Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management

We had such a great time last week celebrating our graduating students from our MBA, MS, and BBA programs! We can't wait to see what you do next!

This week's Senior Spotlight is Maren Seefluth! After graduating, Maren will be moving to Chicago to work in the Graduate Program at Kerry Group! In this new role she will be working as a Business and Commercial Development Graduate. Read below to hear more about Maren and her new role!

What are you looking forward to the most at your new role?
"I am excited to learn about commercial development and help food and beverage companies make their product portfolio more sustainable though nutritious alternatives."

How has the SCM major helped you get this role?
"The SCM major gave me the technical skills and ability to understand the intricacies of the production process to apply it to the food and agricultural sectors. I was able to receive a position within the Graduate Program by demonstrating these skills and my leadership within the Grainger Center."

What class in your BBA career do you think will help you the most in your career?
"Procurement and Supply Management"

On Friday, Supply Chain Undergraduate Students had the fun opportunity to travel to and tour New Glarus Brewery! Students were able to do a tasting and received a tour from faculty member Pete Lukszys!

This past week, the Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management had two groups of students participate in unique and educational supply chain opportunities that allowed students to learn and grow in a professional setting.

One group of students, accompanied by faculty member Blake Bishop, went to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities to partake in the annual National Supply Chain Case Competition. Students worked incredibly hard, and were awarded with a second place finish! On top of this accomplishment, students Cameron Blackwell and Lily Peterson earned awards for Outstanding Individuals. Congratulations to this group of students!

Also this past week, two supply chain students attended the Ulta Beauty Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence (WISE) conference with faculty member Verda Blythe. The conference was held in Bolingbrook, Illinois where students were able to connect with Supply Chain Leaders and students from surrounding universities. Students learned about the importance of building your personal brand in the workplace and what it means to be a leader.

Thank you to the hosts of both of these events for giving our students the opportunity to gain valuable supply chain knowledge and learn from professionals around the country.

Over spring break a select group of undergraduate Supply Chain Management students traveled to Norway to learn about the energy industry. Leading up to the trip, the students spent their time researching and learning about the industry as well as the country’s culture. Students then made the trip to immerse themselves in Norwegian culture and learn from industry experts.

Read more about the trip in our most recent blog post: https://business.wisc.edu/centers/grainger/news/bba-students-explore-the-energy-industry-in-norway/

Our next Senior Spotlight is Grace Austvold! After graduating Grace will be moving to Milwaukee for 8 months, and then going to two other US locations while working for GE Healthcare. Her role at the company will be in their Operations Management Development Program. Read below to hear more about Grace!

What are you looking forward to the most at your new role?
"I am looking forward to gaining new experiences in three different roles and cities while combining my knowledge and passion for supply chain and sustainability. "

How has the SCM Major helped you get this role?
"The SCM major has taught me how to appreciate and understand the complexities behind supply chains and how I can improve them through sustainable business practices. Additionally, I was able to find both my internship and full-time job through the SCM career fairs with guidance and preparation from the Business Career Studio."

What class in your BBA career do you think will help you the most in your career?
"Business Analytics I & II"

This week's Senior Spotlight is Eva Fernandez! Following graduation, Eva will be working at Bain & Company in Chicago, IL as an Associate Consultant. Read below to hear more about Eva and her new role!

What are you looking forward to the most at your new role?
"I am most excited to be faced with the vast opportunity to explore a variety of different industries and sectors as I take on a generalist role."

How has the SCM Major helped you get this role?
"The SCM major helped play an integral role in breaking into the consulting industry as it has provided me with a toolkit in understanding the strategic role that supply chains play in creating a sustainable competitive advantage for corporations."

What class in your BBA career do you think will help you the most in your career?
"My favorite class in my BBA career was Operations Analytics (OTM 453) as it taught me valuable data visualization techniques, but more so helped conceptualize how analytics can be used to support strategic recommendations for a variety of business problems."

This past Thursday Supply Chain students came together at 7 Iron Social to get to know each other better outside of classes and check out the facility's sports simulators. It was great seeing so many students there!

The Wisconsin School of Business’ “Trusted to Lead” campaign features four Supply Chain Management students – Olivia Asare, Yueran Zhao, Lissy Kettleson, and Chloe Thorpe. The campaign celebrates a different way of doing business through the stories of individuals who are trusted to lead when there is no blueprint. The Wisconsin School of Business is developing, celebrating, and inspiring trusted leaders. The Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management is proud of our students that are paving the way!

Read more about our students' stories by checking out our blog post: https://business.wisc.edu/centers/grainger/news/supply-chain-students-highlighted-in-the-trusted-to-lead-campaign/

This week's Senior Spotlight is Annabelle Leffler! After graduating, Annabelle will be moving to Chicago to work for Baker Tilly as a Supply Chain Consultant. Read below to hear more about her plans!

What are you looking forward to the most at your new role?
"Working with clients in a variety of industries."

How has the SCM Major helped you get that role?
"The major has provided me opportunities to discover possible careers within the supply chain world through applied learnings. Additionally, the continuous exposure to real life problems during case studies in classes has prepared me for the problems I will encounter in a fast-paced role."

What class in your BBA career do you think will help you the most in your career?
"OTM 453 Operations Analytics."

Congratulations Annabelle!

Over winter break the Grainger Center’s 2023 MBA & MS students took a trip to Prague, Leipzig, and Berlin. The trip gave students the opportunity to take an in-depth look into business in Germany and the Czech Republic and gain a global supply chain perspective on topics ranging from the automotive industry to international relations.

Read more about their trip by checking out our most recent blog post!
https://business.wisc.edu/centers/grainger/news/graduate-students-explore-global-supply-chains-in-prague-leipzig-and-berlin/

Welcome back! Kicking off our first full week of classes we have our first spring semester Senior Spotlight, Zac Kenwood! Upon graduation, Zac will be taking on a full time Inventory Analyst role at Kohl's based out of Menominee Falls, WI. Read below to hear more about Zac and his upcoming role!

What are you looking forward to the most at your new role?
"I am most looking forward to being able to work in a team environment and interacting with new people to help solve problems using the skills I have gained at UW."

How has the SCM Major helped you get this role?
"The supply chain major has helped me get this job because the course work that I have done directly applies to the duties I will have with Kohl’s. Through the courses in the supply chain program it feels like I have gotten real life experience within a classroom environment."

What class in your BBA career do you think will help you the most in your career?
"The class I feel will help me the most is MKT/OTM 422 Logistics Management. More specifically the unit in this class on Inventory Management as this is an area that will directly apply to my role as an Inventory Analyst."