Student Success in Supply Chain Management

Jordan Sieger

If you are looking for a solid foundation that can drive you forward in a prestigious career in supply chain management, then look no further. While attending classes at CSUSM, the professors shared real life experience & education in the class room which equipped me with the necessary skills to be able to obtain a position in my field of study at ViaSat right out of school. Supply chain management is a Major that is in high demand, is a well-respected in all industries, and predicted to grow. CSUSM offers an outstanding program.

Chris Edwards

Entering the Global Supply Chain Management program was one of the best decisions I made during my undergraduate career and set me up for success in my professional life like no other program could have. I graduated in the Fall of 2012 with by B.S. in Business Administration – Global Supply Chain Management and shortly thereafter started working at General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in Poway, CA as a Business Systems Analyst. During my time at General Atomics, I began to fully understand the importance of having the right product, at the right place, at the right time in order to fully support the warfighter and their objectives.

I am currently working at Viasat in Carlsbad as an Inventory Control Supervisor responsible for managing off-site inventory and leading a small team that runs process improvement projects and enhancements to the company’s ERP system. Being in the Supply Chain department in ViaSat, I have the opportunity to work directly with programs that are providing satellite internet connectivity to small villages in Latin America to working with large government and commercial airline customers to provide in-flight Wi-Fi. The Global Supply Chain Management program at CSUSM supported me completely during my time at school and continues to support my career today.

I recently received my M.S. in Supply Chain Management and am a member of the Global Supply Chain Management Advisory Board at CSUSM.

Aly Chen

Rachel Wardlaw

 

I am always looking toward the future, ready to take on the next big challenge and have a passion for making visions a reality. Throughout my career in Supply Chain, I have managed contract manufactures that turned engineering designs into life changing products, negotiated major contracts that have brought significant value to the company and developed logistics strategies that ensured customers received the highest level of service. The Supply Chain Management curriculum courses, Pricing and Revenue Management and Decision Models have been instrumental in the success of several of my work projects.  The Operations and Supply Chain Management program at CSUSM provides students with a strong foundation for a successful career in making their visions a reality. 

 

 

 

Kim Hernandez

 

The CSUSM GSCM gave me the foundation to be a successful business professional in the insurance and risk management industry. While we do not traditionally think of insurance or other service industries as a supply chain, this profession has very common principles. The program taught me how to work as a team with others, evaluate how actions affect production/efficiency upstream and downstream, and how global events can impact local operations. The program also gave me confidence and prepared me to pursue graduate level studies. Since graduating from the program in December of 2012, I have earned a Master’s Degree from Boston College in Business Continuity and Risk Management and am working on earning my Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) industry designation.

 

 

 

 

Gaby Fonseca, CSCP

During the first week of my freshman year in college, I was formally introduced to the world of supply chain management, when a member of the Global Supply Chain Management (GSCM) student society explained the definition of global supply chain management to me, what immediately caught my attention was the opportunity to participate in the process flow of a product or service from beginning to end, ultimately satisfying a customer’s needs or wants. Through the GSCM program, I explored a variety of courses that have helped me understand the processes in my company better such as financial reports, contract negotiations, pricing strategies, and supply and demand planning. Upon entering my senior year at CSUSM, I began to work as a Supply Chain Analyst at Watkins Wellness in Vista, California. Watkins Wellness is the world’s leading producer of hot tubs and one of the MASCO business units. Since the moment I choose the GSCM emphasis, the faculty at CSUSM have been nothing less than encouraging and motivating throughout my time at CSUSM and career development afterwards. The GSCM program has created a great network between industry professionals, students, and alumni where you can meet and share experiences, ideas, and opportunities.

