Sometimes, finding your place is the first step to finding your purpose.  

Just ask Parkersburg native Alia Ott. In December 2025, Ott will graduate from West Virginia University with a Supply Chain Management major and an International Business minor.

When Ott first came to the University, she was unsure of her path, but knew WVU was where she wanted to be.

“I loved that WVU was close to home and had so many opportunities,” Ott said. “I didn't know exactly what I was going to be doing yet.”  

That all changed when Ott was introduced to Supply Chain Management Professor John Saldanha in Teaching Professor Li Wang’s honors BCOR 191 class.  

“Dr. Saldanha is the one who influenced me to join the Supply Chain Management program,” Ott said. “His presentation on the major was so intriguing and detailed that it made me want to learn more. It’s the best of both worlds. Supply chain has a technical side and an interpersonal, soft skill side, making it a very well-rounded major, which is something I wanted in whatever I pursued.”

By studying Supply Chain Management, Ott found her purpose and her passion.

“Everything about my major has been so rewarding and impactful,” Ott said. “It requires you to think more critically about yourself and the world around you.”

As a West Virginia native, Ott has seen firsthand how her education will shape industries within the state. For example, Ott and other Supply Chain Management students had the opportunity to travel to Toyota Motors Manufacturing West Virginia for a close-up look at assembly lines and manufacturing systems.

“We got to see the inner workings a little bit, which I think is a good opportunity that not a lot of people can really experience," Ott said.

While every business operates differently, the fundamentals that Ott and her classmates learned can be applied across industries and scales, from small businesses in West Virginia to multinational corporations.

“In West Virginia, there are so many opportunities to use the supply chain to help expand the state,” Ott said. “Nothing is possible without a supply chain. West Virginia has seen a huge push in hospitality and tourism — for hotels, small businesses and similar industries — and everyone benefits from it.”

By taking advantage of every opportunity that came her way – ranging from two award-winning case competition performances to working as a Wehrle Global Supply Chain Scholar and Chambers Student Ambassador – Ott has turned her undergraduate education into a strong foundation for future success.

Her education isn’t done, either. Ott now plans to pursue a master’s degree in Business Data Analytics through the Chambers College. Her advice for future students: step out of your comfort zone.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out,” Ott said. “Take advantage of every resource. You never know what opportunity might come from it.”

-WVU-

Emma Higgins 12/3/25 

MEDIA CONTACT: 

Andrew Marvin 
Senior Communications Specialist
John Chambers College of Business and Economics
andrew.marvin@mail.wvu.edu