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University of South Florida Muma College of Business November 2020
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK
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| | Elaine Singleton |
To our wonderful supply chain business partners:
I hope this finds you enjoying the Florida fall as we prepare to wind down the semester. We've had an exciting 30 days including a virtual employer/student network event with 17 employers and 37 students seeking internships and job placement.
Please enjoy the student, alumni and intern spotlights as we continue to educate and celebrate successful student placement into the broad spectrum of supply chain career roles across vast industry verticals. We, then, look forward with great anticipation, to the day when we hear each alum share their career path story with a new generation of Supply Chain Bulls. From these spotlights, we can learn valuable insights that are important for student success in the supply chain workplace.
As we all know, the cost of high-tech innovative education is exorbitant and often stands in the way of some financially challenged students who find it difficult to meet tuition expectations. Our students are diverse, and this is important to our business partners, many of whom offer internships or work experiential opportunities for students through the year. Scholarships contribute to the 92 percent who graduate within four years, with an average GPA of 3.4.
Philanthropic donations shoulder the burden of the good work we do here. All the money received from donations goes directly to student scholarships, student/faculty research, industry-partner engagement and innovative education. Please help us help our students. Be safe and stay healthy,
Elaine Singleton
Executive Director
Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability
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NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. From the Executive Director's Desk
2. Important Dates
3. Meet the Employer Event
4. Virtual Coffee Meeting
5. Supply Chain Professional Student Organization, USF, CSCMP
6. Alumni Spotlight, Shaquille Kent
7. Student Spotlight, Denzel Tracey
8. Intern Spotlight, Emily Gilbert
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* Nov. 12, CSCMP guest speaker with Johnson & Johnson.
* Nov. 18, 5 p.m., Virtual Coffee Meeting, To register to attend, click here.
* Nov. 19, CSCMP guest speaker with Big Lots.
* Dec. 11, fall graduation.
* Feb. 4, Employer/Student Virtual Network Event
* March 9, Florida Supply Chain Summit. The event is being planned as a multi-locational, on-site/virtual hybrid event. Location and times to be determined.
* 2021 TBD - Grand Opening of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability, located in the Muma College of Business. Times and details to be announced.
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MEET THE EMPLOYER: GREAT WAY FOR STUDENTS TO NETWORK
What is Meet the Employer?
Meet the Employer is our semi-annual employer/student networking event with employers and students hosted by Monica Wooden Center every semester. Supply Chain experts and recruiters in many different industries are invited to network with students and provide internship/full-time positions information. It is a great opportunity for students to test networking skills and familiarize themselves with the future hiring managers.
Secial thanks goes out to our amazing employer/business partners for participating in our second Virtual Supply Chain Employer Network Event via Microsoft Teams held last month.
Sixteen employers and 37 supply chain management students attended with the ability to freely network and share learning experiences.
From the center, we would like to send all our employers our most sincere appreciation for networking with our students, especially in this challenging time.
Who is Participated?
AAA Cooper, Amgen, BlueGrace Logistics, Citi, Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, CONMED, Datex Corporation, Dollar General, Facebook, Intertape Polymer Group, Marten Transport, Patterson Companies, Project 44, Ravago, Ryder, Tech Data, and Walmart
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VIRTUAL COFFEE MEETING, NOVEMBER 18
SAVE THE DATE: Nov. 18, 5 p.m.
Join us to learn about the bachelor's degree in supply chain management.
- Virtual Coffee Meeting, offered through Microsoft Teams, scheculed for Nov. 18 at 5 p.m.
- Supply chain professors and students will discuss the bachelor's degree program in supply chain management and the benefits of lucrative career opportunities.
- Open to students from all USF campuses who are interested in earning a bachelor's degree in supply chain management.
- Students will have opportunities to learn about the degree, course requirements and career opportunities.
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SUPPLY CHAIN PROFESSIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATION; CSCMP
CSCMP sessions on Thursday, from 5-6:15 p.m.
