Employers Relations and Career Services at Smeal

By Monira Linda, MBA Class of 2014

As a first year MBA student, my every morning starts with scheduled classes and finishes with information session with at least one fortune 500 company. During orientation week, when I was listening to all of the opportunities, I was not really sure how would I benefit from all the events they spoke about. Do this many companies really come on campus for career fairs or information sessions? Do they all hire students for internships in this stringent market? Do they really come back for full-time Continue reading

SCMA – Intro to Supply Chain and Experience-Sharing Luncheons

By Gene Carmichael, SCMA VP of IT & Finance, MBA Class of 2013

The Supply Chain Management Association held our first official event of the 2012/2013 academic year on 9/11/12: the Annual Intro to Supply Chain Luncheon. With approximately 35 first and second year students gathered together to learn more about what supply chain is and about potential career paths that exist in supply chain, as well as how the Smeal curriculum will prepare students for those careers. Professors Terry Harrison, Doug Thomas and David Huff each spoke about their respective courses and what to expect from the program in general. We had great discussions regarding differences in the MBA courses compared to the undergrad courses as well as the Six Sigma offerings. Additionally, our president – Chris Riling – discussed at length the Continue reading

Smeal MBA 2nd Year Spotlight – Stephen Dil

Name: Stephen Dil

Concentrations: Finance and Strategic Leadership

Internship: Self Directed. I spent the summer visiting Funeral Homes across the USA in a benchmarking exercise against my own business. It was a really rewarding and valuable experience.

Future Plans: Following completion of my MBA I will be returning to New Zealand to continue working in my family business, Dil’s Funeral Services. Continue reading

Don’t Tailgate

By Simon Hsu, MBA Class of 2013

For many, this is the season of football, but for me it the time for tailgating. During this season, you see many commercials on TV broadcasting equipment, food and refreshments for tailgates. For some who are unfamiliar with the term, a “tailgate” is a party held before a football game, or other sporting event. Going to the tailgate is one of my best experiences in the program. It is an excellent chance to be relaxed during our intense MBA schedule and the pressures of homework and/or job searching. We enjoy Continue reading

Life of a second-year MBA

By Janice Nguyen, MBA Class of 2013

It’s almost the end of Mod V – we’re going to have final exams next week. And still, I can’t believe that half of my MBA life has passed. Sometime I think about the first day I came to Smeal, and how the first year here helped me improve myself both personally and professionally. I remember when I first came here, everything was brand-new: new school, new colleagues and new culture. I was both excited and a little bit nervous about these changes. Look at me now: a second-year MBA student who can help the new students with what I know from my experience about the first-year courses, job search process & life in State College. I keep up with what’s going on and love my life here. Continue reading

Smeal MBA 2nd Year Spotlight – Angelo Fields

Name: Angelo Fields

Concentration: Marketing

Internship: Business Development & Marketing for Xylem, Inc.  Specifically, worked for their beverage dispense business unit in Irvine, CA leading two projects focusing on beer and coffee dispense.

Future Plans: Most likely to go into Brand Management or a similar marketing role within the beverage industry.

Why did you choose Smeal: I am a Penn State Eberly College of Science graduate and simply love Penn State.  The opportunity to return to Happy Valley along with the tremendous Graduate Assistantship offer was an opportunity that I could not refuse.

What has been your favorite Smeal MBA memory thus far: Winning the Law School golf scramble with Phil Ayoub, Rahul Gupta, and Mark Bushey.