Intern Spotlight: Zoë Herndon
School/Degree: University of Wisconsin–Madison | Major in Supply Chain Management and Marketing
Internship: Supply Chain Intern
Zoë is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and is currently studying Supply Chain Management and Marketing at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Outside of school and work, she enjoys spending time with friends, doing nails, and shopping.
Finding Support at Every Step
As a Supply Chain intern at Design Ready Controls, Zoë was drawn to the company’s supportive culture and collaborative environment. She values the opportunity to work closely with buyers, fellow interns, and team members across the organization. Zoë says, “I never feel like I am on my own or can’t ask a question, there is always someone to guide me through something I need help with.” While Design Ready Controls continues to grow, she has found the workplace welcoming and approachable, making it easy to ask questions, share concerns, and build meaningful connections.
Turning Feedback Into Better Tools
One highlight of Zoë’s internship has been participating in the company’s Intern World Championships, which gave her an opportunity to connect with co-workers through friendly competition and team bonding. In her day-to-day role, she has also contributed to improvements to the buyer dashboard. Working alongside buyers and Data Analyst Alli Dulitz, Zoë is helping make the dashboard more concise, intuitive, and effective to identify items that require confirmation or follow-up. She shares, “I gather feedback from the buyers, share it with Ali, and she uses that input to refine the platform.” Through this collaboration, Zoë is gaining hands-on experience in using data and cross-functional feedback to create tools that better support the Supply Chain team and overall company.
Where Coordination Meets Curiosity
Through this experience, Zoë has gained a stronger understanding of the communication and coordination that support an effective Supply Chain. From following up with suppliers to helping ensure materials arrive when needed, she has learned the importance of asking questions, reaching out for support, and staying connected across teams. Her interest in Supply Chain began in college after a friend introduced her to the field. She was drawn to the variety of work involved and the many ways Supply Chain supports the movement of products and materials. With a wide range of career paths and opportunities to learn, Zoë saw it as a field where no two days are exactly the same. Zoë explains, “Supply Chain has many moving parts, and I think it’s really interesting to learn about everything that happens behind the scenes to get materials and products where they need to go.”This experience has strengthened Zoë’s interest in Supply Chain and given her a clearer view of the impact it has across the business.
What’s Next for Zoë
After her internship, Zoë plans to return to the University of Wisconsin–Madison to complete her coursework, bring her internship experience into future Supply Chain classes, and continue discovering where her interests take her next.