Larry Asu, a native of Sarawak, Malaysia, has lived in the United States for nine years. He holds a bachelor's degree in human resource development from University Malaysia Sarawak and a 2014 master of education in training and development from Penn State.
Currently the supply chain learning manager at The Hershey Company, Asu is responsible for end-to-end ownership of supply chain learning programs, including manufacturing and other supply chain functions. As a performance consultant, he works closely with leaders, subject matter experts and business partners by strategizing, conceptualizing and developing interactive and sustainable learning solutions, including eLearning, instructor-led training and blended solutions that support the successful implementation of supply chain projects and initiatives.
If Larry Asu were to ever have a story written about him, it would be about “resilience.”
“Ask any of my friends,” Asu said. “They’ll tell you.”
Asu first came to Penn State from Malaysia at the request of his manager who had asked him to do a masters’ program. He was working in training and development and wanted to attend a university with a strong program. So, he searched online.
“Three universities popped up in my search,” Asu recalled. He emailed each of them, asking for more information about their programs. The other two universities replied with generic form responses, but from Penn State, he received a personal response from a professor in the program.
“I felt that was a very personal touch,” Asu said. While it took him a while — almost a year — to decide to attend a master's program, he knew it would be Penn State from that point, he said. He applied and was accepted to the Penn State Harrisburg campus.
Asu said he did whatever it took to get his education, from getting on-campus work, to bicycling to campus no matter the weather — sun, rain or snow.
“My time at Penn State taught me to adapt to different surroundings,” he said. “I had to learn a lot when I first got to America — it was very, very different from Malaysia. Things like measurements and the coin system were completely foreign to me.”
He learned as much from his challenges as his successes during his time at Penn State, Asu said.
“I learned to take failure not as simply failure, but as a learning opportunity,” he said. “Penn State teaches you to never stop learning.”
Asu said he particularly loved learning about the diversity on Penn State’s campuses and how much diversity was celebrated at Penn State Harrisburg. He credits many of his diverse classmates for sharing their experiences, which helped him in his studies and later in his career, he said.
After his time at Penn State, Asu was hired for a position with The Hershey Company in supply chain, focusing on training, education and development of the workforce at the company — something he is incredibly passionate about.
“What wakes me up in the morning is that my career and passion directly impacts others,” he said. “In learning and development, the goal is always to help people grow and become skilled workers.”
Community service and engagement is also important to Asu, he said. When not working, Asu enjoys spending time with Peter, his little brother from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; going on Project Fellowship field trips with his friends from the Milton Hershey School; organizing 5K races benefiting the Children Miracle Network; and helping his local church with running a festival or food fair.
When he is not working at The Hershey Company or engaging in community service, Asu’s passions manifest themselves in other ways, such as traveling. He has been to 29 U.S. states and hopes to hit all 50 one day, he said.