Ryan Schwitzer
Intended Major: Supply Chain
Hometown: Greenwood, Indiana
Graduation Year: 2028

How did you hear about Butler and what interested you in the University?
I heard about Butler through my family, my transfer advisors, and the Butler University representatives at college transfer fairs. 

My family has quite the history with Butler! My aunt, great-aunt, and my grandmother all attended Butler. My great-aunt, Chris Carlson, worked in donor relations at Butler for 10 years and maintains a close association with the school. Furthermore, my great-grandfather, Louis Schwitzer, directed significant philanthropic efforts towards Butler. 

My interest in attending Butler primarily came from the brand-new Supply Chain program and the 99% job placement rate for the Lacy School of Business graduates. I met two Supply Chain faculty members for lunch when I was weighing which college to choose. That meeting had a profound impact on my decision to pursue Butler!

All of my professional mentors at my current workplace are overwhelmingly supportive of the decision to pursue education at Butler. The dean of the Supply Chain program at Ivy Tech, my operations management mentor, my HR mentor, and my management team all have had very positive things to say about Butler. Many of them have relatives or family friends who are alumni or current students.

What do you hope to get involved with at Butler?
I will bring my efforts towards many things at Butler: Volunteering, fencing, student government, DECA, Butler’s Honors Program, and more! Starting a supply chain management student organization is chief among my aims. I know from personal experience and observation that students who get involved in student life do better academically than their peers.

How do you think Butler will help you grow as a person or student?
The breathing space will help me to decompress and grow tremendously—I have been working full-time while taking a 12-credit-hour semester at Ivy Tech, and going to Butler will let me focus squarely on personal development. The access to top-notch mentors, new friends, and excellent academics is a pathway to personal growth that will not go unutilized. The overwhelmingly positive tone I have been hearing about Butler from executive-level HR staff at my workplace makes it clear that Butler’s reputation for producing excellent professionals is quite true.

What are you looking forward to most when it comes to being a student at Butler?
Having the opportunity to be an early leader in Butler’s new Supply Chain program! Living on-campus and getting involved in student life and leadership opportunities has me very excited.

What advice would you give to other students thinking about transferring?
Connect with faculty, apply early, and stay ahead of deadlines. Try to connect face-to-face with a faculty member outside of the scheduled campus tours and advising appointments.

What made you want to study supply chain at Butler?
As a transfer student who was already majoring in Supply Chain, the primary draw towards Butler’s Supply Chain program is the sheer newness of it. When a college launches new programming, extra resources, eagerness, and unique opportunities are present. I was able to meet two Supply Chain faculty members before I had even submitted my transfer application. That meeting gave me the confidence that Butler has procured the best talent for their new program, and it made the decision easy.