Hi everyone! My name is Tyler Urban and I’m currently a senior here at Kent State University graduating in the spring of 2024. My major is Economics with a minor in Finance.
Going into my senior year of high school, I was completely undecided on what I wanted to do. I had no idea where I wanted to go to school, what I wanted to major in, and especially what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I ultimately narrowed my choices down to sports management, education, psychology, and business…. pretty narrow list, right?
After that, it was time to decide on a school. I knew I wanted to go somewhere that was close to home, but not too close. I also knew I wanted to go somewhere that was big, but not too big. I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to be challenged not only academically but encouraged to be involved on campus through various opportunities.
I knew I wanted to find a home away from home for the next four years. As most high school seniors do, I was dragged on a few campus tours by my parents at the start of senior year.
After visiting Kent State on one of my last tours, I immediately knew I had found my home.
Kent State had checked every one of those boxes and then some.
The next step in the process was deciding on a major. After hearing about the Exploratory Program within the University College at Kent State on my tour, I knew that would be the best place to start my college career. By that time, I had narrowed my choices down to a few potential majors, but still wanted to see what I liked in my first year.
After taking some Kent Core classes and a few more general business classes, I started to enjoy business. Specifically, after taking my Principles of Microeconomics course my first year, I was hooked on economics. I declared my major in the spring of my first year and began my second year as an economics student with a finance minor.
During the summer going into my junior year, I was on the search for a summer internship. I have a friend whose dad worked at a company called Swagelok. I heard it was a good company and place to work but didn’t know much besides that.
That summer, I was presented with an opportunity to work at their Strongsville, Ohio, facility in their Tool Crib and PSO areas. There, I learned the ins and outs of a manufacturing plant, and how the first step in the tooling process is a critical step to a complete product. I also learned how to manage Excel and various plant operations, all while meeting people and networking for the future.
I am thankful for that first summer as it set me up for a return the following summer.
During my junior year at Kent State, I started as a campus tour guide. I had a great experience on my campus tour when I was touring schools and wanted to give back and be that first welcoming face for potential students. As a tour guide, I learned the ins and outs of campus, the ability to communicate with a large number of people, customer service skills and adaptability on any given day.
Some of my favorite days at Kent State have come from Preview KSU and Future Flash Days, where we host upwards of 300 incoming students and their families on Fridays in the fall and winter.
I have been extremely lucky to meet so many amazing people from being a tour guide, and the relationships I have made with fellow tour guides have been second to none.
This year, I am one of the lead tour guides on staff, which has provided leadership experience during my senior year.
The summer before my senior year, I knew I wanted another internship to expand my business knowledge before graduation. I met with my advisor at the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship (ACCBE) at the start of junior year, who directed me to our Career Services Office. They helped me refine my resume and allowed me to search further for internships.
I applied again to Swagelok, this time for a supply chain internship position at their Headquarters and Order Fulfillment Center in Solon, Ohio. After a few rounds of interviews, I was offered the internship position and immediately accepted. Throughout my summer, I learned valuable supply chain skills in SAP, logistics, planning and scheduling and various supply chain operations.
I took several plant tours of Swagelok’s different facilities and met so many amazing people while networking. I learned efficient strategies while working on multiple projects and was able to positively impact Swagelok’s efficiency and operations for years to come.
At the end of my internship, I interviewed and was accepted for a return offer upon graduation for their Career Development Program, where I’ll be able to dive deeper into the world of supply chain and grow as a professional.
I truly believe I have found a home in supply chain at Swagelok, and my Economics major in ACCBE prepared me for that.
My final advice for a high school senior considering Kent State is to enjoy the process. It is a fun time, so make sure to take a breath and enjoy the chaos.
I’d also encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Finally, I would say to be present in college while you can. These next four years are what you make of them, and they go by very quickly. Enjoy it and make the most of your time!