Talent

Student Spotlights

Academic Leadership in Action

Student: Mackenzie Brannon
Degree Program: Supply Chain and Information Systems with an Information Systems
Management minor
Graduation Year: Expected 2026

Mackenzie Brannon, a third-year supply chain and information systems (SCIS) major, has been captivated by the dynamic world of supply chain management since high school. Drawn to the fast-paced nature of the field, she knew early on that no two days would be the same in this career.

"My favorite part about being a supply chain student at Smeal is the immense number of opportunities and resources at my fingertips to help students succeed."

At Smeal, Mackenzie has diversified her extracurricular involvement through various roles in multiple organizations, including serving as the networking and recruiting director for the Supply Chain Management Association, a Smeal student mentor, and the vice president and treasurer for The Jared Box Project Club. She currently serves Penn State’s THON as a Rules and Regulations Committee member and event coordinator and was a PPG primer supply chain intern last summer.

Through opportunities provided by the Smeal College of Business and the Center for Supply Chain Research (CSCR), Mackenzie has taken significant steps in her professional development. As a research assistant intern for the CSCR, she gained invaluable knowledge working closely with Bob Novack, a former associate professor of supply chain management (retired), and Tracie Shannon, the administrative director for CSCR. She deepened her understanding of the supply chain industry by contributing to textbooks such as Supply Chain Management: A Logistics Perspective and Transportation: The 11th Edition through research, data analysis, and figure creation. Additionally, Mackenzie worked with Walmart on a group research project that focused on the implementation of an off-site driver hiring program.

During the spring of 2024, Mackenzie had the opportunity to join The Hershey Company as a supply planning analyst in its supply chain co-op program where she gained insights into inventory planning, data analytics, and—perhaps most sweetly—how a wide variety of candies are made each day. After making a connection with Dell Technologies at the SCIS Career Fair, Mackenzie was offered a summer 2025 internship at the tech giant’s headquarters in Austin, Texas.

Doubling Down on Opportunities

Student: Drew Gibble
Degree Program: Supply Chain and Information Systems with an Information Systems
Management minor
Graduation Year: Expected 2025

Drew Gibble, a fourth-year SCIS student minoring in information systems management, has fully immersed himself in the Penn State community. As the executive vice president of the Smeal Student Council for the 2024–2025 academic year, Drew demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to making an impact on campus.

Beyond his role for the Smeal Student Council, Drew is actively involved as the alternate funds chair for his special interest THON Organization, Impact. He’s also a member of Penn State’s Club Powerlifting Team and Sigma Chi Mu Tau (SCMT), a national supply chain honor society. Through these experiences, Drew has built a well-rounded network and developed critical skills both in and out of the classroom.

Smeal has provided Drew with unique opportunities to explore his academic interests, including research projects with the CSCR. Working alongside Penn State’s University Health Services, Drew contributed to a project which focused on alternative methods for prescription drug delivery. He also mentored a research project on the electrification of public transportation through collaboration with the Logistics Management Institute (LMI).

In the summers of 2023 and 2024, Drew gained hands-on experience as a procurement intern at Clark Associates where he managed perishables like food and beverages. As a returning intern, Drew had more responsibility, including managing vendors, placing purchase orders, and adding new items to the vegan, fruit, and vegetable categories.

"Supply chains are dynamic. There are always many different factors that challenge them daily, especially when dealing with perishables."

Drew plans to graduate in spring 2025 and will join Clark Associates full-time as a category analyst.

When Sports and Supply Chain Collide

Student: Michael Corrigan
Degree Program: Supply Chain and Information Systems
Graduation Year: Expected 2025

For many students, the opportunity to pair personal passions with academic interests is a touchdown. Michael Corrigan, a fourth-year SCIS major from Malvern, Pennsylvania, found the perfect opportunity to blend his love for sports with his degree program during his 2023 and 2024 summer internships at Fanatics, a global e-commerce platform and licensed sports merchandise manufacturer.

"I’m a huge sports fan, so it was great for me to be able to pair those two passions. At Fanatics, you can’t apply just one specific major, there was a little bit of supply chain, a little bit of finance, and a lot of marketing, which I really enjoyed."

As a business management intern, Michael worked on maintaining the NFL teams’ e-commerce stores, collaborating with creative departments, and managing email and social media marketing efforts.

"It was very exciting to be heavily involved in a Philadelphia Eagles jersey launch with Fanatics that did very well, and I learned what happens behind the scenes to make it a success. It was a great experience to see first-hand the importance of having a robust supply chain and buying team within such a fast-paced industry. I didn’t know what to expect, because you hear stories that interns get coffee or file papers, but I was so thankful that was not my experience. I trained on Day 1 and got to work with the teams right away."

