EPIC Spotlight: Caroline Mukhar

Born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas, Caroline Mukhar has made an extraordinary journey to be where she is today, and distance isn’t the only factor affecting how far she has come and how far she will go. Mukhar is a junior in the Walton College double majoring in Supply Chain Management and Information Systems.

 She enjoys seeing the whole picture come together, which is what drew her to supply chain. Moving things from one point to the next rests on the foundation of timeliness, quality assurance, and cost-effective solutions, which is where Mukhar finds herself most driven to make contributions.

 “I am interested in both the inventory and transportation side of the supply chain,” said Mukhar. “There are so many different modes to transport goods and solutions waiting to be made to reduce the amount of on-hand inventory.”

 Mukhar is no stranger to managing her time efficiently, acquiring two new leadership roles within the past year at the Walton College, plus continuing her dedication to her sorority Alpha Delta Pi. Last year she served as the Formal Recruitment Chair and Bid Day Chair for Alpha Delta Pi, managing her budget she was able to watch all of her plans seamlessly come together.

 “Time management is a skill that is never too early or late to acquire,” said Mukhar.

 Her roles as Vice President to both the Arkansas Supply Chain Association and Women Impacting Supply Chain Excellence requires her to plan, coordinate and promote member participation and events that involve executive guest speakers from across the state. She acts as a member of the Activities Committee for Sigma Chi Mu Tau Honor Society, as well as participating in Leadership Walton and Order of Omega.

 “Opportunities don’t happen out of the blue; you have to create and foster them,” said Mukhar. “You have to be the driving force behind your success, no one owes you anything.”

 Outside of her academic involvement, Mukhar immerses herself in internships that require her to use what knowledge she has acquired from her supply chain classes over to real-world business strategies. She began as a production intern for Alpha Dental Ceramics in Houston and now resides as a marketing intern for Naked Granola in Fayetteville. Mukhar has achieved a 40% increase in followers for the brand since she was hired.

 “It’s about connecting with people and following trends to keep up with current interests,” said Mukhar. “You have to stay relevant, no matter which field of business you’re in.”

Mukhar also experienced working as a customer service manager for S.A.K.E. Since its creation in 1996, S.A.K.E. has given U of A students experience working in and managing a business. Hundreds of students who have participated in the class and corresponding ForeverRed business have credited the program with helping them land their first jobs, achieving promotions, and giving them the confidence and knowledge to start their own businesses.

 Her most prominent achievement through the Walton College Supply Chain division was being given the opportunity to be one of four students to attend the Intermodal Association of North America Case Competition. Mukhar worked diligently alongside a team of academics to formulate a proposal for the optimal rail line-haul rates through various financial statements. One of her favorite professors is Dr. Stephanie Thomas.

 “After gaining the roles of Vice President for the supply chain organizations on campus I began to know Dr. Thomas better. She is so insightful and willing to help her students,” said Mukhar. “Dr. Thomas has a special passion for undergraduate students which is so nice to be able to go to her for advice.

 Another person who inspired her to go into Supply Chain Management was her older brother, Chris Mukhar. He noticed her attention to detail and organization skills and told her to pursue supply chain because he thought it might be a good fit for her.

 Mukhar’s passions outside of supply chain can be found outdoors. Whether she is hiking, swimming, or hammocking, Mukhar loves being outside and sharing her free time with friends. On days when the weather prevents her from doing otherwise, she can be found crafting or building her Pinterest board. Overall, Mukhar has a flair for presentation, and her attention to detail inside of the whole picture makes what she wants to do, both professionally and leisurely, much more rewarding.

 One of her favorite quotes is…

 “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” – Dr. Stephen Covey

We are proud to have Caroline Mukhar as one of our EPIC Spotlight students!

 *Article written by: Blair Carver, Communication Coordinator-SCMRC at Walton College