Life In and Out of the Classroom

Brian Woods
MBA Class of 2007
BS - Management, Penn State University
Position prior to Smeal: Warehouse Supervisor, PPG AutoGlass LLC
Interesting Fact: I wrote part of the Penn State Drumline Cadence, and they're still playing it!!

April 29, 2007

Bittersweet Goodbye: My final blog

The most difficult thing I may have to do in my two years of the MBA program is coming up. I knew it was coming, 220 even put it on our schedule the first day we arrived for orientation. Still I find I don’t know how to come to grips with the idea of “graduation.”

Half of me is SO happy I could burst. My entire life I’ve struggled to make a competitive salary in a job I love. Since graduating undergrad I’ve had tremendous personal success, and even had some jobs that I loved, but not at the same time. For the first time I’ll be able to pay off some bills, maybe even buy a house at a job that I’m excited about. I’M SO HAPPY…………..yet I know that there’s another side of graduation I don’t know how I’ll face; leaving my family here.

I expected to meet people in the MBA program, and even form a few lasting friendships. What I didn’t expect was just how many people I’d become close to in the program. In my personal life I could count with my fingers people who I could pick up the phone and call if I needed them; people I really trusted and cared about. After two years here at Smeal, I’ll have to get a few more hands to count them.

What makes these friends even closer is that they’re more than just social acquaintances. They have helped me both personally and professionally. When I struggled with cancer last year, they were there to support me. When I landed the big job, they were there to celebrate. Whenever I found myself in doubt or needed to talk, they were there to listen and advise. When I just wanted to go out and paint the town red, they were there (with plenty of paint).

So how do I reconcile the two?

I don’t know that I can. No matter how much I celebrate or mourn, the date has been set and the clock continues its steady march forward. I think I’ll just have to accept this change in my life for what it is. I’ll take my finals, buy my gown, and hope I’ve had as big a positive impact on my friend’s lives as they have had on mine.

Best of luck to all of you who have been admitted; and to those of you who will be applying. You’ve both made a wise decision. I hope you have had as much fun reading my blog as I have had writing it.

May you all have at least as much success as I’ve had.

Brian Deely Woods

February 10, 2007

Refreshing Reality:

I’m trying to keep up my blog for those of you who find it useful, however lately I’ve struggled to write about something unique or interesting. I figure telling you I’ve caught a cold, went to class, and took a nap might not be too informative. That’s why sometimes I skip a blog, hoping something inspiring comes along.

On that note, I have to relate how much I am beginning to enjoy my transportation class this semester. It’s an elective in the supply chain program during your second year. The class is taught by Dr. Spychalski, an experienced and distinguished faculty member. It has long reading assignments (which I hope to one day catch up with) like most graduate classes, but the thing I like about this class is that all of our lecturers and information are “real world.”

When I say real world, I’m not slamming other professors, what I mean is that we talk about the everyday and specific problems individual companies are facing with their transportation and distribution of goods TODAY!! To highlight this fact, we’ve had three guest lecturers who have been able to relate to us how difficult it is to implement supply chain initiatives in a dynamic and increasingly global world.

One of these lectures indicated (although not directly) how important history was in how his supply chain was developed. When I asked him, “Wouldn’t it just be easier to move the factory and distribution closer to the consumer to facilitate a faster more JIT (just in time) type of operation…..like Toyota?”……he just smiled. His answer to me after class was rather eye opening; ”Brian, that may be the case, but you have to work with what you have.“

I was blown away……..he’s right. In the academic world, we often learn the theoretically most “efficient” or “effective” supply chain systems. What is often left out is that there are many historical, political, and economic reasons which tend to preclude the development of these efficient/effective systems.

What I learned this module is that it’s relatively straight forward to grab a map and calculate the best locations to locate your distribution centers based on distance, speed, cost, or flexibility. What Dr Spychalski and his lecturers are helping to realize is that it’s much tougher to “optimize” your supply chain when “reality” rears its ugly head. Then again……if it were easy, I’d be out of a job.

I’m looking forward to our next lecture and discussion……..now if we could just do something about that 8:00 a.m. start time.

January 15, 2007

I’M BACK

A little advice for those of you who may be thinking of scheduling an ambitious vacation between semesters……be careful!!

