Laman Mirzaliyeva

Binghamton University School of Management

“An intellectually curious polyglot passionate about brightening people ‘s lives who sometimes mixes up her languages.”

Fun fact about yourself: I moved to the United States alone at the age of sixteen!

Hometown: Baku, Azerbaijan

High School: Loginov School No. 8

Major: Accounting Honors with a concentration in Management Information Systems

Minor: Education

Favorite Business Course: MIS 325: Essentials of Programming taught by Prof. Ajshwarya Sundar is designed to introduce computer programming and data visualization to business students.  This course has sparked my interest in pursuing a concentration in Management Information Systems.

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

Academic/Professional:

Management Consulting Group

• Consulting Development Program Mentee (2020)
• Education Committee Member (2020 – 2021)
• Vice President of Education (2021 – 2022) o Mentor (2021 – 2022)
• Senior Advisor (2022 – 2023)

Dean‘s Mentoring Program              

• Mentee (2020)
• Mentor (2022 – 2023)
• Senior Vice president (2022 – 2023)

PwC Scholars Program

• Admission s Committee (2020)
• Mentor (2022)
• MGMT 111 Introduction to Decision Making in Management – Mentor (2021)
• Binghamton University Student Panel – Speaker (2021-2022)
• Winter Consulting Night 2022 – Organizer (2022)
• FIN 31l Financial Management – Teaching Assistant (2022)
• Transformational Leaders Program – Tutor in Information Systems and Application, Financial Accounting, and Financial Management (2023)

Case Competitions:

• Dean’s Mentoring Program Case Competition – 1st Place Winner
• Dean’s Case Competition – Finalist
• Scholars Sophomore Experience – Finalist
• EY TechX Case Competition – Semi-Finalist
• Equity Research Case Competition – Semi-Finalist
• Judged Dean’s Case Competition (2020 – 2022), EY TechX (2021 – 2022), Consulting Development Program Capstone Case (2021 – 2022), and Scholars Sophomore Experience (2022)

Community Work:

• Volunteered at Jablon Studios Art School to create and install mosaics for the American Civic Association
• Performed at Horace Mann Elementary School to educate students about different cultures and ethnic groups in Ghana through a selection of dances
• Created an Educator Guide for Teaching and Working with English Language Learners

School Awards/Honors:

• Dean’s List: All Semesters
• Provost’ s Scholarship for Student Excellence: All Semesters
• PwC Scholars Program: Selective honors program within the School of Management focused on developing future business leaders through leadership, academic excellence, community service, fundraising, and networking opportunities
• Dean’s Mentoring Program: Exclusive program designed to provide mentoring and guidance to a group of 17 undergraduate students exhibiting academic achievement, leadership potential, and a commitment to personal growth
• Consulting Development Program: Competitive program focused on case analysis and problem-solving skills, technical capabilities, and knowledge of the consulting industry through weekly workshops and a case competition
• Deloitte Leadership & Excellence Group: One of thirteen students selected to attend semester-long seminars focused on leadership and public speaking skills while learning more about the firm and networking with professionals from various service lines

• Women in Finance Development Program: One of four students chosen to participate in a 10- week mentoring program developed to teach about the financial services industry, financial modeling, interviewing, and networking

Where have you interned during your college career?

Summer 2020: EY, Rotational Program Intern – Baku, Azerbaijan

• Rotated through different practices of EY, such as Tax, Audit, and Consulting, while shadowing more experienced colleagues in order to learn the responsibilities of their department

Summer 2021: KPMG, Audit Intern – Baku, Azerbaijan

• Stimulated efficiency of accounts by managing financial information from bills, invoices, and checks in addition to assisting in preparation of the documents for six proposal submissions to potential clients

Summer 2022: Deloitte, Audit & Assurance Analytics Intern – New York, New York

• Built and executed analytics of small to large data sets, using tools such as R, SAS, ACL, and Tableau, to analyze patterns, discover anomalies, and identify relationships from client-provided data

Where will you be working after graduation? Following graduation, I will be working at Deloitte as a part of their Audit & Assurance Analytics group in New York City.

Who is your favorite business professor? My favorite professor in the School of Management is Associate Dean George Bobinski. As a student in his Introduction to Management class and Scholars Community Engagement class, I was amazed by his commitment to exposing students to different fields of business and his ability to make the most complex topics accessible and engaging. Dean Bobinski has always welcomed my ideas with great enthusiasm, pushing me to think outside the box to achieve my goals. He has had a tremendous impact on the Management Consulting Group that I am a part of, helping us develop case competitions for hundreds of students. Our organization would not be where it is today without his continuous support.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? The primary piece of advice I would give to a student looking to major in a business-related field is to get involved early on and take full advantage of the resources and opportunities their school has to offer. This includes going to networking events, meeting with career assistants, joining various organizations, and participating in case competitions, all of which can provide valuable insights into the business world and help to develop hard skills and soft skills beneficial in the workplace. Coming to Binghamton with an open mind and a willingness to take advantage of every resource available has helped me grow both academically and professionally, in addition to giving me a plethora of opportunities to make an impact that matters.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? What surprised me most about majoring in business is how supportive and collaborative the business environment is and how much guidance you get from people around you. Business is often thought of as a competitive and highly individualistic field, where success is determined by one’s ability to outdo others and rise to the top. However, this perception is not entirely accurate. While competition and individual achievement are certainly important in business, the field is also heavily reliant on collaboration and teamwork. Collaboration has been an integral part of the classes and organizations I am involved with in Binghamton, where students work as a unit toward a common goal. For example, when my classmates and I were going through the recruitment cycle in our junior year of college, we would take turns interviewing each other to practice and become better at interviews. Upperclassmen would provide us with their guides, always willing to give advice and share their experiences.

