Fatima Rizk

DEARBORN — Receiving perfect grades in nearly every college course is no easy task – especially among students devoted to looking after their children.

Fatima Rizk, a 26-year-old Henry Ford College student, was named one of this year’s outstanding biology students after scoring an A in almost all her classes. Although difficult for anyone, Rizk faced the additional challenge of raising a 3-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy, who kept her from sleeping for more than a few hours every night.

Rizk said her children were her inspiration and their potential futures drove her to strive to reach the top in her classes.

She also said she received her early education in Lebanon, where she was chosen at age 12 to represent her school in a science competition sponsored by the American University of Beirut. Rizk stunned her teachers by presenting her project on cloning, a rarely heard of topic at the time.

Her school came in third place and Rizk’s competence encouraged the school to let her skip two years. She graduated high school at 16-years-old.

After a break from school, Rizk married, settled in the United States and gave birth to her children. She said she decided to enroll full-time at Henry Ford, although she was terrified of going back. Her tight schedule called for double the amount of studying she had to endure, but her efforts finally paid off this year.

Her chemistry and biology professors said she received 100 percent and 99 percent, respectively, in those classes. The school’s biotechnology department head, Jolie Stepaniak, said no one had scored a perfect grade in her class in 15 years.

Rizk said she was almost in tears when the school’s administration called her to recognize her as this year’s outstanding biology student, which included a $500 scholarship.

“My children’s smiles and my husband’s support are what keep on pushing me forward to do my absolute best,” Rizk said. “I want to set the bar for my children, be their role model, someone to look up to and make them believe that although you may have a tough beginning, with hard work everything is possible.”

Rizk said her favorite subject is chemistry. She plans to attend pharmacy school after she receives her general science associate’s degree.

Her daughter sat at the dinner table pretending to read an upside-down book – wanting to be like her mother.

“The best thing a daughter can say is that she wants to be like her mother,” Rizk said.

Her son’s, daughter’s and husband’s support and pride is Rizk’s secret to academic success. She said they give her the courage to aim farther, paving a path for her children and inspiring other young mothers to pursue a higher education.