Road to Supply Chain Leadership helps propel senior into select J&J leadership program

Johnny Xu arrived at Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick in fall 2022 unsure about his major, but not his pursuit of hands-on experience.

He immediately connected with an alumni mentor and took on active roles in student organizations — one that led to a freshman externship with Amazon. When Rutgers Business School sought applicants for its inaugural cohort of the Road to Supply Chain Leadership program, his mentor reassured Xu that he had what it took.

Three years later, the senior majoring in supply chain management has landed one of the field's most competitive early-career opportunities: a spot in Johnson & Johnson's Global Operations Leadership Development program (GOLD). Xu was among fewer than 20 candidates selected from roughly 6,000 applicants for the 2½-year rotational program that prepares participants for management roles. 

“I came in assuming I probably wasn’t getting selected, but I was still a little hopeful,” he said. When he received the offer, “I was very, very happy,” he said.

Road to Supply Chain Leadership is the newest of Rutgers Business School's industry-focused Road to Success Programs that pair students with corporate sponsors and combine academic coursework with professional experience. The program’s networking sessions, case competitions, mentorships, leadership courses and company site visits helped Xu “figure out what I wanted to do and how I wanted to grow my career,” he said. 

Turning early opportunities into real-world experience

A scholarship he received as a Rutgers Honors College student allowed him to put his energy into academics, leadership roles and professional experiences. The summer after freshman year, Xu did a logistics internship with Hermann Services, followed by a co-op with Bristol Myers Squibb during the spring semester of sophomore year. 

He entered his final co-op, an eight-month stint with J&J's MedTech Global Supply Chain Planning, with a clear intention: “I'm going to leave this co-op with an impact.” He recalled noticing a team member spending hours each week making tedious manual adjustments. On his own time, Xu designed an Excel-based tool that automated the process.

Assistant Professor Sundar Raman, director of Road to Supply Chain Leadership, said that instinct defines Xu. “He's quite proactive and doesn't wait to be asked,” Raman said. 

Raman recalled Xu approaching him after he had spoken with fellow cohort members about what was working in the program and what could be improved. One suggestion — fewer lecture-heavy sessions and more time for case studies and problem-solving — was implemented and “very well received,” Raman said. 

“I thought that was true leadership,” Raman said, noting Xu “creates a vision and is able to motivate others to follow.”

Xu said he learned in interviews how to share more than what he’s done, but also who he is and what motivates him. “While technical abilities may get someone in the door, the story they tell and the energy they bring often matter just as much,” he said.

For example, Xu shares how his interest in supply chains developed. His mother is part owner of a business that imports products from China, giving him an early glimpse of the logistics involved in moving goods internationally. Now, Xu is the one his friends turn to for organizing trips — something he enjoys because it involves planning and problem solving.

Growing into leadership

Xu serves on the leadership team of Road to Supply Chain Leadership as vice president of certifications and professional development. He is also vice president of events and corporate relations with the Rutgers University Supply Chain Association — the organization that first connected him to the Amazon externship as a freshman.

When the 22-year-old mentors students pursuing careers in supply chain management, he encourages them to think beyond simply collecting experiences and focus on understanding their interests and building a story that connects the opportunities they pursue.

“I want people to know that it's up to you to write your own story and to really create and learn and discover who you are,” Xu said. “And I genuinely think that this program, and Rutgers Business School in general, really allows you to do it. You just have to be willing to take that first step.”

Xu described himself as “a servant leader at heart,” but said he knows sometimes other leadership styles are a better fit. “Every team, every job you do requires nuanced differences in how you go about leading,” Xu said. “My goal isn't just to be one type of leader, but to be flexible for different situations.”

He will head to the Boston area to begin J&J’s GOLD program, a move in line with his desire to push the boundaries of his comfort zone. “Realizing how big the world is," he said, "only makes me more excited to put myself out there and keep learning.”

-Margaret McHugh