CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — The supply chain — the strategic coordination of transporting goods from one place to another — is at the heart of business. When product shortages and backlogs became commonplace during COVID-19, the world got a glimpse of the supply chain’s critical role in business operations. As a first-year student at Penn State Lehigh Valley, Alexis Havlicsek was fascinated by how it all worked and how much opportunity the industry offered. She was hooked after only one class, promptly switching her major from finance to project and supply chain management (PSCM) and business management and marketing. The two programs gave her a solid foundation to understand how business operates.
Havlicsek made her mark at Penn State Lehigh Valley. In addition to carrying a full course load and working part-time, she served as secretary and treasurer of the Project and Supply Chain Committee for the 14 Penn State Commonwealth Campuses, as a peer mentor for the project and supply chain program, and student marshal at the spring 2024 commencement ceremony. Since graduating from Penn State Lehigh Valley, Havlicsek has put her knowledge into practice. She is now a business process analyst at Olympus America in Center Valley.
“My role consists of facilitating system integration and alignment,” Havlicsek said.
As a student, Havlicsek completed an internship in the purchasing department of Mack Defense, a subsidiary of Mack Trucks. While there, she had a hand in developing three military vehicle prototypes, working alongside professionals with several decades of experience. Providing students access to the industry through internships, job shadowing and mentoring opportunities are cornerstones of the PSCM program.
“One of the best things about Penn State Lehigh Valley's program is the opportunity it provides,” Havlicsek said. “The professors genuinely care about you and developing your career. It’s not just another class or Power Point — they put the time in to helping you grow. They offer so many different things — career fairs, speakers from the alumni association, the advisory board. A lot of alumni come back to speak to the students so you learn more about their careers. There are so many different avenues in this field.”
College taught her a lot about developing good time management skills, she said, noting that one of the most pleasant surprises about working full-time is the lighter schedule.
“I had so many different things going on, so the transition to the professional world was actually really easy because I was already working," Havlicsek said. "Now that I’m just working full-time and don’t have classes or exams to worry about, it actually freed up some time, which is nice.”
Havlicsek, who now lives in Breinigsville, got married in January 2025 and said she is enjoying the next phase of her life.
Havlicsek urges students to make the most of everything Penn State Lehigh Valley has to offer.
“Make sure you’re taking advantage of everything that comes your way,” she said. “There’s a lot of opportunity on campus and with clubs. There’s a lot you can get involved in, and that helps you learn, as well. ... So much good stuff came out of the program for me. I got so much out of it.”
Her career is just getting started, and she plans to grow in the supply chain field.
“I want to learn more about the different avenues and fields I gravitate towards," Havlicsek said. "I like what I’m doing now but want to be exposed to more of the different areas in the supply chain industry and move up within my career.”
