Overview:

Architectural engineer turned consultant turned technology solutions engineer Brad Zanette joins the show from New York City to share his perspectives and advice for current Scholars and young alumni. Brad came to Penn State and made the most of his opportunities during his five years at University Park, earning his bachelors and masters in architectural engineering while completing several internships, including work on the earlier stages of the East Halls renovation project. One of those internships led to a full-time role at Deloitte and subsequent work at Oracle. While certainly useful for engineering Scholars, this episode is great for any Scholars who have multiple interests and want to hear unique strategies for setting themselves apart in the job search. Brad’s bio is available below along with chapter markers detailing the topics discussed.

Guest Bio:

Brad Zanette ’18 Engineering is a lead principal solution engineer at Oracle in New York, New York (remote/occasional travel) where he helps business within the Architecture, Engineering, & Construction ("AEC") industry undergo large scale digital business transformations. Before joining Oracle in 2021, he previously worked in consulting with Deloitte and construction management with several general contractors and a subcontractor. He earned both a bachelors and masters of architectural engineering with honors from Penn State’s College of Engineering in 2018. He's happy to discuss growing up in northeast PA, working construction, studying in China, and living in New York. Please feel free to connect with him on LinkedIn.

Episode Topic & Chapters:

00:05 Introductions and how Brad came to Penn State

01:11 Choosing and defining architectural engineering

05:17 Deloitte Leadership Development Center

06:38 Other leadership opportunities

08:41 Carefully selecting the best fitting study abroad program

11:55 The Honors Thesis

16:18 Early career and internship success

20:29 East Halls renovation project

23:05 AEC - the construction acronym at work

27:22 Consulting

34:38 Deciding to leave consulting

36:22 Construction tech

39:40 Transitioning from on-site to desk work

42:08 Continuing education and lifelong learning

44:21 Outside community and industry involvement

46:35 Resume and LinkedIn tips

50:53 Questions that should have been asked

54:17 Biggest successes and failures

57:42 Thoughts on mentorship

01:01:48 Shoutouts

01:03:31 Brad's final piece of advice

01:04:50 How to connect with Brad

01:05:05 Which Creamery Ice Cream flavor Brad would be and why + wrap up

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Credits & Notes:

This show is hosted, produced,...

Overview:

Industrial engineer Apoorva Mathur ’18 joins FTG from Oregon to discuss her career at the intersection of manufacturing and the transition to zero emissions vehicles. She shares how she came to Penn State, and leveraged internships in a variety of fields and clubs on campus to find her academic and career interests. Apoorva details her participation in a career rotation program at Daimler and approaches her work – from Germany to Detroit to Portland – in transitioning primarily commercial and industrial vehicles to alternative forms of zero emissions power train systems. She leads efforts in this space while also championing sustainability and women in STEM at her company and earning her masters in data analytics from Georgia Tech. This episode is great for any Scholar, and especially those figuring out what major they want to pursue and also those interested in manufacturing, automative, or sustainability programs. Apoorva’s bio is available below along with chapter markers detailing the topics discussed.

Guest Bio:

Apoorva Mathur ’18 Engineering is the ESG Program Manager at Daimler Truck North America in Portland, OR where she manages the company's ESG initiatives and communication. Before joining DTNA in 2018, she previously interned at General Motors and Boeing where they grew their passion for the manufacturing industry. She earned a BS in Industrial Engineering with Honors from Penn State’s College of Engineering in 2018. She also earned a Masters in Data Analytics from Georgia Tech. She is also happy to speak further about emerging technologies in the automotive field and living and working globally. Please feel free to connect with her on Linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/apoorvamathur1/

Episode Topic & Chapters:

00:05 Introductions and why Apoorva chose Penn State

02:16 Internships galore as a Scholar

08:31 Finding your academic and career passions

12:14 Research opportunities

17:11 Campus opportunities to pursue other passions - like dance programs and SHO Time!

