Emily Cagen is passionate about applying analytics to supply chain management. “There’s so much about data analytics that could advance a supply chain from end to end,” she says. “I wanted to gain the detailed knowledge of statistics and mathematics that goes into creating models to optimize productivity.” To acquire those skills, Cagen came to the Haslam College of Business in 2018 as a dual degree student, pursuing an MSBA and an MBA in business analytics.

Before starting the program at Haslam, Cagen spent several years as a strategic supply planner and demand planner at Boulder Brands, a food company based in Colorado. In that role, she developed operational forecasts and examined sales trends, sparking an interest in analytics and how it applies to business.

“I decided to further my education to give myself more opportunities in supply chain management,” she says. “So far, the program at Haslam has been a very big challenge for me, but I’m excited and happy to be part of it.” Cagen has enjoyed the opportunity to get to know her classmates and professors and to engage in projects that will aid her in future industry work. She was recently elected president of the Masters of Analytics Students of Tennessee (MAST) and looks forward to developing her leadership skills in that position. Cagen will intern in Deloitte’s supply chain department in Los Angeles, California, this summer and plans to graduate in 2020.

In the future, Cagen hopes to join a consulting practice where she can experience several sectors. “My career experience so far has been in a specific industry, so I’m looking forward to exploring industries like technology and pharmaceuticals,” she says. “That’s the short term plan.” Fluent in Spanish as well as English, Cagen is interested in international business opportunities that would utilize her language training. Long term, she would love to become an entrepreneur with her own manufacturing company or consulting firm. “Ultimately, I want to work in an environment where I can be creative and continue to learn and grow professionally.”