MBA graduate: 'Once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil'

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2023 graduates.

Jamie Heuremann, a proud Arizona native from Scottsdale, began her academic journey with more questions than answers. When weighing her options about her career direction, she found that personal introspection was needed.

“Like so many young business majors who come to Arizona State University, I wasn’t entirely clear on the direction of my career,” she said. Through the support of her professors and academic advisors, the next best step became more apparent.

“Once Professor Eddie Davila introduced me to supply chain management, I knew I’d found my calling," she said.

Motivated by this newfound direction, Heuremann knew it was time to dive in. She relocated to study in Wellington, New Zealand, for six months during her undergraduate program and earned two degrees at ASU, double-majoring in economics and supply chain management. Once she returned to Arizona, Heuremann attended Barrett, the Honors College and was involved in the Leaders Academy within the W. P. Carey School of Business. After graduating in 2016, she worked in trucking and freight brokerage for C.H. Robinson, an industry-leading third-party logistics provider, for five years before returning to ASU to continue her education.

After years of dedicating her life to academics and career advancement, she looks forward to enjoying much-deserved vacation time with her fiancé and three dogs. She anticipates more free time to delve into side projects and hobbies like reading, knitting and baking.

“I enjoy traveling and exploring the many wonderful hikes Arizona has to offer; I love sharing its many joys with friends new and old," she said. 

This spring, she will graduate with an MBA from the W. P. Carey School of Business in addition to a diploma notation and Master's Distinguished Medallion for graduating with a cumulative 4.0 GPA. Heuermann elaborates on her love for Arizona and the strong belief that once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil.

Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

Answer: I have learned so many wonderful things while attending ASU. It’s hard to choose any one thing, but one of the most important things I have learned is how to leverage different peoples’ strengths to accomplish more together than any individual could. It’s something I practiced both inside and outside the classroom, and I highly encourage students to put themselves in the way of opportunities to practice collaboration. 

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: I chose ASU because I loved Arizona and wanted to stay in-state for college. I also knew I wanted to pursue a business degree, and W. P. Carey is the best business school in the state. Once I began to consider returning to school for my MBA, there was only one option for me. Once a Sun Devil, always a Sun Devil!

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: I have learned so many valuable things, but one that I think will continue to pay dividends throughout the rest of my career is how to effectively organize and design a spreadsheet so someone else can look at it and understand what is going on. It sounds simple, but it was never something I considered beforehand, and I can already see what an impact it will have on the rest of my career. Thank you, Professor Reynold Byers, for sharing this superpower.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you would give to students?

A: Take at least one finance class — especially personal finance. You’ll learn so many great and practical things in your course of study, whatever it is, but every student needs to know the basics of managing their finances once they graduate. I promise it could save your credit score.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life? 

A: My favorite spot on campus is the patio outside McCord Hall. I love the beautiful shade trees and the water fountain. It’s such a beautiful place, and it’s just as great for spending time with friends between classes as it is for studying. 

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: My immediate plans post-graduation are to take a few well-earned trips with my fiancé and friends for about a month; then, I’ll start as an associate with W.L. Gore & Associates in their medical-device division. In the long term, I look forward to furthering my experience in project management and finding new areas of supply chain analytics to stretch my expertise.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: I would like to use that money to fund and support the expansion of universal basic income trials. I firmly believe that the quality of our country’s economy would improve if everyone had a little more support. I hope these efforts will show the powers that be that there’s an effective alternative to traditional welfare programs that can make better use of public funding with better market outcomes.