 

 

 

Torey Roberts

I graduated with my BS in Global Supply Chain Management in May 2017. I work for National Express LLC, the North American subsidiary corporation of National Express Group PLC, a premier transportation firm based in Birmingham, England. I serve as an Assistant General Manager and Operations Manager leading a team of 170 Certified Professional School Bus Drivers. I report to our corporate office in Chicago, while managing student transportation operations in Southern California. My education in Supply Chain has opened global opportunities for me that other degree options would not. National Express in my first year has brought me to company networking events and meetings in Los Angeles, Chicago and Madrid; we will be going to headquarters in Birmingham in November ’18. This April, I attended my first class at Indiana University Kelley School of Business, the #4 ranked MBA program in the U.S. I plan on earning my MS in GSCM and continuing to finish my MBA. It is almost unbelievable that my CEO sponsored me, along with 23 selected colleagues, from his North American businesses.

Laureta Koxha

Supply chain management plays an integral role in most companies, big or small all over the world. With the job market being highly competitive for new business graduates, selecting the GSCM option for my undergraduate degree in Business Administration at CSUSM was hands down the best academic decision I could have made. The second best decision I made was joining the GSCM society which exposed me to a great business network. Since graduating in May of 2016, the career opportunities that have come my way have been very rewarding. I owe much of my success to the great professors in the GSCM department whose real world business experience greatly enhanced my learning!

Maggie Kay

 As a native of Kenya, having witnessed the collapse of Business Communities in Africa due to the disruption of their supply chain, focusing in Global Supply Chain Management in the Business Administration program while at CSUSM was not an option I had to debate on rather an imperative decision I had to make. It was obligatory for me to learn about ways to fix and salvage crumbling supply chain networks in Africa. And with the knowledge I acquired in GSCM, I have been able through The Maggie Kay Foundation to not only educate African communities on ways to improve their already existing supply chains but also achieve the foundation’s objective of improving its efficiency and cost reduction.

See the Ted Talk by Maggie K

Morley Tran

My experience at California State University San Marcos has been rewarding/impactful and most of all, the best choice I have made in my professional career. I chose the Global Supply Chain option as my emphasis because of the vast opportunities it had to offer. The teachers are very knowledgeable and have experience at real companies. That insight is invaluable and can bridge the gap between real world and textbooks. My professors have greatly helped me excel in my career and I have found my place in a career path that is critical in today’s global business environment.

Kyle Skachenko

“Upon entering the COBA program at CSUSM I was not quite sure which business program I wanted to emphasize in. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to stumble upon Global Supply Chain Management through an in-class presentation, where I knew immediately it would be the correct route for me. In completing the GSCM program, the skills learned and the demand for positions requiring those skills, led to a staggering potential of possibilities that did not disappoint. Learning supply chain fundamentals has created a fantastic bridge for me, connecting the real world and business world. Operations has become hardwired into my brain and I find myself looking to optimize even the smallest details of everyday life. Most of the professors come from a successful business background which exposes students to an abundance of real world scenarios. The holistic approach that the GSCM program offers allows you to learn and interact with all parts of the business, which ultimately creates value for a company or potentially an industry.”

Alexa Erickson

Like many others I’m sure, I initially had no clue what Global Supply Chain Management was when I transferred to CSUSM in the Fall of 2014. Flash forward to present day and I couldn’t see myself in any other career field. I am honored to have been a part of the GSCM program at CSUSM. From the variety of classes taught by professors with real business/supply chain experience to meeting professionals and learning networking skills in the Global Supply Chain Management Society, I am incredibly grateful for all of the opportunities this program has offered me. Supply Chain is a growing field and I am thrilled to be starting my career in this ever growing and changing field. 

Bryce Mueller

Sean Clayton

 My learnings in the Global Supply Chain Management program at CSUSM has enabled me to accelerate my career. The curriculum in the program directly translated to the work I faced on the professional front which helped me immediately add value to the company I joined. Efficiency is valued at every company and this is a unique key learning that the GSCM program draws extensive focus to. The professors at CSUSM are committed to fostering a healthy learning environment. Additionally, they are sincerely committed to the development of their students which helped me thrive during my time at CSUSM.