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University of South Florida Muma College of Business June 2020
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK
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Elaine Singleton |
Greetings everyone.
Hello again and congratulations to all our supply chain management spring graduates!
Despite unusual circumstances, we are pleased to announce that our grads are successfully finding employment opportunities and our undergrads are fulfilling internship assignments.
Please read on for some great stories about our students, interns, alumni and faculty this month.
Please, stay safe and healthy,
Elaine Singleton
Executive Director
Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability
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MAY NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Executive Director's Greeting
2. Important Dates
3. Faculty in the News
4. Business Partner Meeting
5. Virtual Coffee Meeting
6. Faculty Spotlight
7. Alumni Spotlight
8. Student Spotlight
9. Intern Spotlight
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* Aug. 7, end of summer semester classes, via virtual instruction.
* June 11, 4-5 p.m. Student/Faculty coffee meeting
* Sept. 20-23, CSCMP EDGE Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition,
in Orlando. To register, click here.
* Fall 2020 Grand Opening of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability,
located in Muma College of Business. Times and details to be announced.
* Feb. 2021,
Florida Supply Chain Summit
, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, Tampa, times and details to be announced.
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FACULTY IN THE NEWS
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Seckin Ozkul |
Seckin Ozkul,
instructor in the Marketing Department and associate faculty member of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability, talks about the supply chain dilemma during the COVID-19 pandemic and what lessons were learned by manufacturers and distribution systems. He says many are poised to emerge on the other side of the pandemic better prepared and more diversified than ever. The crisis, he says, will strengthen the U.S. manufacturing sector. To read his interview with Business Insider, click here. To read a similar article in Plant Services, click here.
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Donna Davis |
Donna Davis,
a professor of marketing and supply chain management, former chair of the Marketing Department, and academic director of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability, was interviewed by the Tampa Bay Times on the stress placed on supply chain managers. She discussed the ways those managers have have become "incredible foragers" to get products on the shelves of retail marfkets. Davis teaches Logistics Systems and Analytics and Supply Chain Management. To read the story,
click here.
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CONGRATS TO ALL OUR MAY SUPPLY CHAIN GRADUATES
Undergrads:
Alvin Alummoottil
Garrett Lemos
Lena Santoro
Brooke Bayless
Seunghyeon Kwon
Eric Sala
Alanna Appello
Sean Horrigan
Taylor Jackson
Carson Roderick
Ammar Saify
Charles Bradford
Asyhley Parades Fung
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VIRTUAL BUSINESS PARTNER MEETING, MAY 13
A good showing of faculty and business leaders in the supply chain managment industry attended our virtual business partner meeting last month. More than a dozen outside business partners "tuned in" to the meeting via Microsoft Teams. Discussion centered on topics faced by the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty research, planning for the 2021 Florida Supply Chain Summit to be held in Tampa and the center's strategic plan through 2525. Thanks again to all who attended.
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VIRTUAL COFFEE MEETING, MAY 21
What our virtual coffee meeting last month lacked in face-to-face contact, it made up for in innovation as we sat and chatted virtually through Microsoft Teams. Participating were faculty members from the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability and interested students. Discussed were the benefits of obtainining a bachelor's degree in supply chain management and exciting career avenues after graduation. Students also discovered new internship opportuntiies, course requrements and the potential for future employment. Thanks again to all who participated.
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FACULTY SPOTL
IGHT: Kerry Walsh
Instructor
of marketing and supply chain management
Recent faculty adviser of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals at USF
20 years of professional experience in global supply chain
Q: What brought you to become a USF supply chain faculty member?
A: I came to USF after spending 25 years at various supply chain roles in Asia and Europe in the office products and craft industries. I was earning my master's degree in marketing in 2010 when the chair of the Marketing Department asked if I would like to teach. In 2014, I
was asked to develop a class in logistics and physical distribution and we then launched the supply chain concentration.
Q: What are your greatest interests and priorities in your role?
A: My greatest interest is student success. When a student "gets it" in your classroom, it is a wonderful day. When the students present their case studies and discuss the methods used to solve problems, that is very rewarding. My greatest priority is helping the students find internships and employment.
Q: How are you handling the current remote and virtual teaching environment?
A: I would prefer to be teaching face-to-face. Some concepts are harder to teach in this remote environment. I am utilizing Microsoft Teams quite a bit in my classes so we can still interact. When a student hears a new concept, they may have questions immediately, so Teams allows for this.
Q: Any creative ideas for students and faculty to maximize the lessons learned during this time?
