As we kick off another application season, we reached out to recent alumni to learn about their experience in the Supply Chain Management (SCM) Master’s program and the impact it has had on their careers.
We sat down with AJ Shaw, a Program Manager at Google and a graduate of the MIT SCM Master’s Class of 2024. Prior to the program, AJ attended Michigan State University, studying Applied Engineering Sciences with a concentration in Supply Chain Management. After undergrad, AJ worked at Microsoft as a technical program manager for three years, where he became eager to further grow his academic knowledge in supply chain.
Heading into the MIT Program, AJ recognized how much change was happening across the supply chain industry and the deep need for continuous improvement. He joined the program with a desire to learn tangible skills—from academics and from world-class leaders—to set himself up for long-term career growth and success.
We spoke with AJ to get a closer look at his experience—what inspired him to choose MIT, how the program shaped his new career, and his advice for future students.
What was your favorite part about the Supply Chain program?
At MIT, you are part of a vibrant community with people from all walks of life with different job histories, geographic upbringings, and perspectives on the world. I loved coming together and learning alongside each other. And not just learning but playing together. I played intramural soccer with my classmates, which was a great experience. There is a memorable photo of our team representing eight different countries! It highlights the global impact and reach the program provides.
What was your most memorable class that you took while at MIT?
The program does a great job of ensuring students can customize their class loads to reflect their interests. I particularly liked the Current Events and Supply Chain course. It was a class where the students could present a topic they were passionate about, do their research, present it back, learn, and ask questions about other classmates’ topics. I loved having the opportunity to explore different aspects and elements of the supply chain and do it from a perspective that we’re passionate about as students.
What was the most surprising part of the program?
One of my biggest surprises was seeing how engaging all the alumni were across the program. The MIT program spoke frequently about it through the admissions process, but it hit me once I was there. The alumni I met were always ready to help me and my classmates. Plus, our career advisors, Justin and Len, were fantastic in understanding what we were interested in from a location and job function perspective, putting us in touch with specific alumni to help us find our path forward. From there, the relationship with the alumni grew organically and helped form some long-term mentorships.
“From the alumni network, the program helped foster a lot of opportunities with my current employer, Google. It was great to make those connections while I was in the program, get advice for how to break through in my application, and now have familiar faces in my new role I started this Fall.”
What type of person would you recommend for the program and why?
This program can be for anybody and everybody, whether you are looking for a career pivot or hoping to advance your career through advanced academia. I loved my job at Microsoft, but I wanted to try something new and expand my career horizons.
The program helps guide you to understand what’s most important to you, whether it’s the job function, the industry, the location, or something else. Throughout the program, students are exposed to a robust alumni community, great networking sessions, and distinguished guest speakers, all of which drive value for your time at MIT and ultimately make the program stand out.
“In just one year, the MIT program provides access to phenomenal faculty, fellow students, peers, and great opportunities in the coursework.”
If you’re inspired by AJ’s experience and curious about what the program could do for your career, we’d love to hear from you!