Prestigious Fellowship Inspires Farmington Hills Woman

When Sehrish Salah-Ud-Din switched her focus in graduate school from the private to the public sector, things just started rolling her way. 

Her interest in public service was piqued by professors at Eastern Michigan University who were city managers and shared more "real world" experience. But when she started attending city council meetings, "that's when I think my curiosity took off," she said. 

She served as an unpaid budget intern for the in the first four months of this year, an experience that she said "exceeded expectations". That led her into the Michigan Local Government Management Association (MLGMA) fellowship, a highly competitive honor awarded each year to just two Michigan students. 

"It was supposed to be a 12-week fellowship," Salah-Ud-Din said. "The City of Novi asked me to stay longer ... My experience here has been just amazing." 

Working under the supervision of Novi city manager Clay Pearson, Salah-Ud-Din said, she has completed a number of projects. The largest will wrap up Monday night, as she presents to city council members a Title VI Non-Discrimination policy tied to federal road funds, which she worked with the Michigan Dept. of Transportation to draft. 

Her capstone project centers around succession planning to fill employment needs for city departments, something she said many local governments are not practicing.

Salah-Ud-Din will graduate in December with a Masters in Public Administration degree – and will be married the same month. 

"Then I will be seeking full-time employment in city management," she said. "I hope to secure something in Oakland County."