Alumni

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Justin Jones, Senior Strategy Manager at UPS, 2017 B.S. in Management (Supply Chain Management), wrote an open letter advising current and future students on their journey at Clemson. Read his letter below.

Trust the Process

An Open Letter to Current and Future Clemson Students

by Justin Jones, Management and Finance ‘17

Looking back on my time at Clemson, I realize that, from the first time I set foot on campus to the time I turned my ring around to face the world, every step of the process helped prepare me to become who I am today. You may not realize it while you are a student, but every interaction, every class, and every football game molds you into who you will become. I would like to reflect on some of the experiences which helped prepare me for the transition from a student at Clemson to a young professional finding success in the real world.

Coming into Clemson, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was an 18-year-old introverted kid from Long Island, New York, who somehow found his way down south to pursue his education. To this day, I still think my decision to attend Clemson was the best decision I have ever made. The family feel of Clemson was critical to me and something that I felt from my first day on campus.

While at Clemson, I obtained bachelor's degrees in both supply chain management and corporate finance. My first professional role after Clemson was as a supply chain consultant at UPS. I could not have landed in a more perfect role that married what I learned in both specializations.

Supply chain management has always been a field of interest for me. I heard about the importance of the supply chain but never really knew what that meant. At the time, Clemson was one of the few universities across the country that offered supply chain management as a degree. I remember taking my first supply chain class during my junior year and becoming hooked. I was fascinated to learn the ins and outs of how a business turns raw material into a finished product.

The learnings that supply chain courses offered came naturally to me, so much so that by the end of my junior year, I was recognized as the top student in the specialization. Post-graduation, I was able to take what I had learned in the classroom and help unlock millions of dollars in savings opportunities for customers by recognizing inefficiencies in their supply chain and offering solutions to remedy those inefficiencies.

Pursuing a finance degree on top of a supply chain management degree was a decision I made late in my sophomore year. I calculated the number of credits I would need to graduate with two degrees, and it worked out perfectly; I could finish both degrees in four years. Adding the finance degree was one of the best decisions I made. I was able to leverage what I learned in the classroom and apply it directly to challenges in my career.

What you learn at Clemson immediately transfers to the real world. A large majority of the finance classes I took senior year were Excel-based classes. I recall being quite frustrated with the application at first; however, after all those classes, I became quite proficient. Post-graduation, I quickly learned that the entire business world runs on Excel. I was able to utilize my Excel skills to create complex financial models that clearly articulated UPS' value to the customer from a financial perspective. I also can recall sitting in Mrs. McMillan's class wondering why I was learning how to calculate the net present value and then immediately applying that knowledge to real-world projects once I arrived at UPS.

One last experience stands out as I reflect on my time at Clemson: studying abroad at Oxford University in England. I encourage anyone and everyone to spend time studying abroad during your college years, if possible. At Oxford, we were introduced to world-renowned thought leaders who shared their ideas and culture with us. We had many opportunities to see ancient architecture, travel to additional countries and develop more of a global mindset. This was an eye-opening experience that helped me to broaden my perspective in life as I began my career at one of the largest global companies in the world.

As I close out this letter, I want to leave you with a few parting thoughts. Clemson is a wonderful place where you will meet lifelong friends and develop the skills needed to find success in the real world. You may feel uncertain about what the future holds as you make your way through your journey, but know that every day you are on Clemson's campus, you are learning and growing as an individual. I will cherish my time at Clemson and all the opportunities it provided me. I encourage you to take advantage of as many opportunities as you can. Treat every day as an opportunity to learn or experience something new. Do not be afraid to fail. Your Clemson family will always be there to pick you up and keep you on your path to success.

Trust the process!

Sincerely,

Justin Jones