A: I have utilized YouTube to drive home some points during this time. I will paste a link into the assignment or PowerPoint. I also use humor.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Stuart Kerr
Name: Stuart Kerr
USF Degree: Bachelor's degree in marketing with a concentration in supply chain management
Graduation Year: 2016
Employer: Saddle Creek Transportation and Logistics
Job Title: Operation Manager
Key responsibility: The financials, including billing, payroll, revenue and expenses
Q: How has USF helped you in your career development or your role with Saddle Creek Transportation and Logistics?
A: The supply chain management program at USF illustrated real industry-related scenarios through case studies, projects, process improvement planning, guest speakers and even games.
My career in logistics and distribution is very textbook from all the classes offered in the program. Typically, most college courses offer a broad overview of the industry that you are studying; however, the texts from all my courses were brought to life once I entered the work force.
Q: What were some key transition hurdles and how did you overcome these challenges in your career?
A: A working challenge was when I was asked to supervise one of the most profitable accounts at Saddle Creek. Training was all on me. I got into the trenches with my associates and worked product alongside them. This assisted with understanding the processes and workflow. In turn, the associates came to respect me more. Earning the associates' respect is challenging, yet rewarding.
Q: What are key contributions/ successes in your company?
A: Being promoted twice within four years from supervisor to senior supervisor to operations manager were huge successes. E
arning my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification with a project that saves Saddle Creek $25,000 annually was another high point and r
educing overtime percentage from an average of 40 percent to 10 percent also counts. I also a
ssisted with the first robotic automation project at Saddle Creek.
Q: What advice do you have for current USF supply chain students?
A: Do not miss out on the CSCMP student organization. Guest speakers are full of useful information that will apply to your new career; plus you are going to start networking with supply chain professionals. Corporate tours are incredibly valuable and the comradery among your peers in an organization go much further than in the classroom. Take full advantage of the supply chain faculty. They come with real world experience and are extremely passionate about their industry
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Benjamin Ehrlich
Name: Benjamin Ehrlich
USF Degree: Double major in management and supply chain management
Graduation Year: Spring 2021
Q: What brought you to the University of South Florida?
A: I chose to attend USF because of the exciting opportunities that come with living in the Tampa area. Both of my parents also attended USF in their collegiate experiences, so I am proud to keep alive the tradition of being a Bull.
Q: Why did you choose to study supply chain management at the Monica Wooden Center?
A: Supply chain management is a rapidly expanding field in which there are new challenges to face every day. The prospect of being among the first to complete the new curriculum offered through the center, paired with my passion for supply chain, made deciding my area of study an easy one.
Q: What did you achieve through the program of supply chain management?
A: I have learned applicable knowledge which helped me have one successful supply chain internship in which I identified $170,000 in anticipated annual savings. I am also looking forward to my upcoming supply chain internship this summer. Additionally, I have had opportunities to establish myself as a leader on campus taking on various roles on the executive boards of both my professional business fraternity, Phi Chi Theta, as well as my social fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau.
Q: What is your career goal after graduation?
A: My goal is to make my mark in the supply chain industry. I hope to learn as much as I can about the supply chain field and one day get into supply chain consulting.
INTERN SPOTLIGHT: Kuan-Hsien Lee
Name: Kuan-Hsien Lee
USF Degree: Bachelor's degree in marketing with a concentration in supply chain management
Graduation Year: August 2020
Work Experiences:
INTO USF cultural attaché and student experience leader
Current Employer: Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability
Q: What were some challenges of doing an internship and how did you handle them?
A: One of the biggest challenges working for the internship from home is time management. During quarantine, it seems like we have more time, but in fact, we don't. Self-control is crucial during times like this. I tried to prioritize my schedule and set deadlines of projects for myself. Therefore, I can handle pressure to finish projects on time and not being stressed out doing last-minute work.
Q: What do you want to achieve through your current internship?
A: My main goal is to assist Executive Director Elaine Singleton with any task and provide any creative insight for the center. Also, I would like to achieve some personal goals like improving my professional skills and being faithful to the position, so that I can prepare for my future professional career.
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with the Monica Wooden Center and your previous internship experiences?
A: I was struggling to find an internship at first and I'm really blessed to be hired at the center. I strongly recommend to students not to be afraid to ask professors, advisers or any other connection about opportunity for internships. They are here to help students achieve academic success. I was really fortunate to connect with Dr. Donna Davis, the academic director of the center, who arranged an interview for me. I would say building connections and always being prepared for opportunities are important in the process of looking for jobs or internships.
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