Jamie Schmidt

Whew! Let me be the first one to say, WE MADE IT! Can I get a Whoosh??

What an honor it is to be standing in front of you. My peers, friends and fellow innovators. A special thank-you goes out to the friends that pulled all-nighters with us, parents who supported us every step of the way, professors that taught us to excel, mentors that pushed us to achieve great things, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, children and significant others that supported us to where we are today — to who we are today. Together, we have faced hardships and unique challenges, but we have made it. Together.

Hi everyone, I am Jamie Schmidt. I am graduating with a double major in global business and supply chain management. And until a year-and-a-half ago, no one really knew what getting a degree in supply chain meant. But now it seems to be just about the only thing anyone ever talks about. From massive ships blocking the Suez Canal, toilet paper shortages, and hot new TikTok trends that made me and about a million of my closest friends buy things that we don’t really need. Everybody is now way too familiar with the impact of supply chain. Supply chain, global business, finance, management science and marketing majors, where ya at? Yeah? I see you. FIX IT.

We certainly didn’t have global pandemic on our college bucket list, but here we are almost two years later. We thought it was just going to be a two-week spring break, but somehow our last two years turned into a journey filled with Zoom University, shortened semesters and hybrid classes. And to top all of that off? A Texas-sized blizzard? Like, come on! At this point, we might as well put “disaster survival expert” on our resumes.

None of us pictured our years in college like this. Isolation, financial troubles and mental health struggles. A lot of us were forced to grow up much faster than we expected. Everyone in one way or another was impacted by COVID-19. And we are missing some loved ones we wish were here to see us walk across the stage today, which makes this moment so bittersweet. The pandemic has changed our lives forever. But we are more resourceful, resilient and perseverant than ever before. And we have learned how to function in a topsy-turvy world. Employers will see our critical-thinking mindsets, our life skills of flexibility and our never-give-up attitudes. We will make an impact for years to come.

UTD. Our home. Looking back, remember all those great times we had together? Whether staying up until 3 a.m. at ECS West, surviving on only Red Bull and pure ambition, or following the Tobors around — only with the occasional “you shall not pass” sidestep. We made our moments at UTD memorable. Our silent discos allowed us to dance like no one was watching, and our Welcome Back Block Parties made us feel like kids again. What makes UTD unique is that Comets aren’t afraid to think creatively and be themselves.

Together, we have given back to the community with our volunteer hours. Through our connections with Habitat for Humanity, gardens and soup kitchens, we have grown and supported our community. We have connected with our community and fellow Comets while fulfilling our desires to help people. We made many friends along the way and have experienced the positive impact that we can have on those around us. Together, we have interned with a wide variety of companies, both local and global, and these opportunities have provided us with the skills and experiences to put us in an advantageous position as we enter the workforce. To date, we have interned at more than 5,000 companies, including Toyota, KPMG, Geico, McKesson and Pegasus.

Together, through our esteemed capstone projects, we have helped companies research, analyze and solve real-world business problems. We have had the unique opportunity to get connected with local businesses and network with industry professionals. We are not a Tier One research institution for nothing, amiright? These experiences combined with our prestigious education and loving support systems make up our business toolkit.

Because of these experiences, we are equipped to take on any challenges that come our way. We are the future business leaders, both here and abroad. Fellow Comets, let’s build better and more equitable companies and truly make a difference in the world. Let’s all innovate at the speed of bright and make the world a better place. Together, let’s go out there and fix those supply chain issues, solve those world problems, and put a little bit more WHOOSH into the world!

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Jamie Schmidt is graduating magna cum laude with a double major in global business and supply chain management. She joined UT Dallas in August 2018 after graduating from Colleyville Heritage High School. She has participated in the Global Development Initiative for three years, serving as the senior project manager. At UT Dallas, in collaboration with the Richardson Chamber of Commerce and the Richardson Economic Development Partnership, she and a team of her talented peers have consulted for over 30 companies from over 10 different countries. Additionally, she has been on the UTD Table Tennis Team and participated in the National Collegiate Table Tennis Championships two years in a row. She also has worked as a client services intern at Pegasus Logistics Group. After graduation, she will continue her education in UT Dallas’ MS supply chain fast-track program.