My GTCC Story: Scholastica Nwaokeke
Published on: July 9, 2018
HOW ONE NIGERIAN-BORN STUDENT ASPIRES TO WORK IN GLOBAL OPERATIONS
It’s no secret that the modern consumer loves online shopping. Shoppers can order about anything from their couch and have it delivered to their front door with unprecedented speed. And while many take advantage of this modern convenience, few appreciate the calculated processes and logistics behind package delivery.
The same cannot be said for Nigerian-born Scholastica Nwaokeke, who is enthralled with the world of deliveries, management and customer service. Her interest dates back to 2012 when she began working at FedEx Ground in New Jersey and was first exposed to the behind-the-scenes world of delivery services. “I became curious about logistics and how packages get to customers. The route that it takes, how the customer will accept the package, really the whole operation and how transportation works,” she explains.
Her fascination persisted as she moved to North Carolina, where she continued her employment with FedEx. Scholastica soon realized that her interest in operations was more than just a full-time job, it was what she wanted to pursue at Guilford Technical Community College.
“We had been learning about having diversified career goals, and I saw a flyer about a logistics student story,” she says. The flyer led her to investigate different career tracks, and after speaking with her professor, she landed on global logistics– a supply chain management program that would leverage her existing skills and interests, while propelling her toward her career aspirations. But, in the beginning, it was not as easy as she had anticipated it might be. “Initially it was a little rough, and what I thought I knew was quite different from what was being taught,” she admits.
Her interest in operations motivated her to stay focused on her coursework, and she continued to expand her knowledge base. She says, “I want to know how things work, I’m a very curious person by nature. Is there a way we can do it better? Can we look at the data behind past events in order to compare what it might mean for the future?”
As she nears completion of the program, Scholastica plans to use her skills on a global scale. “I would like to get a job with an international supply chain company, somewhere I can grow and learn about other cultures,” she says. She also understands the importance of expanding beyond one’s comfort zone, and the benefits a diverse perspective can have on development and success, regardless of industry. “There’s an African saying that I’ll always remember: ‘If you have not stepped out of your father’s house, you will think it is the biggest house in the world,’” she shares.
Although she is juggling classes, working third shift and often running on just three or four hours of sleep, Scholastica Nwaokeke continues to excel at GTCC, and her hard work does not go unnoticed.
She was recently awarded a Gate Club Rotary Club Scholarship Award in the amount of $1,000. Last year, she also was honored with two $750 scholarships, one from The Rosa Lee Watkins Scholarship Foundation and one from the Gertrude and Henry Robinson Scholarship Foundation, all of which she is incredibly grateful for. “I appreciate it. It encourages me to keep on doing what I’m doing,” she says.
In addition to these accolades, Scholastica also applied for the Piedmont Triad APICS Professional Student Award Scholarship after being encouraged to do so by Samuel Chinnis, GTCC’s associate professor of global logistics. Scholastica had the opportunity to speak about her aspirations in the field of supply chain management at APICS alongside students from UNC-Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University. Following her compelling presentation, she was awarded $500 to further her education and fuel her career.
Scholastica is a testament to the successes and