Christian Briggs

Degree: MSSCM ’14

Occupation: Project Analyst, Edgewell Personal Care

Why did you choose this program?

I got my undergraduate degree in marketing, with a focus in marketing research. For my master’s program, I wanted to do something that was related and data intensive, but also allowed me to branch out and challenge myself. Supply Chain Management was an up-and-coming field that provided me with the ability to continue learning and applying those skills.

In addition, I wanted to seek out a program that I could complete in about a year. Loyola was the first school that really jumped out to me. I had a chance to do some research on the program and the program recognition Loyola had received through rankings was excellent. I was also able to get some feedback from people that were in the program. I felt like it was a really good program and fit for me especially because of the teachers, curriculum, and the people.

What was your favorite experience during your time at Quinlan?

My favorite experience was being involved with the Quinlan Graduate Business Student Association (QGBA). I felt like the interactions and the people that I met through the QGBA were great because I was able to meet people studying in different graduate business programs with all types of backgrounds. Those interactions really helped me establish some of the professional relationships I have today.

How has the program helped your career?

Firstly, the program opened up a great internship at Robert Bosch Tool Corporation in Mount Prospect, IL which was my first professional supply chain management experience. I was selected after applying through the career services portal. While at Bosch, I had good colleagues that helped guide me.

The knowledge that I gained from the program at Loyola was extremely valuable because I was thrown into the thick of things while I was an intern. The analytics background was extremely beneficial for the data-intensive work I was asked to do at Bosch. Also, some of the classes that were related to supply chain costing and inventory modeling helped because those were some of the responsibilities I was tasked with as an intern.

After moving back to St. Louis, I started working for Energizer which has now become Edgewell. My background from the program and internship really helped my start at the company, which saw me transition to the customer-focused side of supply chain. The supply chain program gave me the full scope so that once in the work place, I was able to understand the terminology and apply the theory learned.

It also propelled me to identify cost saving and efficiency opportunities in the business almost immediately. These ideas and fresh perspective allowed me to analyze the issues, exploring all possibilities, and thus come up with the best possible solution. Questioning existing processes and constantly seeking to find improvements set me up for success. It is these attributes that I gained from the program that have given me the opportunity to be even more passionate about my current role as a project analyst.

What advice do you have for current students?

Don't be afraid to reach out to professors, former alumni, or anyone else connected to the program. It can be challenging when you're in school but I feel like that's one of the biggest areas where if I had done a better job of consistently making more meaningful connections, it would have helped me even further as I began to branch out into my professional career.

I met some really great people while in the program and am grateful to still be in contact with some of them. A great example of this was a classmate who was graduating a semester ahead of me and passed along a great opportunity. I was able to apply for the position, and even received an offer which I decided to turn down. It’s good to understand the value these connections can have on your career both in the short and long term.

In 10 words or less: Why Quinlan?

The city, the people, and the experiences.