How I Got the Job: Stepping into New Interests

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When she arrived at the George Washington University four years ago, Devorah Schwartz, B.A. '25, would not have guessed her journey would end with a job opportunity halfway across the country as a supply chain analyst for the world's largest athletic footwear and apparel corporation.

She began her freshman year studying international affairs at the Elliott School. While her initial plan was to focus on Middle East studies, her interest in business grew after taking an economics course.

At GW, she found professors and programs that allowed her to explore different fields-experiences she said ultimately helped shape her career path.

"It kind of all became like a snowball of interest, and I was really glad that there were so many opportunities where I could keep engaging and exploring," Schwartz said.

She graduated in the spring with a degree in international affairs with a concentration in economics and double minors in art history and international business.

And at the start of the new year, Schwartz made the move to Portland, Oregon, to begin her career at Nike.

"I could never have imagined that this was where I was going to end up. I'm thrilled to be here now because it's exactly what I want to be doing," Schwartz said.

She said one thing that helped her on her journey was seeking out opportunities that matched her interests and working hard to learn the new skills they required.

One experience at GW that was particularly impactful for Schwartz was the International Business Bootcamp she completed her senior year through the GW's former Center for International Business Education and Research (GW-CIBER). It was one of 16 resource hubs nationwide that worked to build U.S. capacity for international business and competitiveness.

Through the program, Schwartz worked on a project in conjunction with the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators(NASBITE) International. She left the boot camp with a strong understanding of general trade and customs practices and the challenges small businesses face navigating a complex system when importing products or manufacturing abroad.

"The CIBER boot camp was a major catalyst for me, saying, 'Okay, this is something I want to dive deeper into," Schwartz said.

She left GW with a clearer sense of where she wanted to focus her career and after graduation, landed a role as a policy intern at the American Apparel & Footwear Association.

"I was really able to get a lot closer to the actual supply chain and understand, more from a political perspective, how trade and commerce work specifically in that industry. And I think that helped me to continue going forward," Schwartz said. "I really enjoyed the internship. It gave me a well-rounded, informed perspective about the industry, which is changing every day."

After the internship wrapped up, Schwartz continued challenging herself by learning new skills like coding.

Now, in her full-time role with Nike, she's putting those skills to use and enjoying the dynamic nature of the work.

"I'm learning a lot. No two days are the same," Schwartz said. "It requires a lot of skills I learned at GW. Not just technical skills, but how to think creatively, solve problems and approach challenges from different angles. I love that it's collaborative; my team comes from different backgrounds, and everyone contributes something valuable. It's been a great experience so far."

As she begins this new chapter, Schwartz said, looking back, she is grateful for a culture at GW that encourages curiosity, taking initiative and life-long learning.

"It's not something I can attribute to a specific class or experience, but I learned to say, 'It couldn't hurt me to try new things'" Schwartz said.

She also credits the advisors at the GW Career Center for being incredibly helpful in keeping her on track withe her job search and realizing her goals for after graduation. They worked with her to revise her resume and prepare thoroughly for her interviews with Nike.

"They were such an impactful resource and support system as I navigated the ups and downs of my entire job search," Schwartz said.

Her advice to students is to maintain that learning mindset even after graduation.

"We're in a tough time, especially for recent grads finding jobs. Being open to learning something new, even outside of school, helped me keep building my skill set," Schwartz said. "I didn't just let my education sit on a shelf. Exercising my brain, staying curious, and being willing to take chances really helped. I feel incredibly blessed to have this role and to have made it this far."