USF Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability April 2022
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK
A sincere thanks to our Florida economic and education community, regional and national friends in technology, manufacturing, distribution, logistics, and research for a wonderful Florida Supply Chain Summit last week in Tampa! Truly an amazing array of business and education partners!

In this issue:
  • Photo gallery of the Florida Supply Chain Summit speakers, panelists, and attendees
  • Student Interns who were recently hired for experiential learning with Target, AAA Cooper, and Walmart
  • Monica Wooden Scholarship Awards

Our MS Supply Chain 2022-23 one-year degree program is open for admission through June 1.

And more...This program is perfectly suited for those with over three years' work experience in current supply chain roles and/or any who seeks advanced skills development no matter the industry.
 
The program duration is 12 months (August 2022- August 2023) with courses in Business Analytics, ERP and Supply Chain Information Systems, Lean Manufacturing & Distribution, Logistics, Sustainability, Supply Chain Design & Optimization, Technology, and Impactful Research. Students graduate with a lean six sigma green belt, advanced learning, and knowledge acquisition in supply management, planning, procurement, technology, and current industry regulatory conditions.
 
Courses are taught online with one week on campus at the start of each of three total semesters: Fall 2022 and Spring / Summer 2023. To apply before the June 1 deadline go to: https://secure.vzcollegeapp.com/usf/   

All the best for a beautiful month of April!

Elaine 

Elaine Singleton
Executive Director
Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability
Muma College of Business
University of South Florida
Table of Contents

1. From the Executive Director's Desk
2. Important Dates
3. Florida Supply Chain Summit 2022 - Thank You
4. Internship Spotlight
5. Summer 2022 Monica Wooden Center Scholarship Winners
6. Ukraine Invasion - What Does It Mean for Florida Gas and Food?
7. Meet the Employer Event - What Employers are Saying
8. CSCMP - Recent Tours and Upcoming E-Board Elections
 
USF CSCMP Tour: Marten Transportation — 10:30 a.m., April 7, Marten Terminal To RSVP, contact Mitchelltosi@usf.edu.

USF CSCMP Guest Speaker: Gibson Guitar Co. — 5 p.m. April 14, BSN 221. To RSVP, contact Mitchelltosi@usf.edu.

USF CSCMP Banquet — April 21, Time and Location TBD. To RSVP, contact Mitchelltosi@usf.edu.

Spring Graduation Day — May 7, Location and further details TBD

Summer Session begins — May 16

Summer Internships begin — June 1

Fall 2022 Meet the Employer Event — Sept. 22, Location and further details TBD. To RSVP, contact elaines@usf.edu.

SAVE THE DATE! Monica Wooden Center Scholarship Golf Event — Monday, Oct. 10, Location and further details TBD.
Florida Supply Chain Summit 2022 - March 21-23
Thank you to OneRail's Bill and Lisa Catania, host sponsors!

And many thanks to all sponsors, speakers, panelists, attendees, and the summit steering committee for your insights and inspiration to spotlight Florida as a U.S. supply chain hub!

We hope you enjoyed the summit!!!!

We appreciate any and all feedback!
USF Supply Chain Bulls learning from industry experts!
Florida's largest port leaders come together to double down on Florida! Mike Rubin, Nick Primrose, Paul Anderson, Jonathan Daniels, Andrew Hecker.
Industry entrepreneurs Jett McCandless (founder & CEO project44) and Monica Wooden (co-founder MercuryGate International) inspired ALL to think BIG in the age of digital supply chain transformation.
Bart De Muynck, Omar Singh, Bill Catania, and Michael Plasencia: Thoughtful leaders who are “changing the game” in the Micro- fulfillment & Last Mile technology explosion.
Henry Mack, Rickey Fitzgerald, Rob Palmer, Doug Davidson, and TJ Villamil spoke on the panel "Florida - Formula for Business" and discussed how Florida can continue to grow and meet the needs of new residents.
Justin Miller, Walmart Brookesville distribution center leader presents the newest robotic automation within ambient DC's.
Watch a slide show featuring photos from the 2022 Florida Supply Chain Summit.
FDOT Secretary Brad Thoburn closes with a call to “Feed the Florida Boom!
Brad Thoburn with FDOT Senior Manager Kenyatta Lee.
Internship Spotlights - Congratulations to all!

Christina Styblo
Q: What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming internship?
I am most looking forward to exploring the world of supply chain up close and personal. It will be an amazing experience to see the ins and outs of Walmart from a warehouse perspective. I’ll be getting hands-on experience unique anywhere else, as well as developing skills that will translate into the working world when I’m done.
Q: What do you want to achieve through your internship? 
This summer I want to not only be able to solve the presented problem they give me as part of the internship but also put the knowledge given to me through USF into action. I want to be able to build on this knowledge and create a well-rounded core experience to launch me into my future career. I also want to further gain exposure to and experience with the different elements in the supply chain process.
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with Walmart? 
Last summer I took a leadership class that had me interview supply chain professionals. This led me to meet some of our core faculty and staff in the supply program as well as other supply chain professionals. Interviewing them helped me build relationships and understand the depth and breadth of the supply chain world. They encouraged me to participate in CSCMP and Meet the Employer events, which provided top-tier companies with whom to network, and provided extra care when it came to professional development.  

