Walking students through the roles of real life

Bloomsburg College of Business and Husky Softball grad, Alyssa Davies ‘18 returned to campus to advise and recruit fellow Huskies so soon and so often that sometimes it seems like she never left.

As a Supply Chain /Professional Sales major, Davies attributes her professional success and willingness to help others to her heavy involvement as a student. As part of several student organizations, such as the Association for Supply Chain Managers (ASCM) AND the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Davies gained exposure to different industries and manufacturing 

organizations and practiced her time management skills. She also participated in several sales competitions that gave her valuable professional experience.

“I tried to be as involved as possible,” recalled Davies. “I learned time management skills very quickly while juggling softball and doing well in the classroom, and it was a big help after I graduated. I already knew what it was like to be under pressure for deadlines and to prioritize responsibilities.”

Davies credits her campus experiences as a student-athlete not only for obtaining her first professional position shortly after graduation but also for success in her current position as a production management supervisor at the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Davies says she relies heavily on the “soft skills” she learned at Bloomsburg to successfully deliver radar systems for the Department of Defense and transfer her business skillset to the defense industry.

 “We have to come together as a team in different departments and build connections quickly. I had already done that at Bloomsburg, so I knew I could do that anywhere.”

While she is enjoying her career journey, Davies is also intentional about helping others along theirs. She has served as an alumni panelist at the ZIPD conference and an alumni speaker with ASCM to give professional advice and wisdom to current students.

“I was a little nervous because I remembered not wanting to be there when I was a student…[even though] you wanted somebody to help build your network,” recalled Davies about the first time she was on a panel. “But I got a lot of good interaction, and when I returned for the career expo in the fall, I had students come up to me and talked about the panel, so I made a bit of an impact.”

And while she finds satisfaction in volunteering, Davies also looks to hire fellow Huskies, helping them get their foot in the door and start their careers.

“After being involved with mock interviews, I have a better understanding of what students and young professionals are looking for in a company. All my volunteer time has been mutually beneficial. Students are in a great position, there are so many opportunities. The power is in their hands.”

“Bloomsburg does a beautiful job preparing students with real-life business scenarios, walking them through roles, and building networks with alumni and guest speakers,” concluded Davies. “I love sharing my experiences with students and talking with alumni later in their careers and hearing about their experiences also help me. Even as an alum, Bloomsburg is still helping me.”