Supply Chain Degree Propels Grad to Global Company

“I saw how in business, hard work and determination could truly pay off. Being raised in this environment, I always knew that I wanted to study business in some way,” he remarked. 

A native of Vandergrift, Pa., Coleman originally started at Duquesne as an International Relations major, but realized it was not the path for him and switched his major to Supply Chain Management, with a minor in International Business. “From the research I had done, I saw these two areas of study being an effective pairing. Looking back, I could not be happier that I made that decision,” he said.

As for choosing Duquesne University for his bigger goals, location and faculty-to-student ratio were two main deciding factors for Coleman. 

“I wanted a change of scenery, and I thought Duquesne’s location was perfect—the ideal college campus right in the middle of a city. I also saw connecting with professors to be critical in succeeding as a student, both academically and with networking. Again, Duquesne delivered, and looking back, I can now say that spending time talking to professors outside of class was key in my undergrad success,” Coleman explained. 

During his time at Duquesne, Coleman was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honors Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honors Society, Duquesne Supply Chain Council, Delta Chi Fraternity and the Duquesne Honors College.

Upon graduation, Coleman felt prepared for anything. He had a wide range of business skills and knowledge gained from all his classes at the University, as well as valuable internship and field experiences. 

“The supply chain management knowledge I gained from the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, as well as the various skills development sessions offered by Duquesne’s Center for Career Development, allowed me to become a professional ready to take on any business challenge,” remarked Coleman, who graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.9 GPA.

A testament to the nationally-ranked earning power of Duquesne grads, Coleman had multiple job offers, but chose to go with Nestlé—the world’s largest food and beverage company—due to its “great environment and vast opportunities for growth and learning.”

“The Supply Chain Associate position at Nestlé is the perfect role where I can apply all I learned at Duquesne and really make an impact,” he said. 

In his role, Coleman is responsible for keeping material flowing into and throughout the Nestlé factory to support the overall goal of producing finished products. Recently, he has started working on projects involving scheduling and quality assurance.  

When asked what advice he has for current Duquesne undergraduate students, Coleman offered: “Your undergrad years truly are what you make of them. Utilize every resource possible to you. And above all, work hard. Work hard and take advantage of the countless resources and opportunities Duquesne presents to you and you will have a successful college experience and future career.”