Alumni Spotlight - Rhianna Davis
Class of 2020
Five Questions with Rhianna Davis...
1. What was your academic rundown, and what are you doing now?
At Penn State, I double majored in Business Management (concentrations in Organizational Leadership and Supply Chain Management) and Music Composition. I am currently working at Apple as a Worldwide Procurement Analyst. I procure CPUs and GPUs for Macs from Intel and AMD.
2. What do you enjoy most about your current position?
I most enjoy building relationships with my suppliers and working together to resolve supply issues.
3. How did your Management coursework prepare you for your first job after Penn State?
I frequently use tactics I learned in the Negotiation class when working with internal and external parties. Understanding when and with whom to share information is a very useful skill in my role. My job also involves sharing critical and time-sensitive information with international stakeholders. The course on Managing a Diverse Workforce gave me the tools to collaborate interculturally with both internal and external parties.
4. What advice do you have for students majoring in Management?
I recommend using your time at Smeal and in internships to identify the function in which you would like to start your career. Your management skills are highly transferable, so take advantage of your two-piece sequence and internships in order to grow additional skills. You will find that your Management degree does not just apply to managing subordinates. You will use these skills to manage yourself, your coworkers, your superiors, and external parties. All these types of management are different. Try to find opportunities at Penn State to experience each kind.
5. What is your favorite Penn State memory?
My favorite Penn State memory is watching the football team win the Big Ten Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium while playing piccolo in the Blue Band.