Complementary Learning: MSGSCM student masters her master’s program

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Sara Fortman picked up her first college degree, a BS in Supply Chain Management Technology, from the Purdue Polytechnic Institute in May 2021. She was awarded her second, a MS in Global Supply Chain Management, from Purdue’s Krannert School of Management in May 2022.

“I fell in love with Purdue when I tagged along on my brother’s college tours,” she says. “When it was my turn to tour colleges, I fell in love with Purdue all over again. It had everything I wanted.”

Continuing her education in grad school wasn’t a foregone conclusion, however. “I initially hadn’t planned to pursue a master’s degree immediately after graduation, but I realized that if I didn’t do it now, I might never go back to school,” she says. “The Krannert program really complemented the technical skills I developed through my undergraduate studies in supply chain technology.”

With the help of Erin Britton, assistant director of academic programs, Fortman shaved six months off the 18-month Global Supply Chain Management program by accelerating the order of courses she took and completing a summer internship prior to the start of the fall 2021 semester.

“I was able to overlap some of my grad classes with my last semester of undergrad to get a head start, save money, and finish early,” she says. “I was already one-third of the way into the program by the time my cohort officially started.”

Although her unusual plan of study often placed her in courses with students from other MS programs, Fortman says the diversity of those experiences exposed her to a bigger world than she encountered as an undergrad. “I hadn’t met a lot of international students before I started grad school, so it was great to hear different points of views and learn about different cultures,” she says.

The opportunity for social interactions was another plus, Fortman says. “Someone from the program rented space in the Lafayette Brewing Company for dinner and a trivia night,” she says. “That was a lot of fun because I had never been in a room with only supply chain people before. You get to know your classmates so much better when you’re not in a classroom setting.”

While still an undergrad, Fortman took a master’s course in supply chain sustainability that applied directly to her internship with Walmart at its Greenfield, Indiana, return center. “My role was working on the trash and recycling line with the goal of reducing landfill waste,” she says. “I helped reduce the facility’s carbon footprint and potentially generate an extra $23,500 per year in recycling profits.”

She has taken several classes taught by Amy David, an award-winning clinical associate professor who regularly incorporates group projects and case studies in her courses. “She gives us exposure to real-world situations and helps us develop skills that will be useful in the workforce,” Fortman says.

Another of her favorite courses is Change Management with Professor Ben Dunford. “Every class is like an encouraging TEDx talk,” Fortman says. “I didn’t know anything about the topic going in, but it’s one of the best classes I've ever taken.”

Today, Fortman is looking forward to a career in supply chain management. “Krannert has been such a welcoming community,” she says. “I’d recommend the school to anyone who wants to leverage their technical skills with a business degree.”