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University of South Florida Muma College of Business December 2020
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FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK
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To our wonderful supply chain business partners:
Happy Holidays and our best wishes and hopes for a glorious time with loved ones, friends and colleagues.
We have great news to share as we wind down the fall 2020 semester: In this issue:
- 9 students will graduate with a bachelor's degree in supply chain and/or business w/ supply chain concentration this week
- 2 students will graduate with an MBA and/or associated supply chain concentration
- 50 undergrads (future grads) are enrolled in the supply chain management bachelor's degree program
- 17 students are enrolled in the Muma College of Business' first-ever supply chain management master's degree program (all scheduled to graduate in August 2021).
- USF Supply Chain Faculty Research-Land Use Grant for future Florida Logistics Activity Centers (Distribution/Break Bulk/Import & Export Operations Planning). The Florida Department of Transportation partnership for optimal road planning infrastructure that supports autonomous and connected vehicle technology use, given our geographic advantages, Florida is on the map as a logistics leader
And, as always, our students are flourishing due to dedicated faculty and our vibrant, generous business partner community. And we do appreciate every penny for student scholarships and assistance as they prepare to launch their supply chain careers.
Be safe and stay healthy,
Elaine Singleton
Executive Director
Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability
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PHILANTHROPIC DONATIONS FUEL SUPPLY CHAIN EDUCATION
The Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management provides the diverse population of students scholarships -- more than $5,000 this year alone, covering tuition and textbooks. We hope to increase this to $50,000 over the next three-to-five years. We provide innovative learning, teaching and technology tools for the interactive classroom, preparing students for immediate immersion into jobs upon graduation.
Our students graduate with demonstrable skills in ERP (SAP), WMS (Datex), TMS (Mercury Gate), Supply/Business Analytics (Tableau) and Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt/MS Supply Chain program) to name a few. This does not happen in a vacuum. We must have the support of our faithful business and industry partners to ensure success for our students. This past year, our program supported five students with scholarships though the generosity of our business partners and the amazing gift from Monica Wooden.
The cost of high-tech innovative education is exorbitant, and this may stand in the way of some financially challenged students who find it difficult to meet tuition expectations. Our students come from all walks of life, and this is important to our business partners, many of whom offer internships or work experiential opportunities for students through the year. This contributes 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 done at the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability. 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. to donate, click here.
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DECEMBER NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. From the Executive Director's Desk
2. Important Dates
3. USF Supply Chain Graduates
4. Faculty in the News
5. Virtual Coffee Meeting
6. Supply Chain Professional Student Organization, USF CSCMP
7. USF CSCMP Guest Speaker from Johnson & Johnson
8. USF CSCMP Guest Speaker from Big Lots
9. Alumni Spotlight, Elizabeth Wilhelm
10. Student Spotlight, Victoria Yang
11. Intern Spotlight, Maria Isadora Alves
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* Dec. 11, 5 p.m., Muma College of Business Virtual Fall Graduation. To attend, register here.
* Jan. 21, 5 p.m., USF CSCMP guest speaker from Facebook. To RSVP, click here.* Feb. 25, Employer/Student Virtual Network Event
* 2021 Time and date to be deterimined, Grand Opening of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability, located in the Muma College of Business.
* March 9, Florida Supply Chain Summit. The event is being planned as a multi-locational, on-site/virtual hybrid event.
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USF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT GRADUATES
Ahmed Al-Lawati
Britany Dowd
Joshua Hinchee
Kimberly Higgins
Maeve Thornton
Philcan Bermejo
Wilber Gomez
James Amerosa
Macy Baker
Graduate
Bharat Tejwani
Hongbi Kim
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FACULTY IN THE NEWS
Seckin Ozkul, director of the Supply Chain Innovation Lab, shared his thoughts with ABC Action News on COVID-19 second wave impacts as they relate to supply chain management. To view the video and read more, click here. Request for Research Survey On behalf of the Florida Department of Transportation, researchers from the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability are conducting a study to identify optimal locations for logistics activity centers in Florida. Part of the project is a survey of industry experts in Florida who will be used to determine the relative importance of various factors (e.g., land characteristics, workforce availability, etc.) in deciding the best places to develop logistics activity centers. The factors were developed from an extensive review of similar studies. The survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete. All responses are confidential. The survey will stay open until Dec. 11, and is available at
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VIRTUAL COFFEE MEETING
SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 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 Wednesday, Jan. 13 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, a 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 event
Want to join?
USF CSCMP GUEST SPEAKER FROM JOHNSON & JOHNSON
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Student Roundtable at USF recently hosted Ashlee Heirman, Global Services Lead Buyer of Johnson & Johnson in Tampa.
As a graduate of USF supply chain management, Heirman shared advice with students who are seeking internships with J&J and information about the company. She showed a road map of her career path as she walked through and explained how she overcame challenges.
CSCMP members learned the culture of J&J and what supply chain roles are. It was a very motivational and insightful session and we would like to send our sincere appreciation to Heirman for taking the time to speak to the students, especially in this challenging time.
USF CSCMP GUEST SPEAKER FROM BIG LOTS
At the Nov. 17 meeting of the USF Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, the guest speaker was Eddie Burt, senior vice president of supply chain from Big Lots.
Burt introduced students to the supply chain operations at Big Lots, talked about merchandise strategy and shared his audit experience with suppliers in foreign countries. He shared the COVID-19 impact in supply chain of Big Lots and how the company transitioned challenges into success. Students learned the overview of the retail industry's supply chain operations in global pandemic and much more about the company.
