Finance, Accounting, Behavioral Economics & Psychology, Class of 2025
From Edmond, Oklahoma
I will miss waking up and spending each day doing something I love, surrounded by people who are just as passionate about their pursuits. At OU, it’s easy to find yourself building something meaningful with others who care. That kind of shared energy doesn’t happen easily.
As a part of OU's Class of 2025, Honors and first-generation college student Manuvel Sibichan will be graduating with degrees in finance, accounting, behavioral economics, and psychology. With multiple majors, Manuvel took full advantage of the academic opportunities at the University of Oklahoma to honor the sacrifices his family made.
"My family and I left everything behind to come to America," Manuvel said. "My parents believed in a future they couldn't see but hoped they would one day live."
Manuvel began his college search knowing he wanted to attend a university that would be difficult to leave behind.
"I chose OU because I wanted to be heartbroken when I left," Manuvel said. "I wanted more than just a degree. I wanted to grow, build lasting relationships, and find a community I could call home. Looking back, I got exactly that and more."
The beginning of his time on campus was both hopeful and uncertain, with countless opportunities awaiting him with OU's 500+ student organizations and 170+ major options. On campus, Manuvel became a campus tour guide, helping high school students imagine what life could be like as part of the OU Family; a member of OU President's Leadership Class; co-chair of the Crimson Leadership Academy; and part of the Beta Upsilon Chi Fraternity. Off campus, he completed internships at AT&T with finance-technology, operations, and capital management, and commercial real estate firm JLL as a brokerage intern.
"I'm leaving more grounded, curious, and driven," Manuvel said. "From a campus that radiated warmth to my professors who cared for my success and the friends I met who want to make the world a better place, I am grateful."
For his legacy, Manuvel hopes that his achievements serve as a reminder to students that regardless of where they come from or who they are, there is a community waiting for them with the OU Family.
"I hope my legacy is a reminder that all students belong here, that they are capable, and that someone here will believe in you, even before you believe in yourself," Manuvel said.
For Manuvel, his undergraduate degrees from OU represent far more than just academic achievement.
"It carries the weight of a thousand sacrifices," Manuvel said. "When my parents came to America, a decade of struggle followed, but my parents continued to persevere. They gave their youth away because college wasn't just a milestone, it was their dream and the reason they endured. This OU degree is not just mine, it is theirs and proof their sacrifices meant something. We made it."
After walking across the stage this May, Manuvel will return home to care for his parents and prepare for the Graduate Management Admission Test. In January 2026, Manuvel will begin a position in Dallas, Texas with AT&T.
"I found a place I loved enough to call home," Manuvel said. "A place I trusted with my parents' hopes, my own dreams, and everything we gave up to be here."
