Management and International Business alumni give advice on how to get the most out of the graduate school experience
It’s no secret that graduates of the UF Master of Science in Management (MSM) and Master of International Business (MIB) make for great job candidates in many industries. Employers from across the nation and world recognize the stellar students that come from Warrington’s programs, and make it a point to recruit our students year after year.
One such company is CHEP, a sustainable logistics company that helps move more goods to more people than any other organization in the world. A number of MSM and MIB students have gone on to work for CHEP, a Brambles Company, in managerial and senior roles. In fact, alumni graduating from 2011 to 2018 have joined CHEP, including:
- Derek Rakestraw (MSM ’11), Manager of Dedicated Transportation and Bryan Harper (MSM ’11) Manager of Customer Operations
- Ryan Mcilmurray (MSM ’12), Senior Analyst, Stock Management
- Alexander Schwab (MSM ’13), Senior Analyst, Collaborative Freight Solutions
- Morgan Harper (MSM ’14), Logistics Manager, Trevor Jenkins (MSM ’14), Logistics Manager, and Colbey Brafford (MSM ’14), Line Haul Transportation Manager
- Angielina Packard (MSM ’15), Manager, Supply Chain Optimization & Tactical Planning
- Michael Grew (MIB ’16), Customer Logistics Coordinator
- Isabel Suarez-Solar (MSM ’17), Financial Analyst
- Michael Nauman (MIB ’18), Logistics Coordinator, Natalie Wainio (MIB ’18), Logistics Coordinator and Jeffery Rosenthal (MSM ’18), Logistics Coordinator
“I’m so thrilled that CHEP is hiring so many UF students,” Rakestraw, CHEP’s very first hire from the UF MSM program, said. “The MSM program helped me gain a strong business background, so I could hit the ground running at CHEP. Having the opportunity to be in class with people from so many different cultures and backgrounds. Making presentations and learning to manage multiple projects simultaneously helped me gain invaluable skills which I utilize daily at CHEP. I highly recommend current students to take advantage of all the resources available to them, from getting to know their Career Coach, to attending Information Sessions, Career Fairs and network as much as possible, especially with alumni.”
We asked Michael Nauman, from our most recent round of hires by CHEP, about how future MSM and MIB students can prepare for a successful career.
Q: What is your advice for future MSM/MIB students?
Nauman: “My advice for future MSM/MIB students is to utilize all of the amazing resources that the program and the Hough Graduate School of Business offers you. The CAP mentors, faculty advisors, and break-out info sessions with recruiters all majorly impacted my job search process and prepared me for the working world. Be open and honest with your advisor about what is most important to you in a career, and I am confident they will align you with the companies that share the same values and beliefs. I was initially overwhelmed by the plethora of companies and job postings available, but after speaking with my advisor and focusing on what was most important to me it became easy to pinpoint a few select companies and positions to hone in on my job search strategy. Having these readily available resources is certainly a luxury that many other schools do not offer.”
Q: What is your best memory from Warrington?
Nauman: “My best memory from Warrington would be the Global Immersion Experience as a part of the MIB program, where myself and 60 classmates traveled to Munich, Germany for a week of professional and cultural learning. A group of 5 classmates and I got to present to BMW management on our beliefs of how the future autonomous car market would impact their business. In addition, we got to tour the BMW manufacturing facility where over 95 percent of the production is completely automated. Lastly, we got to attend presentations from both Siemens and EOS during our trip. The key learnings and friendships from this week are something I will remember for many years to come!”