Alyssa Hagle
Q: What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming internship?
I can’t wait to work in different facets of operations and learn the different procedures to successfully perform each function. Plus, I got to meet several people working in their Ocala facility, and I am excited to work with these great and fun people!
Q: What do you want to achieve through your internship?
I hope to put to work the many things I’ve learned in my supply chain courses and amass valuable professional experience in the field of operations. I want to positively impact the business and hope I can contribute to the success of their operations.
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with AAA Cooper Transportation?
I was able to tour their facility in Ocala and talk to several people there which allowed me a better feeling of how they run the business and what their culture is. I asked my hiring manager any questions about the internship, and I will keep in contact with my mentors so that I will be ready for whatever comes next. I also bought a pair of shoes to wear at my new internship and I am excited to break them in!

Samuel Ballinger
Q: What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming internship?
I can't wait to develop holistically and network with individuals at Target on both the SCM and corporate sides. In specific, though, I look forward to 'learning by doing' through meaningful tasks that will lead to a tangible difference in Target's business processes. 
Q: What do you want to achieve through your internship?
Ideally, I want to position myself for a post-graduation role at Target. I have worked for Target on the retail sales floor for a few years and am excited to continue my relationship with them in whatever role that may be. 
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with Target?
I applied for plenty of positions and went through dozens of interviews with various companies in order to find the one that felt like a true fit. It was in my interviews with Target that I felt the strongest connection and could really see myself making an impact.

Rachel Gillette
Q: What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming internship?
In my upcoming internship, I am most looking forward to experiencing what it is like to work in an office setting. I am excited to get hands-on experience that will prepare me for my career.
Q: What do you want to achieve through your internship?
Through the internship, I hope to learn more about the small- and large-scale operations of the trucking and logistics industries. I also hope to discover my strongest interests within the field.
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with AAA Cooper Transportation?
I prepared myself to have an internship with AAA Cooper Transportation by researching the company and the trucking industry, closely studying logistics through my coursework, and attending networking events through the Monica Wooden Center and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Student Roundtable at USF.

Molly Mulligan
Q: What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming internship?
I am looking forward to making connections and relationships with people in the supply chain industry. Making connections and relationships are major parts of what makes supply chains function. Throughout my internship at Rooms To Go, I will have the opportunity to make connections with business professionals whom I hope will share their experiences in the supply chain world.
Q: What do you want to achieve through your internship?
I want to step foot into the real world of the supply chain and become part of their process. I hope this internship will reinforce my knowledge from my previous courses and provide me with the experiences I need to prepare myself for a career in the supply chain.
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have an internship with Rooms To Go?
To prepare for my internship with Rooms To Go, I have completed several supply chain and general business courses. I plan to take more of these courses during and after my internship to further my knowledge as I will then have real-world experience to help me better understand the material.
Summer 2022 Monica Wooden Center Scholarship Awards
Congratulations Chryslyn, Rachel, Mitch and Yilien!
Ukraine Invasion - What Does It Mean for Florida's Gas and Food?
USF’s very own Seckin Ozkul, Director of the Supply Chain Innovation Lab, was recently interviewed by News Channel 8 regarding the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have on Florida’s food and gas supply.

Did you know that Ukraine is known as the “breadbasket of Europe” and accounts for 12% of the world’s total wheat exports? (Source: U.S. Dept of Agriculture)
 
“That may impact some of the wheat-related products that we are using as far as the grocery shops are concerned,” said Ozkul. Prior volatility coupled with the invasion has sent shockwaves through the market, driving up prices and concerns.

With Russia being one of the world’s top oil and natural gas suppliers, Floridians have every reason to question the uptick in their gas prices. Crude oil’s movements left a lasting impression during the pandemic, but even more so now given the uncertainty in Russia’s oil, holding global supplies in a frenzy.

The biggest takeaway, according to Ric Rohm is “don’t panic at the grocery store. Don’t panic at the gas pump.” He leaves us with a positive note, reminding us that food and gas do exist, they are being bought in a panic, presenting us with the illusion that there is a shortage.
 
To read more, click here
"Meet the Employer" Feedback
Here is what our employers had to say:
  • “I really enjoyed the event. I was impressed with the friendliness, level of engagement, and professionalism of the students. Go Bulls!”

  • “It's great to see the evolution and growth of the USF Supply Chain program. I can see tremendous improvement in the caliber, knowledge and confidence of the students.”

  • “We were impressed with the welcome, the event, the students, and the faculty. Great job all the way around!”

  • “Great event! Very impressed with the students. Some even had business cards! Incredible.”
How did the event fare for our students?
Post-event, over half of the students in attendance received multiple invitations to interview for internships and job placements. An average of two per student!

Thank you again to all students and employers who attended our Meet the Employer Event on Feb. 24.
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals at the University of South Florida (CSCMP)
Sessions every Thursday from 5 to 6:15 pm in BSN 221.

Want to join? Contact our membership chair, Mitchell Tosi, mitchelltosi@usf.edu.
Philanthropic Donations Fuel Supply Chain Education
Our program provides student scholarships to help defray the cost of tuition and textbooks. 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 demonstratable skills in ERP (SAP), WMS (Datex), TMS (Mercury Gate), Supply Chain/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 need support from business and industry partners for our student scholarships for their success.

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 are diverse, and this is important to our business partners, many of whom offer internships or work experiential opportunities for students throughout the year. This contributes to the 92 percent who graduate within four years, with an average 3.4 GPA.

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 join us.
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