Students

Rain or Shine

Bauer Finance Senior Finds Opportunity at Every Turn

By Jessica Navarro and Amanda Sebesta

Like many Houstonians, Zill Momin is the child of immigrants, which led her to leverage every opportunity that came her way in order to be successful.

Momin, whose parents came to the United States from India in the 1990s, is approaching graduation from the C. T. Bauer College of Business next year and already has her sights set on the next path ― a career in business aimed to create awareness of financial literacy.

“When you come from a family of immigrant parents, knowledge and exposure on critical information regarding American financial literacy can be blurry,” Momin said. “Because of their hard work and perseverance, I believe that the greatest achievement I can have in life is to be a guidance to families like mine, individuals, and business owners in helping them kick-start their lives.”

Last fall, Momin was recognized by one of Wall Street’s leading brokerage firms as a future financial services leader, earning $5,000 with the TD Ameritrade NextGen Scholarship. She traveled, along with her mother, to NASDAQ to participate in a Closing Bell ceremony.

“Being a part of the Closing Bell ceremony with my mother was one of the most surreal experiences. Seeing ourselves on the big screens was a moment of pride and part of an American Dream my parents have for my brother and I.” she said. “Anyone who knows me knows how much I love my school and I was so proud to be able to represent the University of Houston and Bauer during the broadcasting of the ceremony.”

As a Bauer student, Momin has been actively engaged, serving on the University of Houston Orientation Team and Student Programming Board, along with the college’s chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, where she held the position of vice president of corporate relations. In addition, she participated in internship and immersive learning opportunities with JPMorgan Chase & Co., BKD, Comerica Bank, Goldman Sachs, KPMG and Ernst & Young.

“The professional and academic growth aside, I feel as if getting involved really boosted my confidence and made me excited for every new day at school. I now have lifelong friends that I can share the remainder of my journey at Bauer with,” Momin said.

Momin is on track to graduate in May 2021 with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance, and a minor in Marketing, and she'll follow up with a Master of Science in Accountancy from Bauer College, expecting to finish the program in May 2022. From there, Momin plans to pursue a CPA certification and continue a career in accounting and finance.

“I knew going into college that I wanted to pursue a profession which would allow me to accomplish a variety of things throughout my life, so I began studying business in hopes of satisfying my need for a dynamic lifestyle,” she said. “Aside from making a comfortable income, pursuing business will allow me to venture off into a variety of markets all while stimulating my thought processes and having the option to create something out of nothing.”

As she looks to the future, Momin knows that her past brought her to this point.

“Since the day I began my journey at the University of Houston, I was determined to make the most out of my experience,” she said. “I have gotten to know some of the brightest and most successful people and without knowing it, they push me to work harder every day.”

Momin added: "The willingness of student leaders I have met at this school and their interest to guide encourages me to also pass on my experiences and knowledge in hopes of someone finding motivation from it. Bauer feels like home to an everlasting domino effect for students and our eagerness to give back and molds us into well rounded students and professionals."