For the first part of my vacation I drove home to see my mom and my sisters. It was fantastic. I had the chance to catch up with how everyone’s doing. My sister Janet was just accepted into her school’s nursing program, and my youngest sister Claire was just accepted to PENN STATE!!! I’m so proud of them both.

The bowl trip was great!! Penn State won, and we had a great time cheering the team and hanging out in Florida. My classmates made the trip “unique.” On the drive down we loaded up movies on the laptop and clowned around during the entire trip.

We arrived home safe, and after a little rest I flew to Vegas with another group of classmates. I did really well the first tournament, and hung in until about half the people had dropped out. The second day I played better, but it just wasn’t in the cards, and I was out of the tournament fast. The good news, I won the door prize and received my entry fees for the tournament back. (small victory……those evil slot machines took it all back..LOL) After a good trip, we flew back into Philadelphia for the drive back to State College.

So…..if everything went well during my vacation, why did I warn you to be careful? Because now that I’m back I need a vacation from my vacation. 

December 15, 2006

VACATION BLOG

Well folks, it’s that time of year again………WINTER BREAK!! This is the time of year where we wrap up the fall modules and take some time off to relax and celebrate the holidays. I’ve decided to embark on an ambitious schedule of fun and family. For starters I’m going home to celebrate Christmas with my mother and sisters, which should be great because I haven’t seen them much this year.

After Christmas I’m heading to watch Penn State play Tennessee in the Outback Bowl. This should be a great time, except for the car ride to Florida. I’m really looking forward to this, as I haven’t been to a bowl game since I was an undergraduate in the band. As if that weren’t enough, I’ve decided to attend the MBA poker tournament in Las Vegas.

Although this all sounds a little crazy, this is one of the last times I’ll get to hang out with all my fiends in the program. As a second year about to graduate, more and more of my time this spring will be devoted to getting ready for the new job. Like many second year MBA students I’m of two minds; one is looking forward to a new career/life, and the other is beginning to feel a little sad at the thought of leaving all of my friends in the program behind.

On that note, it’s time for me to start my vacation. See you later.

December 4, 2006

LANDING THE JOB:

I can’t believe it!  IT’S OVER…….I’VE LANDED A JOB. After months of waiting, I’ve finally received the job offer I wanted. What a bizarre experience……I’m still a little dazed. The whole reason most of us decided to get an MBA was to land a great job that would further our careers. Now I not only have an offer, but from one of the best corporations in America, doing what I love doing!! (cue inspirational music…..)

I’ve accepted an offer from Lockheed Martin’s Missile and Fire Control Division. I’ll be working as a Senior Strategic Planner, helping our business unit decide where to best allocate its people and resources. It’s not only a very senior position for someone my age; it’s a job where I will get the chance to show my talents. 

From the day we arrived, the staff and faculty emphasized networking and job hunting, which sounded crazy considering most of us were still unpacking. I decided to listen and hit the ground running.  I put together a resume immediately with some help from 220 (our MBA office) and worked on my interviewing skills.

Believe it or not my most important contact was made in the first two weeks of school. The Lockheed Martin recruiter wasn’t even looking for MBA’s, but after a conversation about my military experience, he promised he’d put my resume in the system. (the rest is history)

I’m not one to preach about the program, but if you’re reading this and considering coming to Penn State……….STOP CONSIDERING AND FILL OUT THE PAPERWORK. A year and a half ago I was working in a job which was ok, making just enough money to get by. Now I’m not only getting to work a dream job in the defense industry, I’m making more money then I ever dreamed of when I first came here!! So stop reading about how successful I was, and click on the admission site, and start filling out the application. Think of it as the first step in your Penn State success story.

That being said, it’s about time I stopped preaching and started celebrating!!! See you later.

November 20, 2006

THANKSGIVING:

Gobble Gobble: Thanksgiving is coming up, and I’m looking forward to going home to see my family. For those of you outside the U.S., Thanksgiving is a major holiday where businesses and schools shut down. It commemorates an old New England tradition started by the Pilgrims, a group of settlers who came to America seeking religious freedom.