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals at University of South Florida
What is our organization? The University of South Florida CSCMP Student Roundtable,
the professional/student organization, aims to aid those who aspire to pursue careers in the field of supply chain management. All majors are welcome to join the organization, which hosts networking events to bring in current supply chain leaders and promote the transfer of ideas and experience between current and future supply chain professionals.
When do you have meetings?
All the events in the fall of 2020 will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams every Thursday from 5-6:15 p.m.
How will YOU benefit from our organization?
- Professional Development
- Networking Opportunities
- Tours
- Internship Opportunities
- Educational Enhancement events
USF CSCMP ELEVATOR PITCH WORKSHOP: SOME BASIC TIPS
Rob Hammond, director of the Center for Marketing and Sales Innovation, was the special guest at the Oct. 8 meeting of the USF Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Hammond, who coordinates the popular Selling with the Bulls events, provided some helpful tips on how to make an effective elevator pitch during the Professional Development Workshop.
Hammond explained the difference between networking and elevator pitching and introduced a perspective of how to sell yourself (seller) to a prospective employer (buyer). Students also participated in a group exercise to find their differentiated values. His talk gave insights on how to network with employers effectively.
From the center, we would like to send Dr. Hammond our sincere appreciation for helping our students, especially in this challenging time
What is the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals?
The USF Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals is dedicated to educating students about the supply chain field and providing networking opportunities with supply chain professionals. The organization invites guest speakers who specialize in supply chain issues and organizes professional development workshops to help students explore the world of supply chain management. Interested in joining the USF CSCMP? Contact hkim28@usf.edu
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USF CSCMP GUEST SPEAKER FROM WALMART SUPPLY CHAIN
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Student Roundtable at USF recently hosted Tom Nixon, general manager of Walmart Distribution Center in Arcadia.
He gave students a deep-dive session on how supply chain is managed and analyzed at Walmart. Starting from SWOT analysis, KPI/Metrics, Tableau dashboard, lean Six Sigma tools and activities Walmart utilizes, Nixon showed how a well-established, data-driven environment at Walmart and its relevant activities achieves success. It was an insightful session giving students a great view of supply chain activities in the retail industry.
From the center, we would like to send our sincere appreciation to Nixon for taking the time to speak to our students, especially in this challenging time.
Who are future guest speakers of the council?
- Citi, Johnson & Johnson, Rooms to Go (Confirmed)
- FedEx, Technicolor (more to come)
Early Bird Benefits (Sign up before Nov. 20)
Those who sign up to join the organization before Nov. 20 will receive the following benefits:
1. Rest of 2020, free (Big Lots)
2. Get a 25 percent discount on a fall 2020 CSCMP Polo.
3. Receive the latest information about supply chain internships/full-time positions.
4. Avoid a hassle of paperwork to sign up for Global CSCMP.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Shaquille Kent
Company: Deloitte Consulting
Job Title: Solution Analyst
Key Responsibilities: Act as a strategic adviser to clients through solution implementation and maintenance. I work mainly in the Enterprise Performance Portfolio.
Enterprise Performance:
- Perform assessments of existing information systems and identify gaps between business requirements and/or current process/system capabilities during workshop sessions with business users.
- Develop customized solutions, draft technical and functional design documentation utilizing strong skills in logical thinking, decision making, problem solving and attention to detail.
- Develop sub-components of larger application systems, integrate software applications with each other and continuously optimize the system structure to improve stability and performance.
Q. While at USF, what were some of the key takeaways that helped you prepare for your role with Deloitte?
A. At USF, I became heavily involved in a wide range of activities such as Student Government, the Alumni Association and USF Housing, just to name a few. These various experiences helped hone my style of public speaking and presenting my ideas clearly. The most transformative experience was serving as Student Body vice president. The responsibilities taught me how to lead a team effectively, make critical decisions and manage feedback.
