Aadil Saifullah leaves a legacy for other students

When Aadil Saifullah (pronounced "Uh-DILL Sa-FOO-lah") realized he wasn’t ready to attend a four-year university, he knew HFC would get him ready. And now, he's headed to UM Ann Arbor.

"Beyond what words can express, HFC not only helped me become a better leader and a better student, but I was also able to become a better-prepared transfer student," said Saifullah, of Westland.

Family member inspired him to pursue medicine

Born in Dearborn, Saifullah is the eldest of two. He graduated from John Glenn High School in Westland. He is majoring in biology at HFC. He will transfer to the University of Michigan Ann Arbor through the Transfer Bridges to Michigan (TB2M) program. Saifullah has also completed coursework at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He aspires to attend medical school, hopefully at U-M.

"I’ve always been interested in the medical field. I can see myself becoming an anesthesiologist or a trauma surgeon," explained Saifullah. "My father’s cousin came from Pakistan and became a trauma surgeon through his residency at U-M. Seeing how passionate he was about the medical field and how it related to helping others was inspirational."

Saifullah is involved in HFC Student Council. For the 2025-26 academic year, he has served as the secretary and attends other student clubs’ meetings routinely as a Student Council liaison. He also is a member of the Chess Club, the Learning Lab task force, and has served as a student representative of the Presidential Search Committee. He was recognized as the February 2026 Student of the Month.

"I’m grateful for HFC," said Saifullah. "One of the reasons I joined Student Council was to give back to the HFC community because it gave me opportunities to succeed."

HFC Director of Student Activities Dr. Cassandra Fluker called Saifullah an outstanding student leader.

"Aadil is mature, dedicated, self-directed, and highly motivated. It is my pleasure to support him in his future endeavors," said Fluker. "I have witnessed his skills, abilities, and growth as secretary of Student Council. I am impressed with his professionalism and leadership. He advocates for change and is making a difference at the College."

Committed to the academic enhancement, engagement, and enrichment of HFC

What impressed Saifullah the most about HFC is the amount of support available for students. He also considers English instructor Brianne Radke, mathematics instructor Jacqulyn Fleming, HFC biology instructor Dr. Michael Irowa, and HFC Learning Lab Coordinator Tracie Varitek to be his mentors.

"There have been plenty of resources available to me," said Saifullah. "I have been able to find a lot of guidance, support, and mentorship through the faculty and the administration, going all the way to the top to HFC Interim President Dr. Lori Gonko. Dr. Gonko has always been there for the Student Council; she’s supportive of our efforts and willing to help. She even wrote me a letter of recommendation, which I consider a great honor."

Through TB2M, Saifullah has worked closely with U-M Senior Transfer Recruiter Justin Villanueva, an HFC and UM alumnus. Villanueva has found working with Saifullah a pleasure and is impressed by his accomplishments.

"One word comes to mind when I think about a student like Aadil Saifullah: Commitment," said Villanueva. "Since working with Aadil, I've witnessed his commitment to both his personal academic growth and achievement, as well as his willingness to help improve and strengthen the institution he is attending. Aadil's dedication toward achieving his associate degree while working to successfully transfer to U-M and his involvement with the Student Council and Learning Lab shows that he is an excellent student and an academic craftsman dedicated to the academic enhancement, engagement, and enrichment of HFC."

He continued: “As an HFC alumnus, I am so proud of how Aadil has engaged and represented our community. As a fellow academic, I am excited for his future pursuits, wherever they will lead him. And, finally, as the TB2M recruiter, I am thankful for his example, a legacy that he is leaving behind for fellow HFC students.”