Master of Supply Chain Management Students and Alums Connect and Network Through Mentorship Program

Since the graduation of the very first cohort of MSCM students in 2009, alums of the program have volunteered to mentor new students and help them navigate classes, job hunt, and network at the Ross School of Business. Mentors who are now working in the field meet with current MSCM students at least once a month to share their experiences and offer advice. This year, more alums than ever volunteered to be mentors, outnumbering the amount of participating current students.

The mentorship program has been a hallmark of the MSCM experience since the very beginning and has helped many students network with professionals in their industry of choice.

To learn more about the benefits of the mentorship program, we asked three mentors and three mentees to share their experiences working together this year.

Tingting Xie, MSCM ’22

Mentor

Hometown
Beijing, China

What made you want to be a mentor?
During my job search in the Michigan Ross MSCM Program, I got tremendous help from Ross alums, peers, faculty, and staff. I want to give back and pass down this wonderful tradition to new MSCM classes.

How do you hope to help current MSCM students as they start their careers in this industry?
I hope to share my experiences and suggestions with students. I want to cover topics like, “What is the regular career path for this position?” “How do I onboard?” These were things that I found most helpful when I had just graduated.

What's the most rewarding part of being a mentor for you?
The most rewarding part of being a mentor is hearing from my mentee that my suggestion or help made their job search easier. It is very nice to see this Ross tradition passed down from class to class.

Rujula Lnu, MSCM ’24

Mentee

Hometown
Troy, Mich.

What’s the best part of having a mentor who was once in your shoes in the MSCM program?
The best part of having a mentor from a previous MSCM Program is gaining firsthand experience and a great opportunity to grow and understand the different career aspirations available. Having a mentor who graduated from the same program and in the same career field provides insights into different industries, job roles, and companies, helping me make informed decisions about my prospective career trajectory.

How do you hope to grow through working with a mentor?
Working closely with my mentor, Tingting, who has excelled in the field, can provide me with valuable feedback, practical advice, and real-world examples to sharpen these skills and become a more effective supply chain professional. Beyond academic and professional development, I aspire to grow personally as well and enhance my skill sets. With the support and guidance of my mentor, I want to explore different career paths within the supply chain field and build a strong professional network.

How has the help of your mentor helped you find success so far during this journey?
Tingting provided invaluable assistance in crafting a compelling resume tailored to the supply chain industry. She offered feedback on formatting, content, experiences, and achievements effectively. She provided ongoing guidance and support to help me develop essential interviewing skills for success in the supply chain field. She also shared valuable insights into various career paths within the business field and helped me clarify my career goals and identify areas of interest in the realm of supply chain.

Hong Chen, MSCM ’22

Mentor

Hometown
Kaifeng, Henan, China

What made you want to be a mentor?
“One year, forever Blue” encapsulated my deep-rooted commitment to giving back to the community that supported me throughout my journey in the MSCM Program at Michigan Ross. I am profoundly grateful for the unwavering guidance and support I received, whether it was the invaluable feedback from professors at any hour, even one in the morning, or the ongoing assistance from student success advisors after graduation. This mentorship program presents a perfect opportunity for me to reciprocate the tremendous support I received.

Having been in their shoes, I intimately understand the challenges and opportunities students encounter firsthand. My experiences, insights, and knowledge gained from navigating the MSCM Program myself uniquely position me to make meaningful contributions to the success of current students. I am eager to share lessons learned and offer support as they navigate their academic and professional endeavors. Furthermore, I have learned a lot from the students as well. Their perspectives and experiences are invaluable reminders to remain open-minded and continuously refresh my outlook on life and learning.

How do you hope to help current MSCM students as they start their careers in this industry?
I aim to assist current MSCM students as they embark on their careers in the industry by offering valuable insights and support. Firstly, I will provide them with industry-specific information, shedding light on the current landscape and prospects within the field. From discussing emerging trends to outlining potential career paths within the supply chain profession. In addition, I will offer practical assistance by aiding students in refining their resumes and honing their interview skills through mock interviews. By providing constructive feedback and guidance, I hope to help them present themselves effectively to find the right position in the industry.

What's the most rewarding part of being a mentor for you?
The most rewarding aspect of being a mentor for me is the opportunity to make a tangible difference in students' careers. By providing guidance on refining resumes and conducting mock interviews, I can help them secure opportunities at their dream companies. Sharing insights into industry trends empowers them to make informed decisions about their future paths. Knowing that my contributions can positively impact their career trajectories fills me with a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

Andrew (Chun Ngai) Chie, MSCM ’24

Mentee

Hometown
Hong Kong, China

What’s the best part of having a mentor who was once in your shoes in the MSCM program?
The best part of having a mentor from the MSCM Program is their profound understanding of our current challenges and milestones. They know your difficulties at each stage of the program. They can empathize with the varying emotions we experience — like the joy of accomplishments, the stress of coursework, or the pressures of job hunting. Their ability to connect to my current situation enables them to offer not just meaningful advice but also emotional support and motivation. This guidance is instrumental in guiding my future career path with greater confidence.

