Breanna Schneider

University of Wisconsin School of Business

“A motivated ball of energy who is passionate about people, learning, and fitness.”

Fun fact about yourself: I have seen an active volcano from a helicopter!  

Hometown: De Pere, WI

High School: West De Pere High School

Major(s): Supply Chain Management and Operation & Technology Management

Certificate(s): Data Science

Favorite Business Course: Gen Bus 306 –Business Analytics

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

UW-Madison WISE Chapter – Co-Founder and President (Spring 2024)

Grainger Center of Supply Chain Management Board of Directors – Director of Budget and Administration (2022-2023), Member at Large (2023-2024)

Robert A. Jerred Scholarship (2023-2024)

MHEFI Sabine Batsche Memorial Scholarship (2023-2024)

William F. Vilas Scholarship (2023)

AWESOME Excellence in Education Scholar (2023)

WISE Advisory Board Member (2023)

Grainger Center of Supply Chain Management Scholarship (2022-2024)

Dean’s List (Fall 2020- Fall 2023)

Business, Badgers, & Beyond – Community Service Chair (2021-2023)

Students Today, Leaders Forever (STLF) Member (2021-2023)

Capital Credit Union Scholarship (2020)

West De Pere Booster Club Scholarship (2020)

West De Pere Fastbreak Scholarship (2020)

Management Women, Inc. Scholarship (2020)

Where have you interned during your college career?

• W. Grainger, Lake Forest, IL, Global Supply Chain Intern-Logistics Import Team (June 2023 – August 2023)
• Breakthrough, Green Bay, WI, Market Research Intern (May 2022 – May 2023)
• UW Survey Center, Madison, WI, Survey Mail & Data Entry (January 2024 – Present)
• University of Wisconsin – Madison Athletics Office, Madison, WI, Academic Tutor (September 2022 – Present)
• UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering Financial Office, Madison, WI Administrative Office Academic Support (November 2021 – June 2022)

Where will you be working after graduation? After graduation, I will be joining W.W. Grainger as a Rotational Development Analyst with my first role on the Market Inventory Team.

Who is your favorite business professor? Pete Lukszys – he is an exceptional educator, who has greatly expanded my understanding of the supply chain field. Beyond his role as an educator, Pete has been an invaluable mentor to me. I have had the pleasure of taking two of his classes. His dedication to his students’ success, both in and outside the classroom, truly shines through. His wealth of expertise, combined with his approachable and engaging presence, makes learning from him a true pleasure.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? My biggest piece of advice is to seize every opportunity that comes your way. It can be intimidating to attend an event without knowing anyone or to undertake something outside your comfort zone. However, I believe that the most significant growth occurs beyond these familiar boundaries. You never know how saying ‘yes’ to one opportunity can open the door to many others. I can recall numerous instances where agreeing to a small event or project profoundly influenced my college experience and led me to where I am today.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? The most surprising aspect for me was how interconnected each distinct field is. I found it fascinating when classes from separate disciplines began to incorporate knowledge that I was simultaneously learning in other courses. For instance, in my IT in Supply Chain class, we applied financial tools and modeling to assess whether the costs of systems were justified by their benefits. As I witnessed the convergence of knowledge from all my classes, it enhanced my appreciation for each course beyond my major. This realization emphasized the future value of this diverse knowledge in my career going forward.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I would have looked for mentorship opportunities earlier in my college career. Throughout my years, I met so many amazing faculty and staff who wanted to see me succeed. I believe that there is immense value in having specific mentors to turn to for guidance, questions, and advice. If I could go back, I would tell my freshman self to not be shy and build that personal connection with professors and faculty.  When I truly started to lean in to learning from and asking questions towards my mentors, I began to see the most personal and professional growth.

What business leader do you admire most? The business leader that I admire the most is Shelly Simpson. I have had the opportunity to visit the J.B. Hunt headquarters and hear her speak two years in a row at the WISE Symposium held at the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Shelley shared her personal mission statement and helped us begin to write our own mission statements. She opened my mind to begin asking myself what kind of leader I want to be known as. I find it admirable how she consistently strives to uphold her mission statement in her daily life, adhering to her own values and beliefs in every decision and in everything she aims to accomplish.

Which academic, extracurricular, or personal achievement are you most proud of? Starting a Women in Supply Chain Excellence (WISE) Chapter at UW-Madison because WISE has played a huge role in my professional development, and it is exciting to further the reach and grow the mission of WISE to touch my peer’s lives as well. I have built an amazing community of people through WISE and hope to help others develop the same safe space community at UW-Madison.

Which classmate do you most admire? I admire each of my classmates who have helped me to learn something new or given me a new perspective on a topic. I think it is difficult to pick just one classmate who I admire the most, because so many of my classmates have played a huge role throughout my college career. I am truly grateful to the whole business community at UW-Madison, and specifically the Grainger Center of Supply Chain Management students who have grown and learned alongside me.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I want to thank my parents for being my biggest supporters and role models. From a young age, they instilled the value of hard work in me and always pushed me to reach for the stars. Their commitment to their own endeavors and the sacrifices they made for me played a crucial role in my success. I would not be where I am today without their guidance, support, and love.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Seek out mentors who can guide me in my career journey and, eventually, become a mentor myself.
2. Implement a modification in the supply chain to guide a company toward achieving its sustainability objectives.

What are your hobbies? Outside of school, I love to travel, explore the outdoors, weightlifting, go to hot yoga classes, and bake. I always find something to keep myself active!

What made Breanna such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“Breanna has consistently demonstrated outstanding qualities in academic excellence, co-curricular leadership, personal character, and a profound commitment to creating an inclusive and equitable community within the Wisconsin School of Business (WSB). I wholeheartedly endorse Breanna Schneider for this prestigious award and believe that her recognition would not only be a testament to her individual accomplishments but also a celebration of the positive impact she has made on the Wisconsin School of Business.”

Blake Bishop
Assistant Director
Grainger Center for Supply Chain Management
Wisconsin School of Business

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