BGSU supply chain student propels career forward with two years of co-op experience

Avery Wahl balanced a full class schedule with roles at CACI and Toyota

By Laren Kowalczyk ‘07

Avery Wahl will graduate from Bowling Green State University with two years of professional experience in supply chain management—an incredibly unique feat that undoubtedly will elevate her career opportunities.

For most of her college career, Wahl has balanced demanding co-ops with a full course load in pursuit of her dream to excel in the supply chain industry and graduate within three years.

“I’m really driven, and I’m pushing myself to be the best version I can be,” Wahl said. “Getting that real-world experience and building industry connections while pursuing my degree was really important to me. It hasn’t always been easy, but I know it’ll be worth it.”

Wahl’s success also highlights the caliber of the University’s supply chain management program in the Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business, from which students are highly recruited. Gartner, a leading IT and supply chain management research and advisory company, ranked it among the top 25 supply chain management programs in North America in its biannual rankings of undergraduate and graduate programs.

Many students receive multiple job offers before graduation, with Wahl among them.

Wahl enrolled at BGSU in Fall 2021 with 60 credits completed through the College Credit Plus program at Anthony Wayne High School.

Diving right in

One semester later, in Spring 2022, she attended a career expo hosted by the Michael and Sara Kuhlin Hub for Career Design and Connections, where she met representatives from CACI International Inc., a professional services and information technology company for the U.S. federal government.

The Kuhlin Career Hub positions students for professional success by introducing them to its growing network of top local and national employer partners through events like career expos, prototyping experiences and alumni mentoring through the Falcon Professional Network.

The personal connections facilitated through the Kuhlin Career Hub are integral in helping students build connections with professionals in their chosen fields.

Within a few days of the career expo, Wahl received an offer from Virginia-based CACI. She moved to Washington to work as an associate buyer at CACI from May through December 2022.

After returning to BGSU for classes in Spring 2023, Wahl continued her co-op with CACI remotely, working 30 hours a week while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business administration specializing in supply chain management.

The University’s supply chain program is highly regarded for its expert faculty members and emphasis on experiential learning, which Wahl said was crucial to her success in the co-op.

“It was pretty cool to learn about various facets of supply chain management in one of my classes and then literally do it in real life for my job,” Wahl said. “All of my professors in the College of Business have been incredibly helpful throughout my journey at BGSU.”

A second internship

Following the CACI co-op, which concluded in January 2024 after a year and nine months, Wahl connected with a Toyota representative during a BGSU Supply Chain Management Association event.

Not long after that, she began working full-time as a purchasing intern for Toyota Motor North America Research and Development in Saline, Michigan.

Wahl attends a combination of in-person and online classes to accommodate her full-time work schedule.

“I would not be able to do this without the support from BGSU,” she said. “My professors know I’m working full-time and balancing a full course load, and they’re incredibly understanding and encouraging.” 

BGSU Assistant Teaching Professor Ashik Iqbal said Wahl is a rarity in her determination and commitment to professional success at such a young age. He’s currently teaching Wahl in an operations class, the topics of which are very fitting for her role at Toyota.

“The role she’s working in at Toyota directly correlates to what we’re discussing in class,” Iqbal said. “I find that unique because I don’t have any other students working in the industry who immediately apply the knowledge they’re learning.

“I give Avery a lot of credit. She’s intelligent, determined and committed to her work and school. She’s an earnest student with a lot on her plate, yet she never complains. She’s just a diligent, hard-working person.”