Dan Zanghi  

Lehigh University

“An easy-going, yet hard working guy who loves problem solving, developing strategies, and being outside.”

Age: 31

Hometown: Lancaster, PA

Fun fact about yourself: I am a roller coaster enthusiast and have ridden over 300 different roller coasters around the world.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Notre Dame, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Where are you currently working? The Hershey Company. Manager of Global Operations Network Design and Optimization.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? Between my undergraduate graduation and starting my career as an Engineer, I taught 5th grade at an inner-city Catholic Grade School in South-Central Los Angeles for one year.

Why did you choose this school’s online MBA program? Lehigh University’s strong business education reputation and flexibility of attending class online or in-person.

What was your favorite part of being in an online MBA program? Having the flexibility of attending class even if I was traveling for work away from Pennsylvania.

What was the most surprising thing about an online learning environment? That even though I was attending some classes remotely online, I was able to easily participate in class and work with my peers virtually.

How did your online experience compare with your in-the-classroom experience as an undergraduate student? Besides the fact the material itself was very different – engineering versus business – being an online student was not that much different from my in-the-classroom experience. I was still able to watch the lectures live, participate in class, and work with my fellow online students in real time for group projects.

What is your best piece of advice to an applicant for thriving in an online MBA program? The best piece of advice I can give for an online applicant is to make sure you have a space to watch online lectures where you will not be easily distracted. Sometimes I found it easier to focus on the lectures watching them from my office versus my house.

How has your online education helped you in your current job? Along with my engineering experience, my online MBA education provided me with the business knowledge required to advance in The Hershey Company’s Supply Chain to a managerial role in our supply chain strategy and network optimization group.

If you had to do it all over again, would you? Why? Yes, I would because the online MBA program not only provided me with business knowledge, it also provided me with real-world examples where I could apply the information I learned.

What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? I want to be a Senior Director in The Hershey Company Supply Chain.

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