offer.”

Which is why Deloitte snapped her up early in her University of Richmond career. While an undergraduate, Marybe took advantage of every opportunity that came her way, including a fortuitous dinner arranged by the Career Development Center. It was at that event that Marybe met Matthews, who would later be Marybe’s mentor through her first and second internships at Deloitte. “We connected,” Marybe says. Since then, she adds, “Tara has seen me grow through different perspectives.”

Marybe has already met one of her goals, one that she intends to repeat over and over again: Giving back to those who helped her. Last March, after completing work for her degree in December, she ran a tax workshop for University of Richmond’s international students. “I’ve been in those shoes, and I’m more than happy to go back and help my peers.”

With over 170 graduating seniors this year, business remains the most popular major at the University of Richmond, with the majority of students studying finance, accounting, and marketing.

Many 2006 grads have already secured jobs and spots in highly ranked graduate school programs.  The top employers for this year’s graduating class include Goldman Sachs, Deloitte and Touche, KPMG, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and Beers and Cutler.  Recent grads will be headed to graduate programs at the University of Virginia, George Washington University, the University of Queensland in Australia, and others.

If you are a 2006 graduate, please visit the CDC website at http://cdc.richmond.edu and keep us updated as your post-graduation plans are finalized.  All information is kept strictly confidential.

At the Robins School Honors Convocation on April 18, several students were recognized for their accomplishments. Over 50 merit scholarships were awarded, and 15 students were inducted into the business honor society, Beta Gamma Sigma. Daniel J. Ludeman, President and CEO of Wachovia Securities, was honored as Executive of the Year and delivered the keynote address. At the top of their class were Jared Dvornicky and Marybe Assouan. Jared, a marketing major from Kintnersville, Pennsylvania was awarded the Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Award. The Charles Norman Award, given to the best overall graduating senior, as chosen by the faculty went to Marybe, an accounting major from the Ivory Coast.