Q. What were some key transition hurdles and how did you overcome these challenges? A. I experienced two major transition hurdles when I joined the Deloitte team. The first was managing an adjustment in working hours. My first project was global, and we had to navigate communication with clients in Europe and India, with much different time zones. My second transition hurdle had to take up a supportive role. Being Student Body vice president for two years, I had the amazing opportunity to lead a large group of students in a management capacity. So, it was a significant shift when I just started at Deloitte largely supporting the ideas of more experienced colleagues and superiors. Q. What advice do you have for current USF supply chain students? A. My first piece of advice is to identify a key takeaway from every class. Far too often as college students, we tend to focus on studying the information solely to pass and achieve good grades. Focusing on learning the information being taught and trying to understand how it can be applicable in the real world goes a long way when starting your first job. In addition to that, I believe supply chain students should strive for a holistic USF experience. A great GPA can only carry you so far; employers really appreciate having a workforce with diverse experiences that go beyond the classroom. Q. Describe your key contributions/successes since joining Deloitte. A. My first project was with a major telecommunications provider and I was assigned to a team consisting of myself and three other employees. The company was transferring all its operations from its previous platform over to SAP. We were tasked with ensuring that the transition to the new software went smoothly. Unfortunately, the transition did not go that way at first and we had to identify the root cause of the issue and engage in problem solving. We were able to diagnose the problem and manually do work-arounds, while training the client on how to use the new platform across five countries. In my second project, I took the lead in ensuring that small businesses were able to successfully apply for and have their loans processed in a timely fashion. I produced the highest productivity statistics on the team and was able to share my methods and procedures with my colleagues. This increased their levels of productivity and advanced the output and efficiency of the team overall.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Denzel Tracey
Name: Denzel Tracey
USF Degree and Year: Supply Chain Management, spring 2021
Q. What brought you to the University of South Florida?
A. While almost all universities offer high-level education, a few distinct institutions have the potential to offer much more. The emphasis on research-based education, diversity and access to industry that USF offered was an opportunity I could not pass up. In my time here, I have had the chance to exchange ideas with brilliant student, faculty, and industry minds from a wide range of cultures. Additionally, the research-based approach to education ensures that everything I learn in class has a practical, industry-based interpretation.
Q. Why did you choose to study supply chain management at Monica Wooden Center?
A. For as long as I can remember, I have always been interested in business processes and I was lucky enough to discover supply chain management at the Monica Wooden Center. Simply put, I found a caring faculty who were willing and able to develop my ability to use business processes to add direct value to companies.
Q. What did you achieve through the program?
A. Already in my first semester in the program, it feels like I have grown by several orders of magnitude both personally and professionally. Having the chance to learn from seasoned professionals in supply chain like Elaine Singleton, Kerry Walsh, Donna Davis, and Robert Hooker has been invaluable and will allow me to hit the ground contributing when I get in the field.
Q. What is your future career goal after graduation?
A. Although I have not yet keyed in on my niche in the supply chain profession, I am confident my future lies within this growing and expanding field. As the world becomes more interconnected, I strongly believe the value differentiators between the companies of the future will be less about what the company is doing and more about how they are doing it. Companies like Amazon have cracked the door open into this future and I hope to play a role in its integration into society by applying the principles I have learned at the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability.
INTERN SPOTLIGHT: Emily Gilbert
Education: Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, graduating May 2021
Employer: Amgen
Position: Sourcing Associate
Key Responsibilities:
- Analyzing data, creating slide decks and giving presentations
- Participating in leadership calls and workshops
- Providing support to the Extended Sourcing Solutions Team
Q. Why did you choose to do an internship with Amgen:
A. I chose this internship to expand my knowledge in supply chain management, more specifically, in the area of strategic sourcing. Amgen is a leading biotechnology company with 40 years of growth and innovation and the Global Sourcing Division has been a wonderful partner to USF, providing invaluable information in every class meeting.
Q. How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with Amgen? A. I have been attentive and curious during presentations from Amgen experts. Listening closely and asking questions has helped me in learning the language of SCM and gaining new perspectives and information on global sourcing concepts. Q. What did you achieve/learn during this internship? A. I hope to build not only my knowledge and experience within strategic sourcing, but also my confidence working in the SCM industry. I would love to continue my growth and relationship with Amgen and I look forward to where it may lead.
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