How do you hope to grow through working with a mentor?
Engaging with mentors who have successfully developed their own career paths provides me with invaluable advice and insights, especially when considering my relatively limited work experience. Their real-world experiences fill a big gap for me, transitioning directly from undergraduate to graduate education. This mentorship includes more than academic advice, it provides comprehensive professional development support, including mock interviews, resume reviews, and career exploration. They have been especially helpful in sharing job openings within their networks — opportunities I might not have discovered myself. This generosity has opened doors for me to potential career paths and shown me the power of a well-connected professional network.

How has the help of your mentor helped you find success so far during this journey?
I'm truly grateful for the mentorship from the MSCM Program and for my mentor’s invaluable advice and support. Throughout this mentorship, I have learned the power of community and guidance for professional and personal growth. I'd love to become a mentor myself in the future, to pass on the kindness and insight I've received, and to contribute to nurturing our program's culture of mutual support.

Sushrut Sardesai, MSCM ’20

Mentor

Hometown
Ahmedabad, India

What made you want to be a mentor?
Even with the most helpful alum network at U-M, I know it is still hard to find good guidance. When I was at Michigan Ross for my MSCM in 2020, I met some amazing alums who helped me navigate cultural differences (between India and the United States), resume reviews, mock interviews, nuances of securing a job, and in general life in the United States. The only problem was, it was in bits and pieces. I thought if someone were to tell me all these things as a package, that would have helped me avoid making mistakes that might turn out to be expensive.

How do you hope to help current MSCM students as they start their careers in this industry?
I follow a three-step process to guide students to help themselves.
Step one: Get your ducks in a row. That means your resume, mock interviews, and networking. As a new student, it is always safe to assume that there are several areas that may need improvement in your resume, interview preparation, and networking skills. These are some of the things that must be at 90% optimization within the first semester and over 95% optimization by the start of second semester. As an international student, especially from an Asian country, I try to explain how cultural differences affect resume bullets and interview answers.
Step two: Company research and career matching. This is the easier, though more time-consuming, part of the job search. I guide students through how to figure out what the right company and role may be for them. I also highlight what things to pay attention to and how to ignore the noise in job descriptions.
Step three: How to apply for jobs and increase chances of interview success. I explain how this ties back to the preparation and research that students do in steps one and two. I help them understand the effectiveness of referrals versus mass application. I also help them understand what happens at a round-table when a student goes through a panel interview, and how decisions are made on selecting a candidate.

What's the most rewarding part of being a mentor for you?
If the mentee is able to secure their dream job, that would be the most rewarding part. But more importantly, I appreciate the journey that the mentee goes through and their progress when they work on targeted feedback.

Utkarsh Parashar, MSCM ’24

Mentee

Hometown
Agra, India

What’s the best part of having a mentor who was once in your shoes in the MSCM program?
Having a mentor who has experience in MSCM is like having a reliable sounding board for discussing anything under the sun. Their past involvement in MSCM puts them in a unique position to offer realistic and valuable insights. I feel comfortable asking even the most trivial questions because I know they understand the challenges and opportunities I face. Additionally, they can connect the skills we're learning in the course to real-life corporate scenarios, making their advice particularly relevant and beneficial.

How do you hope to grow through working with a mentor?
I aspire to maintain a long-term relationship with my mentor even beyond graduation. Recognizing their advanced position in their professional journey, I value their guidance and wisdom immensely. Our weekly meetings, spanning one to two hours, have proven invaluable, and I am eager to continue this association into the future. I envision reaching out to my mentor whenever I encounter challenges in my professional journey, knowing that they will be there to provide insights and support. In many ways, I see my mentor as the Tony Stark to my Peter Parker, ready to offer guidance and assistance whenever needed.

How has the help of your mentor helped you find success so far during this journey?
My mentor has been instrumental in guiding me through various aspects of my career journey. We started with a thorough review of my resume, and the feedback provided, from the perspective of a hiring manager, has been immensely valuable. Additionally, our weekly meetings have been enlightening, covering a wide range of topics from general career advice to gaining insights into the interview processes of major corporations. Each interaction with my mentor has provided me with valuable perspectives and helped me navigate my career path more effectively.