We would like to send our sincere appreciation to Burt for taking the time to speak to our students, especially in this challenging time.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Elizabeth Wilhelm
Name: Elizabeth Wilhelm
Company: Intertape Polymer Group
Job Title: Business Development Manager Ecommerce
USF Degree & Year: Marketing and Management, 2010
Key Responsibilities: Develop a relationship with one of our key customers, a well-known ecommerce giant; be a product expert and provide solutions from IPG's suite of packaging products to fit the customer's strategic objectives; provide our planning team with accurate forecasts to ensure we can service the customer; and ensure all existing business is properly managed to the customer's satisfaction. My previous position was demand manager. In that role, I was responsible for a team that forecasted nearly $1 billion worth of tape and packaging goods. It was my job to be able to answer questions on what we were forecasting, why we're forecasting at that level and how we were coming into forecast to stakeholders across the company. Managing the demand portion of the S&OP process to align our planning with sales, operations and finance.
Q. While at USF, what were some of the key learnings that helped you prepare for your role with Intertape Polymer Group?
A. Looking back, I'm most grateful for challenging group projects. I think these prepared me to work with people of varying skill sets to accomplish a common goal. It taught me the importance of clear communication as a leader and as a teammate. Sometimes it's not the key definitions in the textbook, but the challenge of getting through the learning process that's the true lesson.
Q. What were some key transition hurdles and how did you overcome these challenges? A. Transitioning from a planner to a manager was a big move. I went from being responsible for what I produced to being responsible for what everyone on my team produced. I found myself looking to my manager and the SVP above him as examples of what I wanted to emulate as a leader. There are a lot of intricacies to motivating a team and being a strong leader. There's always an opportunity to learn and grow on the job and I'm lucky to have people to look to and learn from to help me grow into the professional I want to become. If I walked away from a situation feeling I was not successful, I would bring it to my manager and ask him how he would navigate it, sharpening my tools for the next time the problem arose. My next transition to business development manager is sure to be the most challenging but I will continue to look to my coworkers for support and guidance as I acclimate. Having a strong support system, in and/or outside of work, is always helpful in overcoming obstacles. Q. What advice do you have for current USF supply chain students? A. Spend time determining what you desire in a career. The clearer your path, the easier it will be for people to help and direct you on your way. There will always be a component of trial and error but finding a company that aligns with your needs is key. Ask questions, listen to the answers. It will help you learn and grow. Curiosity is a trait I look for in candidates, as curious people tend to be problem solvers. Every single individual within an organization is a human being trying to do his or her job, so if you position yourself to help those around you, you will make yourself invaluable. Q. Describe your key contributions/successes since joining Intertape Polymer Group? A. I came into IPG as a demand planner and was promoted to manager within a year. And about two years after that I was hand selected for a position on our ecommerce team as a business development manager. A contribution I'm most proud of was in response to COVID-19's significant impact on our demand. To help our SVP of supply chain understand the impact we were seeing, I put together a report on daily, weekly and monthly average order volume. The value of the insight was evident, and it became a daily report sent to the executive team, we scaled it for production visibility and expanded it to other portions of the business to help us navigate an uncertain time.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Victoria Yang
Name: Victoria Yang
USF Degree and Year: Supply Chain Management, Junior
Q. What brought you to the University of South Florida?
A. I decided to attend the University of South Florida because my mom moved to Tampa during my senior year in high school. I wanted to stay connected with my mother since she is a single parent and thought USF would be a great university to attend. I was also accepted into the Student Support Services program at USF.
Q. Why did you choose to study supply chain management at the Monica Wooden Center?
A. Supply chain management is one of the newest majors at USF and I wanted to take part in this field of study. Being in this major has provided me so many great opportunities and a deeper understanding of how supply chain is an extremely important business function. I am extremely thankful to all the staff and faculty for creating this major and to the Monica Wooden Center.
Q. What did you achieve through the program?
A. I have achieved a greater pool of network connections. I've been able to connect with professionals by attending USF CSCMP guest speaker sessions and by being actively involved in class when companies come to teach us a specific subject, like Datex Corporation. I've been able to grow professionally and learned many valuable skills that I can apply to my future career.
Q. What is your future career goal after graduation?
A. I want to work for Estée Lauder or L'Oréal within their supply chain division. I've always had the interest to work in the beauty industry since this industry is always evolving. I also have a certificate from the Fashion Institute of Technology Beauty Industry Essentials Program.
INTERN SPOTLIGHT: Maria Isadora Alves
Name: Maria Isadora Alves
USF Degree & Year: Master's Degree in Engineering Management, second year
Employer: Tesla
Position: Global Supply Management Intern
Key Responsibilities: Negotiating with current suppliers for new parts, engineering changes; identify savings on existing programs by sending RFQ to suppliers; establish should cost analysis; support VA/VE activities; support daily activities (invoices follow-up, PO creation).
Q. Why did you choose to do an internship with Tesla?
A. It is very important for me to see the meaning and impact of what I am doing. Tesla is revolutionizing the auto industry and making an incredible impact on the world's transition to sustainable energy. And I definitely want to be a part of it. In addition to that, working for Tesla means working with motivated and hard-working people in a fast-paced environment.
Q. How did you prepare yourself for your internship with Tesla?
A. The classes I took this semester with Dr. Stock and Dr. Davis on supply chain management and logistics systems and analytics were extremely important in the preparation process. I also asked my internship manager for advice on how to better prepare prior to the start date. He suggested two books for me to read and he also gave me more detailed information on what topics to focus my preparation on. I am currently reading these books and watching additional LinkedIn learning courses on these topics.
Q. What do you want to achieve through this internship?
A. I am committed to making an impact at Tesla's sourcing program, find opportunities to reduce costs and optimize processes. I want to develop my negotiation skills, gain valuable work experience and network with incredibly talented people. I am also very interested in the ways this job can help me grow personally and professionally and I want to have the chance to see some glimpses into my future career path.
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