Impressed by his performance, Fanatics asked Michael to continue part-time through the fall, allowing him to work on homepage updates and email marketing campaigns.

At Penn State, Michael is part of professional business fraternity Phi Chi Theta and has held various roles, ranging from pledge education to THON chair. He plans to graduate in the spring of 2025.

Teeing Up Success

Student: Drew Nienhaus
Degree Program: Supply Chain and Information Systems
Graduation Year: Expected 2025

Only 2.8 percent of female high school golfers go on to compete at the Division I level, and Drew Nienhaus is one of them. The Penn State Smeal College of Business fourth-year SCIS student exemplifies excellence both in the classroom and on the golf course. As a Division I Big Ten athlete on the Women’s Golf Team and an NCAA Academic All-American, Drew knows how to balance her athletic pursuits with a demanding SCIS program.

"My goal is to combine my knowledge of business with my ability to prioritize and multitask, along with networking skills from my athletic background, to help others succeed."

Drew’s academic journey has been enriched by experiential learning opportunities like her recent internship as a steel procurement and supply chain intern at Clayco Construction. During her time at Clayco, Drew gained hands-on experience in procuring and estimating steel which honed her skills in communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving.

With her unique portfolio of experiences in business, athletics, and networking, Drew is eager to make an impact in her future career.

"I'm excited to work in an environment where I can use my skills to make a difference. Special bonus: I can be a ringer on a team for any corporate golf tournament and can also hold my own entertaining clients on the course."

Drew plans to graduate in the spring of 2025 and looks forward to joining Clayco at its St. Louis, Missouri, office.

Faculty Achievements

Promotions

We congratulate three faculty members of the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems in the Smeal College of Business who were promoted during the past academic year (summer/fall 2023 through spring 2024).

• Saurabh Bansal, professor of supply chain management
• Rashmi Sharma, associate clinical professor

Awards & Engagement

Throughout the past academic year, distinguished faculty from the SCIS Department were recognized for various accomplishments. As leading experts in the field of supply chain and information systems, the following faculty were honored for their contributions to the field and were invited to share their knowledge at reputable conferences and speaking venues.

Last year, faculty from the SCIS Department were invited to 20 speaking engagements and presentations at industry conferences; recognized for seven awards, fellowships, or grants; and participated in four seminars and conference judging panels. The faculty members listed below are recognized for their engagement, and some of whom have received multiple recognitions.* 

* Engagements are self-submitted to the SCIS Department, and this listing may not encompass all faculty achievements across the department.

** Indicates multiple awards or engagements throughout the year.

Career Placement

Placement by Major: Supply Chain and Information Systems

• 86.4% Knowledge Rate (376 students, 325 known outcomes)
• Full-time Employment: 72.6%
• Further Education/Fellowship: 10.5%
• Military: <1%
• Entrepreneurship Endeavor: <1%
• Postgrad Internship: <1%
• Other: <1%
• Still Seeking: 13.8%
• % with 1+ internship: 88.9%; 91.4% were paid
• Full-time Salary: $73,022
• Signing Bonus: $$6,070, 57% received

Placement by Major: Management Information Systems

• 88.5% Knowledge Rate (87 students, 77 known outcomes)
• Full-time Employment: 54.5%
• Further Education/Fellowship: 16.9%
• Post-grad Internship: 3.9%
• Military: 1.3%
• Other: 1.3%
• Still Seeking: 22.1%
• % with 1+ internship: 83.6%; 88.9% were paid
• Full-time Salary: $77,630
• Signing Bonus: $6,324, 60.7% received

Career Fair

The Supply Chain and Information Systems Career Fair is held during both fall and spring semesters. The career fairs connect companies with students from supply chain, management information systems, industrial engineering, and information systems and technology who seek full-time employment, co-ops, or internships in the supply chain field.

Resources to Engage with Top Recruits

The Center for Supply Chain Research® (CSCR®), in partnership with Penn State University, is happy to provide several ways for leading organizations to connect with and recruit top talent from the Smeal College of Business.

• Nittany Lion Careers
  Penn State’s central career management network for all students, alumni, and recruiting organizations provides the platform to post openings, source a candidate pool of Penn State students and alumni, and track outcomes.
• Student Organizations
  CSCR fosters connections between organizations and highly achieved Penn State Smeal student organizations such as the Supply Chain Management Association and Sigma Chi Mu Tau, a national supply chain honor society, and the Management Information Systems Association (MISA).
• Student Engagement
  Supporters of the center can connect and engage with students in a classroom setting to discuss opportunities at their organization and career exploration across the supply chain.