19:53 Why the automotive sector most resonated with Apoorva

22:18 Career entry programs like Daimler's CAReer program

27:46 Breaking down the terminology

31:09 Graduating out of the training programs

33:23 Connecting with diverse and long-tenured employees as a new employee

36:06 Transitioning to EVs, from the vehicles to the assembly

44:49 EV mythbusting

48:26 Skills for working in the EV space

52:57 Advice for Scholars whose careers will take them far beyond home

56:10 Apoorva's thoughts on mentorship

59:42 Continuing education as an alum and working professional

01:06:04 Seeking balance as a young professional

01:10:23 Unasked questions

01:13:57 Advice for women in STEM

01:22:28 Shoutouts

01:24:34 Apoorva's final piece of advice

01:27:30 Which Creamery flavor Apoorva would be and why

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Schreyer Honors College Links:

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

YouTube

Upcoming Events

Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!

Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer

Make a Gift to B...

Overview:

Scholar Alumna and seasoned supply chain management executive Kristyn Harkins ’02 Bus joins FTG to discuss her career. Kristyn shares how her time at Penn State, from classes to clubs to her Honors Thesis, influenced her career and helped her rise through the ranks as a woman in supply chain at Johnson & Johnson. Kristyn now leads teams of thousands with responsibility for J&J’s entire supply chain in their North American med tech operations. This episode is great for any Scholar to enjoy, and especially those in business or STEM disciplines. Kristyn’s bio is available below along with chapter markers detailing the topics discussed.

Guest Bio:

Kristyn Harkins ’02 Bus is currently the Vice President, MedTech Deliver Americas at Johnson & Johnson (J&J), leading an organization that is responsible for operations that include Distribution, Transportation, Last Mile Logistics, Customer Services & Capabilities, and several Business Excellence functions. Her team drives the Customer Experience, ensuring that Commercial go-to-market strategies & MedTech franchise requirements can be flawlessly executed. Across her more than 20 year at J&J, Kristyn has worked across the Supply Chain pillars of Plan, Source, Make & Deliver and in multiple business sectors, including Consumer Products and MedTech. She has held leadership roles in Customer Logistics, Transportation, Analytics, Planning, Sourcing, External Manufacturing, Strategy Deployment & Supply Chain Customer Solutions.

Kristyn holds a BS with Honors in Business Logistics (now Supply Chain Management) from the Penn State College of Business and a University and an MBA from Rutgers University. She is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and was recognized in 2019 with a TWIN (Tribute to Women in Industry) Award. Throughout her career, Kristyn has fostered a passion for developing future talent and increasing representation of women in the Supply Chain field. She served as the liaison for J&J with the Penn State Center for Supply Chain Research for three years, and she is currently on the Advisory Board for the University of Tennessee Global Supply Chain Institute. Kristyn also serves as the Youth Pillar Sponsor for the J&J WiSTEM2D initiative. Kristyn lives in Flemington, NJ with her husband Tim, two sons (Aidan & Ryan), and dog (Miles). She is an avid Peloton rider and spends much of her free time cheering from the sidelines for her kids’ sporting events.

Episode Topics & Chapters:

00:05 Introduction and why Kristyn chose Penn State

01:36 Selecting supply chain as a major

03:06 Current state of supply chain jobs for grads

04:13 Using teaching experience in the workplace

06:11 The value of being involved on campus

08:13 Planning events is like small business ownership

10:52 THON

12:51 The Honors Thesis!

15:29 Co-ops and first jobs after college

17:27 Advice for current Scholars and new grads

20:24 Entry-level supply chain roles

23:18 Continuing curiosity and education while working full time

26:22 Moving up while staying at one firm

29:44 Transitioning from leading one team to the next

32:10 Building relationships with outside partners, vendors, etc.

35:25 Rising to overseeing continental level division

37:45 Kristyn explains her job title and responsibilities

39:42 Addressing "last mile" challenges

42:19 Thinking like an executive

44:53 Navigating the pandemic

48:15 Dealing with sales and divestitures

50:47 Balancing work and family

57:50 Getting involved in your industry

00:17 One company careers

01:03:34 ...