Eddie Wajda, MSCM '20
Unlike most students in the Master of Supply Chain Management program at Michigan Ross, Eddie Wajda already had a Michigan master's degree under his belt when he enrolled. Eddie was a graduate of the Masters of Accounting program, which he says helped him expand his knowledge of business financial decisions. “It was nice to understand all the economic and accounting factors, understand how they play into the business, and how they can either help the business or hurt the business and make it more difficult to compete in those sorts of things.” As his appreciation for financial analysis and data analytics grew, he was surprised to find how frequently they were used in supply chain operations.
Ann Arbor’s buzzing environment initially drew Eddie to Ross: stories from family and friends of Michigan football games, Kerrytown’s flourishing farmer’s market, and the excitement of social connections created an initial appeal for him. Humbled by the ability to create a strong network through Michigan, Eddie shared, “the school, the name of it carries weight, it is a special place with many motivated students, professors, and faculty that are pushing you to learn and develop. We're very fortunate where it opens up doors with regards to places that you can go to work afterward.”
After KPMG offered him a job in Chicago as he was finishing his Master of Accounting degree at Ross, Eddie proposed the idea of pursuing an additional degree in MSCM. KPMG responded highly to Edde’s decision to continue his education. “They were very supportive of it,” he said, “it was beneficial from their standpoint, too.” It felt only natural to continue his education with Ross; Eddie believed both of his masters would strengthen his abilities as an employee and gave him a larger scope of business operations.
The highlight of Eddie’s experiences has focused on the community built during the MSCM program. Connecting with other students through a potluck, Eddie and his classmates began frequenting Ann Arbor restaurants. The program brought together students with mixed levels of experience, international students, and individuals with different cultural backgrounds.
I don't think there are many other programs, probably, that you could find at other universities or even here at Michigan that have such a unique make-up.
The diversity of the students quickly transferred to classroom assignments: students were able to give both real-life perspectives and theories learned in class to help solve case studies.
During his last semester in the MSCM program, Eddie is participating in the Supply Chain Consulting Studio. The course partners students with a company for the semester, giving them the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to a real project or problem the company is facing. “It feels very hands-on and you're learning in these real-life examples or situations. My project is with Toyota, who is a world leader in operations with its production system. Having the ability to get my hands dirty on the factory floor and apply classroom lessons with the Toyota Production System has been rewarding.”
As he wraps up his time at Ross, Eddie hopes that students considering a Masters in Supply Chain Management consider the benefits of entering the program. “The caliber of the other students, whether it be within the supply chain program or just the university in general, as well as the professors and faculty, are there to support you and help you reach your goals, as long as you make your goals known.”