Samuele Mian ’22 and Zandanbal (Zach) Arslankhuyag ’22
Fintech research, conducted with Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui and Dr. Faten Ben Bouheni, comparing aspects of Islamic banks and conventional U.S. banks.
Arslankhuyag says:
Our research revealed that Islamic banks earn more in interest income than conventional banks do; meanwhile, the surge of Fintech adoption can help Islamic banks to potentially improve their non-interest income while ensuring a better banking experience for their customers.
Student Perspective
College is a time for research–it is required for classroom projects, for investigating internship and career possibilities, and for personal growth. Menlo College students explain that some of their most treasured moments have included the enormous satisfaction of completing long and arduous research projects. Here, they speak about that process:
We hope this paper, published in the Journal of Risk Finance, helps our peers to conduct further studies on Fintech and Islamic banking growth. It was a great opportunity for us to test our research skills and contribute to scholarly literature with our dear mentors.
Mian says:
Not only does our research evaluate the global developments in the area of FinTech solutions, but it also provides practitioners and academics with a solid foundation to better understand and compare Islamic and conventional banking futures.
[For a study of the ocean], I think part of why I enjoyed this project was due to personal interest, but what I found even more interesting were the parts I had to research.”
- Melisa Ibrahimović ’26
Fredrik B. Ingul ’22 and Christian Ingul ’22
The Ingul brothers investigated the mental health impacts of the campus closure due to Covid-19 and the subsequent return to in-person classes. With the guidance of Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui, Dean of the Business School, they identified drivers in psychological impacts from the pandemic. They presented their findings at the annual convention of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. They also participated in the CFA Institute Research Challenge, a competition between university-sponsored teams that research a designated publicly traded company.
Fredrik Ingul says:
My undergraduate research at Menlo was instrumental in my quest to become a better presenter and researcher. In particular, the CFA challenge pushed me to advance my skills in equity research and to learn how to credibly present an investment recommendation. I was able to take what I learned in the classroom, apply it in a professional context, and gain valuable feedback.
Christian Ingul says:
My experience at Menlo College and, in particular, the CFA challenge and Alpha Chi research projects allowed me to develop the skills to navigate ambiguous situations, learn how to perform quality research, and synthesize complex information into clear takeaways. Overall, the research projects helped me grow confidence in my presentation and research abilities, and opened up new opportunities. I encourage all students to partake.
“ [For a project studying if fashion can be sustainable] I found out that multinational businesses like Zara are harming the environment as well as having workers on minimum wage salaries. I liked how it changed my mind at the end of the project. Now that I have become aware of the environmental damages, I buy less, swap clothes with friends, or buy and support sustainable brands.”
- Aitana Ramos ’27
“ I’m glad I had the satisfaction of completing a project that took a month with the research, writing an essay, and making a PowerPoint slide presentation.”
- Ryan Echeverria ’24
