Morgan Putnam wasted no time going from college to career, signing an offer from GM before walking at graduation

While many students receive their diplomas and begin searching for a job, Morgan Putnam isn’t searching. She knows exactly where she will be when she graduates in May 2025. 

“I signed my offer letter to join GM in their Global Purchasing Supply Chain TRACK 2-year rotational program, where I will be rotating every six months to a new role in that program,” said Putnam. “I can pick where I want to go in the 4th rotation of this program after I have completed 3 rotations in either logistics, supply chain, procurement, or the command center.” 

While Putnam is now set on her path toward supply chain success, her path was not always this clear. As a first-generation student born and raised in Lapeer, MI, Putnam joined Wayne State as a health science major but switched to global supply chain management during the pandemic. 

“One of my older sisters works in supply chain, and I saw what she did when working from home during COVID when everyone realized the importance of supply chains,” said Putnam. “I thought that was something that I would like to do.” 

Finding community at the Ilitch School 

After joining the Mike Ilitch School of Business, Putnam’s college-to-career journey took off, she found a supportive community and took advantage of the numerous opportunities available to Ilitch School students. 

Between full-time classwork, and two part-time jobs, Putnam took on a leadership role with Wayne Women in Business, a student organization devoted to building a community of women breaking into the world of business. 

“The business world is predominantly men, and that is especially true in automotive. Within Wayne Women in Business, I found people that were interested in automotive, but they were also interested in fashion, marketing, accounting, finance, and other niche areas of business that I wouldn’t have thought of,” said Putnam. “That’s where I found my community and some of my best friends.” 

Putnam was also active in the Global Supply Chain Management Association, a student organization for students interested in supply chain management, and the Corporate Mentorship Program, which pairs first-generation students with mentors based on the industries the students would like to enter.  

Her student organization involvement, and her initiative to seek out opportunities presented for her, led Putnam to participate in three internships while completing classes. 

Gaining Professional Skills Through Internships 

Putnam’s first internship experience was with Oakland Community Health Network, where Putnam managed the marketing reporting systems for the agency. 

“I looked at all of their marking that they were doing, and how much it was costing them and then found them ways to save some money, and implement a better recording system for them,” explained Putnam. “It taught me professional etiquette, how to write an email, conduct a meeting professionally in a corporate setting.” 

Exploring Supply Chain at Toyota 

Through her first foray into the world of marketing and communications, Putnam wanted to try and seek out a different path. She attended one of the Ilitch School career fairs, only to find that most companies were only interested in juniors or seniors. She was, however, able to secure an internship at Toyota using connections she’s made in her time as a student.  

“I went to Toyota in their purchasing department and was an interior and exterior trim buying co-op in Saline, MI,” explained Putnam. “Being able to break down the parts from the paint to the bolts to the plastic and put those pieces together into one price and send it to a supplier to negotiate a price was a fantastic experience.” 

This internship provided Putnam with additional technical skills, including learning how to use software like Power BI to create dashboards and resources for her fellow supply chain managers to work with. 

Tackling Logistics at Pepsi Co. 

Following her time at Toyota, Putnam took the leap and accepted an internship far away from her hometown of Lapeer, in Chicago, Il.  

“I lived in the big city, and interned at PepsiCo,” said Putnam. “I was a customer integration intern, which is a logistics position, making sure that product was getting to the store at the right time, and at the right quantity.” 

Putnam got connected with PepsiCo by networking on LinkedIn with people from her hometown, and the network that she has built through the Ilitch School. Her new connection encouraged Putnam to apply for the job, where she would be working with the team that manages Kroger’s account with Pepsi Co., a multi-million-dollar contract. 

Preparing for the Future at GM 

This experience set Putnam on her path toward securing her first role out of college, a rotational program with GM. As she prepares for this next step, Putnam reflects on what brought her here today.  

“I think the technical education at the Ilitch School has prepared me,” said Putnam. “All the case studies, my internships, student organizations, and the support from professors and my family have helped me get to where I am today. I think everyone should pursue an internship, even if it's just a small two- or three-week shadow program. It can have a powerful impact on the rest of your career.”