As I have progressed through my own school career and personal development, I have had the opportunity to work with a number of mentors who have played an important role in shaping who I am today. From these experiences, I have come to appreciate the value of mentorship and the positive impact that it can have on one’s life. I cannot wait to continue giving back to my school once I graduate, helping students achieve their goals and navigate challenges just like my mentors did for me.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Although I am very proud of everything I have accomplished throughout my years as a student in the School of Management, if I could do it over again, I would apply to be a Career Services Assistant for undergraduate students. There is nothing that warms my heart more than motivating and helping people around me achieve their goals, and that is exactly what the role of a Student Career Assistant entails. Helping students build their resumes, preparing them for interviews, and assisting them in finding jobs are some of the many great things our Career Assistants do every day.

What business leader do you admire most? I admire Rosalind Brewer, the Chief Executive Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance and one of only two Black women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. I admire her for being so committed to using her platform and resources to make a positive impact on the world and to empower diverse voices. Rosalind Brewer leads by breaking down gender and racial barriers, inspiring future female business leaders, and bringing about real change, which is why l have so much respect for her.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of’? I am most proud of all the hard work I have put in to get into a college in the United States and receiving a merit-based scholarship for all four years of my education here. Coming from a family where no one is fluent in English or has ever lived in the United States, I had to learn the language on my own while simultaneously studying for standardized tests such as SATs and IELTS, as well as national exams of my home country. I am proud of the 16-year-old me who found the courage to leave her home and move to a country 6,000 miles away from her family and friends where she did not know even one person, working hard every single day to become successful there. From language barriers and cultural differences to being far away from loved ones, there were many challenges I had to face throughout my journey that tested my resilience and determination. However, if I could go back in time, I would most certainly do it all over again. The experiences and lessons I have gained have helped me build my character, widen my horizons, and develop a truly global mindset. They have shaped me into the person I am today, and I am grateful for every moment.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire the most is Evan Habert. I met Evan when I was a first-semester freshman in college and was immediately inspired by his motivation, creativity, and limitless energy. Having worked with Evan on multiple case competitions, executive boards, and class projects, I can say without a doubt that he is one of the most talented and hard-working people I have ever met. Evan has been a mentor to many underclassmen in the School of Management, always willing to share his knowledge and experiences with those around him. As the External Vice President of the PwC Scholars Program, Evan has connected hundreds of Binghamton students with alumni and professionals from various industries. He has also helped local businesses in the Binghamton area as the Client Director for 180 Degrees Consulting. Evan embodies many of the values and principles I respect and value in people, such as working harder than the rest, giving back to the community, always staying humble, and doing all of this with a smile on your face.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? The person I would most want to thank for my success is my mom. She has been my rock, my support system, and my guiding light throughout my whole life. I want to thank her for raising me with love, for showing me that anything can be achieved through hard work and determination, and for supporting me through all the ups-and-downs of my life. It takes an immense amount of courage to let your child move abroad alone at the age of 16. Although it was not easy for her at times, she has always believed in me and my ability to achieve everything I have ever dreamed of. My mom is my biggest role model, inspiring me every day with her kindness, empathy, hard work, and love for life. Without her, I would most certainly not be the person I am today. Thank you for everything, Mom!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The first item on my professional bucket list is to launch a startup focused on language exchange and empowering youth, which is something I am currently working on.

The second item on my professional bucket list is to pursue a master’ s degree in Artificial Intelligence after working in the industry for a few years. I believe that would be a great addition to my bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management Information Systems.

What are your hobbies? I am very passionate about Formula 1 racing, travelling domestically and around the world, soccer, exchanging culture through food, embroidery, psychological thrillers, and logical puzzles.

What made Laman such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2023?

“As the Director of Career Services for the School of Management I have had the pleasure of getting to know Laman both professionally and personally. Laman is the epitome of what it means to be a leader. Her selfless dedication to her peers, faculty/staff and the School of Management community as a whole is something that cannot be matched. One would never know the countless successes Laman has accomplished because she is a silent leader with the most humble and genuine persona. She is highly sought after as a mentor by her peers not only because of her knowledge in business analytics and consulting, but also because she is patient, understanding and passionate about helping those around her succeed. Laman has mentored students in SOM’s professional student organizations, such as the Management Consulting Group, the Dean’s Mentoring Program, and the PwC Scholars Program, and she has judged several case competitions because of her expertise in the field of consulting. There have been countless occasions where Laman has volunteered to assist professional staff at admissions events, employer recruiting events, academic panels and more. Over and over again, Laman has proven to be an exceptional student leader whose legacy will live on for years to come.”

Olivia Pasquale
Director of Career Services
School of Management, Binghamton University

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