Alum feature: Meet Ekta Singh

Building a Sustainable Future and a Stronger Community

Ekta Singh finds inspiration in the people who surround her on a daily basis, working to give something back to the communities that made them who they are today.

A graduate of Portland State’s undergraduate finance degree program, she spent the first few years of her career teaching underprivileged students while balancing family life — she has two young daughters — with part-time work as a financial analyst and a series of online courses to keep her skills and business knowledge on the cutting edge.

It was one of those courses that sparked her interest in supply chain management and spurred her decision to pursue a master’s degree in global supply chain management (MSGSCM) from PSU.

As one of the top-rated online business programs in the country, PSU’s MSGSCM program would position her to execute ideas that make businesses profitable and friendlier to the planet, Ekta says. Its emphasis on sustainability, high-quality instructors and collaborative focus are preparing her to lead regional businesses into the future. The connections she made in this program have already led to employment at Nike, where she says her ideas about sustainability resonate with Nike’s.

“The program is incredibly interactive and people-oriented,” Ekta adds. “It offers a good mix of leadership skills and quantitative ones, such as forecasting and data analytics. It also includes real-world experiences, like a trip to Asia. It was an enriching trip that provided us an opportunity to visit factories in Vietnam and China, and I got a behind-the-scenes look at how the products I use every day are made.”

Growing a Sustainable Business Mindset

Sustainability is a top concern for supply chain executives looking ahead to the next decade, and it’s a topic that resonates with Ekta personally and professionally. She says her experience in PSU’s Graduate Business Programs has boosted her knowledge about the importance of sustainability and given her the tools to apply this knowledge in real scenarios.

The key for Ekta has been the program’s focus on real-world applications and the high caliber of faculty.

“The best aspect of this program truly is the instructors,” she says. “They are knowledgeable and highly experienced in their fields and bring real-life business experience to illustrate the principles they teach.”

Ekta’s MSGSCM cohort has also created a strong sense of community where students feel supported and heard. She has grown in confidence during her time in the program, she says, and has developed her networking skills — both of which are important in today’s relationship-based business world.

Ekta has one piece of advice for current and prospective students at The School of Business: Don’t be intimidated by goals that initially seem out of reach.

“It’s never too late to learn and improve your skills,” Ekta stresses.

“People generally become successful less through innate talent and more through working hard and continuing to keep learning. If you want to, you will get there!”