Jahiem Williams graduated this past Winter 2025 semester, and had the honor of having the leadership of his cycling cohort, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, attend his graduation ceremony at Shippensburg University.
Williams graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management and highlighted the valuable hands-on experience he gained throughout the program.
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- Williams upon walking across commencement stage
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- President Patterson and Williams
“It was fun to walk through data in class, use Tableau and run warehouse operation test scenarios using Excel files, which helped me see how the supply chain works in real situations and made learning feel more practical and engaging,” Williams shared.
Additionally, he mentioned how participating in the Summer 2025 ABC Supply internship program helped him gain real-world experience in the field.
Williams’s plans to leverage his degree to learn the ins-and-outs of supply chain, manufacturing and distribution within the cycling industry — with the goal of eventually starting his own cycling brand.
Throughout his time at Ship, his passion for cycling stayed with him every step of the way. He regularly returned to the BCYC headquarters for bicycle checks, rode with the BCYC youth and coached younger athletes.
He also joined the cycling club offered on Ship’s campus. “I fell in love with the scenery and the people. In my first two years at Shippensburg, I raced in the Northeast, including Vermont and Rhode Island. While racing, I used the same teachings I learned at BCYC and when meeting new friends.
To have his BCYC cohort, along with family and friends attend his graduation meant the world to Williams. “It showed that the people who watched me grow up on the bike also cared about seeing me cross the finish line in the classroom. It wasn’t just four years of college; it was years of support from people who helped me build confidence, learn how to talk to others, work through mental blocks and keep going when things got hard, Williams highlighted.
Williams’s paid homage to his coach and mentor at the BCYC, Coach Terry, for teaching him how to carry himself, handle stress and to “finish through the line” – all of which pushed him through tough moments in his academic journey. “Seeing him at my graduation felt like proof that we finished the race together.”
He also gave respect to his mother, twin, and both the new and former coaches and staff at the BCYC for pushing him to cross the finish line in races, academics and beyond.