The Pilgrims sailed from England on the Mayflower in the early 1600’s, but they were blown off course and landed in what is now Massachusetts. After a brutal winter, during which almost half of the settlers died, a member of the Wampanoag tribe came to live with them and helped them adapt to their new environment.  After a good summer harvest, the settlers invited the entire Wampanoag tribe to a feast to celebrate and give thanks to God. Over the years the tradition spread across New England, and after the Civil Wars it became an American tradition. It has since been declared a national holiday and is held on the third Thursday of November.

The traditional meal for Thanksgiving is Turkey. (gobble is the sound turkey’s make, hence my “gobble gobble”) It’s a large bird native to the North American Continent. I probably shouldn’t use the term meal, feast is more like it. Unlike a typical American meal with a main dish, and two sides, this meal has tons of sides and desserts. (mashed potatos, peas, cranberry sauce, corn, bread, etc. etc.)

During this holiday most American’s travel to have a Thanksgiving Day meal with their closest friends and family. I’m going home to see my Mom, my brother, and my little sisters. I have rarely seen them since I started school. My brother has a little girl who turned three, and I can’t wait to see how big she’s gotten. I’m hoping that since she’s talking I might even get her to call me “Uncle Brian.”

Before I go home, I’m going to our Thanksgiving Day celebration here at school. The MBAA and the MBA Office (which we call 220, because of their suite number) are sponsoring it. Our class (’07) started the tradition last year, and it’s exciting to see it continue. It gives us all a chance to see each other outside of class, and interact with the full MBA family of students, faculty, staff and everyone’s spouses and children.  The experience is a blast, as not only is there great food, but we get to share one of the greatest American traditions with our international friends and family. 

Cultural exchanges like the Thanksgiving Dinner and the international immersion are events we cherish at Penn State. Other programs are so large that most students barely know the people they go to class with, let alone what life is like in their native country. Here at Smeal the international students put on various cultural events such as Diwali (an Indian Festival) and the popular the Chinese New Year Celebration. I hope that our recent started Thanksgiving Dinner brings that same sense of sharing/learning as the festivals put on by out international students.

Well enough talk……..it’s TURKEY TIME! (gobble gobble)

November 6, 2006

New Schedule, New Classes:

One of the best things about our MBA program is that by the time you really get tired of a subject, it’s time to move on. Here we run on a 4 module a year program, so every seven weeks you’re in a new class. The only real drawback is that just when you’re really getting used to a subject or schedule, it’s time to move on.

This module I’m taking a Strategic Course on growth and innovation, and a Supply Chain course on strategic procurement. I’m in negotiations with a Defense Contractor and will most likely be hired to do strategic planning; however I’ve decided to keep a supply chain portfolio because of the quantitative curriculum that really challenges me.  Even though I have a strong desire to kick back, I feel it would be a waste if I didn’t take full advantage of my MBA.

Despite the discomfort of changing my day to day rhythm, my schedule as a 2nd year is much more manageable than my first year in the MBA program. During your first year you’re frantically (at least I was) trying to keep up with class and find an internship in your portfolio. Now I have an idea of where I’ll be working and what I’ll be doing, so class seems a little more paced and practical.

Don’t know how the classes will be, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. I’ll let you know more as things progress during Mod VI.  In the meantime, it’s back to work.

October 31, 2006

BLOG: Finals….a part of B-school I won’t miss.

Unlike the revered tailgate, finals are a part of Business school I doubt I’ll be missing when I’m ready to move on. This is the last week of the module where you have to not only take the final examination or complete some project, but where you find yourself catching up with all the reading/assignments you earlier convinced yourself you could put off. (Mom told me there’d be days like this…I just didn’t listen)

My finals for this module were in Strategic Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Supply Chain Management.

I actually enjoyed the Strategy final. Although it wasn’t fun, we were finally challenged with exactly HOW we would change the company. Instead of saying “well….we’ll change the corporate culture”, we had to give real details of how we intended to do that given that the company is struggling. It’s the difference between watching soccer and saying “all they need are three goals to tie”, and actually being the coach and figuring out how the heck you’re going to do it.

Although entrepreneurship was not the hardest class on my schedule, it was one of the more thought provoking. In my final we were given business scenarios (all partnerships) where something has to be done, or something in your partnership has gone wrong. Although it seemed rather easy at first, when you really thought about it, there were no “good” answers. This was an unusual final because you didn’t know if you knew the answer or not. What I suggested may, or may not have worked. On the bright side...it’s over!

