Industrial Engineering

Ask an Alum: Meet Clara Nunamaker

Posted on by chirapa

Name:

Clara Nunamaker

Year Graduated:

2015/2016

Degree from Clemson: 

BS/MS Industrial Engineering

What are you doing now? 

I currently work as a Tactical Forecast Manager at Michelin. In this role, I get to apply the IE skill set that I developed at Clemson to manage the commercial tire forecast for North America. This involves collaborations across the Marketing, Sales, and Supply Chain organizations, balanced with analytics, to produce a proposal for validation by Region management.

How did your experience at Clemson University help you find your first position after graduation?

I knew what I wanted my first position to look like based on my research experience at Clemson (combined with learning what I did NOT want my first position to look like via other classroom and internship experiences), and I pursued opportunities that would lead me to and qualify me for that position. I shared my vision with colleagues during my internships and with the companies, I interacted with at the Clemson Career Fair.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would get involved with the IE Department earlier in my college career. As a sophomore and junior, I went to class and made the grades, but senior year I got involved with undergraduate research and creative inquiry projects. These projects gave me the opportunity to apply what I was learning in the IE classroom to real-life questions and helped me understand where I wanted to focus my career ambitions.

What would you look for if you were in the position to hire new graduates from Clemson?

Problem-solving and initiative. Willingness to apply process-improvement initiatives within your existing job separates a good employee from a great one.

What advice would you give to current IE students?

Take time to reflect on how much you have learned and how much you are capable of thanks to your time at Clemson. You might be surprised of all the things you have accomplished. Let your accomplishments give you the confidence to land your dream job and take on new challenges.

What was your favorite part about your time at Clemson? 

I loved my experience with IE Creative Inquiry. I worked with a team of motivated peers who challenged me to take initiative and be creative as we developed solutions for vehicle routing inefficiencies at Meals on Wheels Greenville. Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Mason, I made the connection between my IE skill-set and real-life problems. We were even featured on Clemson’s home page!

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