Gulmeena Rehman has juggled an unexpected pregnancy and working full-time to graduate with a distinction in MSc Financial Investigation
A new University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) graduate has demonstrated multi-tasking skills of the highest order to achieve top academic success.
Gulmeena Rehman juggled a complicated and unexpected pregnancy and working full-time in a senior banking role while also studying on the MSc Financial Investigation course.
The 40-year-old, who graduated with a distinction, said: “I’m so proud of my accomplishments and delighted I managed to pull it all together and get to the finish line.
“I had to deal with health problems, the Covid pandemic, and a surprise second child. Without the continuing support of my mother, my beloved late father, and my husband I would not be where I am today.”
Gulmeena, who lives in Sale with Mohammad, their teenage daughter Eshal, and four-month-old Yahya, works as an Assistant Anti-Money Laundering Manager for a major financial institute.
"I’m so proud of my accomplishments and delighted I managed to pull it all together and get to the finish line"
— Gulmeena Rehman
She has a self-confessed passion for financial crime, and this led to her completing two courses, a Diploma in Chartered Banking from the Institute of Chartered Banking Scotland, and an International Advanced Certificate in Anti-Money Laundering, before enrolling on to UCLan’s specialist course.
She explained: “I decided I couldn’t do a degree because I didn’t have enough time, but Covid changed everything. It gave me the extra time I needed for my studies as I wasn’t traveling for work. I was suddenly able to do everything from home, so I started my master’s.
“While on the course, I got pregnant after a gap of 14 years. I was told by doctors that I wouldn’t be able to have a second child, so I wasn’t expecting it at all, otherwise, I wouldn’t have started my degree.
“It was the most complicated pregnancy. My son was then born prematurely in June, and I was back completing my dissertation only a short number of weeks later in August.”
Gulmeena has achieved her academic success while losing one of her biggest supporters her dad, who she tragically lost in a car accident in 2019.
"I had to overcome many hurdles over the years and move to the UK from Pakistan to keep my passion alive for further education, but I’m delighted I did it"
— New UCLan graduate Gulmeena Rehman
“My father’s greatest wish was to educate myself and my four sisters to a high standard, despite it culturally being considered strange,” she said. “I had to overcome many hurdles over the years and move to the UK from Pakistan to keep my passion alive for further education, but I’m delighted I did it.”
She also praised the ongoing support she has received from her academics, especially Janet McClement.
Gulmeena commented: “A lot of the credit goes to UCLan for designing this course to be completed through online learning. Working under Janet’s supervision for my final dissertation was the opportunity of a lifetime. I have learned so much from her, she is a real asset to the University and this course.”
Gulmeena’s goal is to work at the forefront of the economic crime prevention and compliance arena and design anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing policies.
The mum-of-two added: “Economic crime and how it is linked to terrorism, bribery, and corruption is a major problem of today's financial world. It is indeed a threat to the national security of the country. The experience and the knowledge I have gained at UCLan will help me stand in good stead in the next step of my career.”
