UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Labeed Almani, of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be honored as the student marshal for the Eberly College of Science during Penn State's summer commencement ceremonies on Saturday, Aug. 12, on the University Park campus. Almani’s faculty escort for the commencement exercise will be James Hager, assistant director for undergraduate education and senior lecturer in mathematics.
Almani will graduate with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics, finance, and economics, and a minor in statistics. He is a Schreyer Honors College Scholar, a Paterno Fellow, and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies. He also was elected to the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.
While at Penn State, Almani conducted research with David Shapiro, professor emeritus of economics. Using multivariate analyses, Almani investigated the links between fertility rates and education, age, ethnicity, and geographic region among women in 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Almani is completing his honors thesis under the supervision of Russell Cooper, Liberal Arts Professor of Economics. He used mathematical game theory to explore the conflicting interests of policymakers and investors in the macroeconomic phenomenon of “hot money,” wherein short-term profit is gained by exploiting differing interest or exchange rates in the flow of money between countries.
In addition to his academic achievements, Almani served as the founder and president of the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Business Society — a student-run organization dedicated to representing and sharing the economic interests and professional opportunities of the MENA region with the Penn State community. Almani also served as the vice president and microfinance consultant for the Global Business Brigades, which provides business and finance consulting to rural communities in Panama and Ghana.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected to represent the Eberly College of Science out of many deserving graduates,” said Almani. “I am grateful to my adviser and my professors for their encouragement and support during my time at Penn State.”
After graduation, Almani plans to enter the banking industry. He intends to pursue a doctorate in financial engineering to prepare him for a career in university-level teaching and research.
“The most important lesson that I will take with me from Penn State is twofold: the importance of patience and of persistence,” said Almani. “Results don’t come overnight, and one has to be patient to achieve a goal. I also learned that if I struggle at the beginning or even fail, I have to be persistent in my quest to understanding and ultimately mastering a given subject.”
Almani, a graduate of Kingdom School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will be accompanied at commencement by his mother, Lulwah Alkhowaiter; his father, Abdulmohsen Almani; his sisters Ghayda Almani, Maysa Almani and Shahla Almani; his brother Maad Almani; and his nieces Lama Almangour and Lubna Almangour.