Since I can remember, I’ve always known I wanted to be a part of something bigger; I have regularly strived to make an impact and grow in every situation. That is why the world of business has fascinated me from an early age; it never ceases to present challenges and opportunities. Upon graduating from high school, I decided to join the military instead! After 10 years of decorated service and having never scratched my itch to jump into business, I made the tough decision to pivot, and I haven’t looked back.
A business school worthy of a veteran
After multiple universities sent me an acceptance letter, my next tough decision presented itself. Who would I trust to enhance my skill sets and equip me to achieve my aspirations? I want to make an impact. I set three bottom-line goals for myself when I separated from service. One was to further my education. Two, to expand my professional network, and three, to challenge myself to grow every day. I had one university in mind, and I am proud to say I chose The Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas. I am now pursuing my BS in Supply Chain Management with a minor in Innovation& Entrepreneurship.
I couldn’t be happier with my decision as the faculty, staff and student body continue to exceed every expectation and more. I can attest that my professors, directors and cohorts further my education and challenge me to expand my outlooks. The passion and dedication that they all bring both in and out of the classroom inspire me every day. I am very excited, optimistic and confident about my decision and my future in supply chain management.
A career choice that fulfilled my expectations
Once at the Jindal School, I chose to specialize in the field of supply chain management. I thought it was best for me because every company has a supply chain. You also have the real opportunity to make a difference for your customers, your company and, if you do it right, you can even help the planet! This is truly a position that impacts the triple bottom line: people, profits and the planet. When disasters like COVID-19 strike, having efficient and effective supply chains even enables us to save lives.
UT Dallas, and more specifically, the Jindal School, are what I like to refer to as an “iron sharpens iron” ecosystem — built to bring the best out in everyone. Time after time, my directors and cohorts have pushed me outside my comfort zone. The result: I am driving up my value in the industry. I also have had the honor of being a finalist for the Texas Business Hall of Fame Scholarship and more. I also proudly hold an officer position at INFORMS and I was elected as President of APICS for the upcoming academic year. Both, supply chain management student organizations.
I want to finish with a key piece of advice for others who are thinking about other careers and are not sure what to do: Network, network, network! The number of networking events and workshops that are facilitated through student organizations, program directors and our top-notch Career Management Center here at the Jindal School have directly set me up for success. They have also helped me to gain insight into and exposure to the industry while building meaningful and lasting connections with industry leaders and like-minded professionals. Networking has presented me with more opportunities than I could have ever imagined and a handful of lifetime friendships and mentors too.
“Nothing is more a waste of your time than to be inspired and not take action.” — Kevin Ekmark, marketer and serial entrepreneur.
