WMU finance student wins international scholarship from DECA

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University student Natalie Ferriell, a finance major from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has received a $5,000 international scholarship from DECA. The Anderson Business Advisors Scholarship was awarded to just two college students in 2024.

Involved in DECA during high school, Ferriell decided to continue participating at the collegiate level. DECA at WMU provides valuable hands-on experiences for students, including competitive events, so they can build their business skills using real contexts and challenges.

Career development opportunities and overall self-assurance are prime reasons that many students become involved, including Ferriell.

“DECA at WMU has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally,” she says. “I took on a leadership position in our organization, which taught me a lot about myself and how I work with others. In addition, I have learned to have a lot of confidence in myself as a professional.”

Forging relationships with students across the college through DECA has been a high point for Ferriell, who has worked with peers to grow the membership by more than 100% in the 2023-24 academic year.

Ferriell, along with 93% of the DECA at WMU members, qualified for international competition this year, with the competition taking place in late April. Heading into the competition, the scholarship announcement gave her a surge of pride and motivation, she says.

“I was overwhelmed and excited when I found out I was awarded the scholarship,” she says. “It was very competitive and required an extensive application. The funds will help me financially in my senior year, taking away some of the stress that the cost of college creates. It’s a great feeling to see your hard work recognized, and I am even more determined to show all WMU can do in the international competition.”

Ferriell has been a dynamic force within DECA at WMU, according to chapter leaders.

“I was absolutely thrilled to see Natalie recognized with this award,” says Scott VanAvery, manager of recruitment and outreach for WMU Haworth and co-advisor for DECA at WMU. “Winning this scholarship is a testament to her hard work, dedication and exceptional talent. Natalie's success reflects not only her brilliance but also the strength of our DECA program and the support system we've built here in only two years. It's moments like these that truly validate the impact that WMU Haworth has on the development of the next generation of business leaders. Natalie's award is a source of inspiration for our entire DECA team, and I couldn't be happier for her.”

Natalie Ferriell

Pairing a finance major with minors in accountancy and general business, Ferriell has been on the dean’s list every semester of her college career. This past February at the Michigan DECA State Career Development Conference, she placed first in the corporate finance individual case study event and in the top six in the sports marketing team case study event. In 2023, she finished in the top five in the managerial accounting case study event at the DECA International Career Development Conference.

She is the vice president of the Financial Services Association, treasurer for DECA at WMU, a member of Delta Sigma Pi and a voting member of the Western Student Association. She has completed internships at Centric Brands and Zhang Financial. Ferriell works as a financial planning assistant at Zhang Financial and a business operations assistant for the Division of Student Affairs at WMU.

After graduation, she aims to work for a wealth management firm, obtain her CFP license and pursue a master's degree in economics.

Learn more about DECA at WMU.

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