Supply chain was mainly a test on manufacturing strategy. It’s interesting to note how some of the models and concepts we learned seemed like common sense, yet how few companies really use them. This one was more of a traditional final, where you study hard, and hope that you study the right things.

Now the good part...I’m done. (They can’t hurt me anymore...LOL)

Finals may not be fun, but there are few experiences that make you feel like you’ve completed something than turning in the last test/paper. I for one will enjoy a few days of sleeping in and hanging out with my friends.

October 16, 2006

Tailgating:

Saturday we play Michigan, which means it’s time for some good old fashioned tailgating. For the uninitiated, a “tailgate” is the practice of hanging out/grilling/partying in the parking lot before the starting of a sporting event. (Generally American Football)

The name comes from the American English word for the rear panel/gate on a truck. Many people when waiting for a sporting event, will lower the tailgate on their truck or station wagon, and hang out before the game……hence tailgating. (only in America can we turn waiting for a game into an event)

Penn State has been voted the best tailgating experience in the United States many times over. I hold a special place in my heart for tailgating, simply because as an undergraduate I never had the chance to do it. I was in the Blue Band Drumline, so for me game day was work.

Now, in the spirit of service, I volunteer to help run the tailgates for home games. (I even throw a party at my house for away games….I call it the “Awaygate”) My typical tailgate day looks something like this:

7:00 a.m. – wake up, 7:01am – I realize I could use another 12 hours sleep, and curse myself for volunteering for this again

8:00 a.m.  – the crew rolls up to my house on Park Avenue and we load the tables, grill, and coolers into our vehicles

(*note….this almost never happen on schedule, first we all complain that we’re tired, then we wait on our friends who are “on their way”—that’s Penn State for had a late night)

9:00 a.m.  – set up at the parking lot

9:30 a.m.  – drink some coffee, eat some bagels. (Occasionally we cook breakfast)

9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  – talk smack on everyone who wasn’t brave enough to come out early, complain about how cold/rainy/hot it is, tell everyone’s embarrassing stories from last night

From there on out, the faculty and students start showing up. This is when we fire up the grill, and open a celebratory beverage! The truly great part about this event is that it brings everyone together; students, professors, staff in 220, and alumni. Everyone can sort of let their guard down and get to know one another. The conversation goes from career advice to football in a way only tailgating can bring out.

I have to admit, the first year class is really taking our tailgating up a notch this year. We have had ribs, sushi, in addition to the standards of kielbasa, hamburgers, and hot dogs.

Well, I’m going back to work. See ya next week.

October 6, 2006

The illustrious second year!! As a first-year prospective MBA student you spend much of your time dreaming of the second year; that magical year where you actually know what you’re doing, and the air is fresh with the scent of free time. It’s finally here and I have to say it was worth the wait.

Now don’t get me wrong it is still work, but for me it seems more manageable than the first-year. First, I was able to choose my classes. So now if I complain about a subject, it’s my own fault for choosing it. Second, I’m connected. During your first- year you don’t know much about what you’ve gotten yourself into. Faces, buildings, schedules, classes, and sometimes even the country can be unfamiliar. During the second-year, you have your friends, you know some of the faculty, and you know where not to park.

I’ve been back from my internship in Dallas for a few weeks, and I finally feel like I’m into the swing of things. What makes it tough is that on some days I have nothing, and on others I’m pressed for time. During the first-year you’re busy, but your class schedule is consistent. (Mostly 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.) This year all of my MBA classes fall on Monday and Wednesday (seven hours straight!) On Thursdays, I teach three sections of an undergraduate lab class and hold office hours. This schedule really tries my studying discipline, because after almost seven hours of class in a row, the last thing I feel like doing is cracking open a book.

Although I’m used to teaching from my days in the Army, I have to say teaching undergraduates is a bit strange. Every time I stand up in front of the class I can’t help thinking I was sitting in that chair not all that long ago. (….at least I’d like to think it was not all that long ago) So far I’m really enjoying the experience. My boss is great, and teaching allows me to inflict my humor upon a captive audience.

Well that’s all for now, I’ll write again after the fifth Module, we’ll see if I’m still so easy going after finals. J

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