Brett Michael is happy to be back in the nest.
Three years after graduating from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management, he enrolled in the online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Supply Chain Management program. Once a Falcon, always a Falcon.
“I looked at other schools,” he said. “It was crazy that the school where I got my undergraduate degree ended up being the perfect fit for me. It had everything I was looking for and was more competitive than any other place I found — especially from a pricing standpoint.
“I could do it quickly. It was a no-brainer when I looked at the cost and my return on investment.”
Michael, who changed careers after finishing his undergraduate degree, expects to complete the program in August 2022.
“As I grew my career, I realized that not having the foundation of a supply chain background was holding me back,” he said.
Last September, Michael landed a position as purchasing supervisor for engineering services and safety supplies at Norfolk Southern Corporation in Atlanta.
“The degree has already opened doors for me,” he said. “Without working toward the MBA, I don’t think I would have gotten the job.
“The foundation I am getting in the program was a big part of the interview process. Hopefully, the degree will open more doors when I am finished.”
New Flight Path
Michael, 27, grew up in Fremont, Ohio, about 30 miles from Bowling Green. Although he had his sights set on a career in hospital management, initially, he went in a different direction.
“My mother was a nurse, and my dad owned a small business,” he said. “I thought healthcare administration would be fun, but then realized it was going to be tough. I would have had to go straight into grad school or have loads of experience to find a job in that space.
“Those positions usually go to nurses and others who have been working in a hospital for a long time. So, I was ready to switch gears and find any job I could after graduating. I found one with DHL Supply Chain in 2017.
“It was a good sales job, and I fell in love with supply chain and all of its aspects. I got exposure to sales and warehouse operations and diverse experience with them.”
The flexibility of the virtual format helped Michael make the transition to a new position in a different state without missing a beat.
“It’s been great,” he said. “I have had no problems at all with the online format. It’s been seamless.”
So far, Category Management and Strategic Sourcing is Michael’s favorite course in the program curriculum.
“It also applied the most to me,” he said. “It was amazing. I had been in my position for a few weeks when I started that course. It was like an instruction manual for how to do my job.”
Michael credits the course for his enhanced understanding of the inner workings of a business and executive-level decision-making.
“Knowing certain terminology I learned in the program has given me confidence,” he said.
Feather in the Cap
Michael admits that he was slightly intimidated when he enrolled in the online MBA with a Concentration in Supply Chain Management program.
“I had a little bit of a business background, but it was nothing in depth,” he said. “Looking at the coursework when I started, I thought, ‘I hope I am cut out for this.’
“I learned that as long as you’re putting in the time and effort, you are going to be all right. My GPA is higher than it ever was in undergrad.”
Along with the hard work Michael has put into the program, his family and friends are behind him. He will be the first person in his immediate family to earn a master’s degree.
“Everyone has been so supportive,” he said. “It’s been great. My parents have always supported me with anything I wanted to go after.”
Michael also appreciates the help he is receiving from the faculty and staff at BGSU as he pursues his MBA.
“The advisers have been great and very helpful,” he said. “Scheduling classes has been no problem. I’ve gotten into every single class I wanted without a wait. The professors mostly get back to me quickly when I have a question.”
An avid golfer in his free time, Michael looks forward to seeing how far he can go in his second career with the foundation of a master’s degree.
“An MBA is a serious thing to go after,” he said. “You have to be patient and commit to it. If you put the time in, you’ll do fine.”
Learn more about BGSU’s online MBA with a Concentration in Supply Chain Management program.