Meet Connor Klosky, a Manager in Transportation Procurement at Amazon who started the online MS-SCM in the Fall of 2019. Connor studied supply chain as an undergrad and continued to pursue the field professionally, due in no small part to his love for traveling the world and passion for challenging work that allows him to interact with the best and brightest minds in the industry.
What aspect of the program appealed to you most as you considered enrolling?
I was looking for a program that fit my schedule, was affordable, and had some “punch” to it—a program that, when someone reads my résumé, they will look at and say, “Wow, that’s a great supply chain program.” UT Haslam checked all those boxes. When I found out the program had launched, I immediately applied and enrolled.
What do you look forward to the most?
I got my undergraduate degree from a well-known supply chain program at the University of Maryland in 2013 (Go Terps!). Years later, I found that the entire foundation of the industry had changed. I was excited to get caught up and learn about future trends while applying what I had learned in the classroom to real life. UT Haslam prides itself on relevancy and provides an education you can truly take from the classroom and use tomorrow. My application coach told me this, and in my experience, these ideas have certainly rung true.
If you were to recommend this program to a colleague, what would you say?
Despite having both work experience and an educational background in supply chain, I have still learned much more in two semesters at Haslam than I ever expected. The program and its curriculum are remarkable. As a student, you will get everything you put into it and then some.
Do you wish you’d enrolled earlier?
Yes and no. Yes, from the sense that life only gets more complex as you get older. When I was younger, I didn’t have a wife and my job was less important than it is now. On the flip side, however, the extra work experience has made the program even more worthwhile because so much of it resonates with what I have seen on the job. I have been able to draw on much of my past experience in the classroom. I know what my professors are talking about because, in many cases, I’ve encountered it myself. I’ve worked through some of these problems and have been faced with some of these scenarios, and that makes the program even more rewarding and relevant.
How do you think your company will directly benefit from your experience?
I think Shay Scott (the program’s director) coined it best: as supply chain professionals, we all have an educational responsibility to teach others about supply chain fundamentals. At my old company, I often felt like a traveling educator because much of the leadership with which I was interacting was unaware of supply chain practices. At my current company, however, we have some of the best and brightest supply chain minds I have ever seen. This program helps me rise to their level and engage with them, feeling confident that my contributions are insightful, valid, and well-informed.
If someone is on the fence about participating, why would you recommend they go for it?
You should always look to invest in yourself. If you’re looking to become a better supply chain professional, kick your career into high gear and take it to the next level, this program is for you. I can personally say that having the UT Haslam Supply Chain program on my résumé helped put me in the top tier of my colleagues and separate myself from others.
If you’re looking for a program to provide you with a deeper understanding of global supply chains that also allows you to keep your globe-trotting lifestyle, learn more about UT Haslam’s online MS-SCM.