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University of South Florida Muma College of Business September 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 want to share this note from a student who will graduate next year:
"I was in the decision stage of selecting my major when, after a great deal of reflection during the coronavirus layoff, I decided it was important for me to be directly involved in adding value to businesses by contributing ideas and solutions," wrote Denzel Tracey, who now is pursuing a supply chain management degree. "After doing some research, I found supply chain to be a great fit and I feel that I have untapped potential when it comes to creating solutions and analyzing situations."
Denzel's words really hit home, especially in a semester that began under such unusual circumstances. However, our mandate is clear. By offering vibrant hybrid classroom experiences in which students attend class virtually and face to face, we ensure student success and accomplish the mission of USF and the Muma College of Business.
Our program provides student scholarships -- more than $5,000 this year alone (covering tuition and textbooks) went to our diverse student population, thanks to the generosity of our business partners and the amazing gift of Monica Wooden. 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 (MercuryGate), 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 rely on the support of our faithful business and industry partners to ensure success for our students and to attract and retain the best students. We are grateful for the internships and experiential opportunities provided by our business partners throughout the year. This engagement is essential to our 100 percent internship placement rate and the 95 percent job placement rate upon graduation.
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.
To make a gift that will benefit our program, click here.
Please, stay safe and healthy,
Elaine Singleton
Executive Director
Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management & Sustainability
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SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Executive Director's Greeting
2. Important Dates
3. Monica Wooden Scholarship Recipients Announcement
4. Faculty in the News
5. Virtual Coffee Meeting
6. Supply Chain Professional Student Organization; USF CSCMP Kick-Off on Sept. 3
7. Faculty Spotlight: Seckin Ozkul
8. Alumni Spotlight: Ashlee Heirman
9. Student Spotlight: Tatiana Hinds
10. Intern Spotlight: Kimberly Higgins
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* Sept. 3, USF CSCMP Fall 2020 Student Roundtable Kickoff Event. To RSVP, click here.
* Sept. 9, 5 p.m., Virtual Coffee Meeting. To attend, contact Hongbi Kim.
* Sept. 10, USF CSCMP guest speaker, Craig McKenney, head of Enterprise Supply Chain from Citi. To RSVP, click here.
* Sept. 17, USF CSCMP guest speaker, Hunter Frey from Deloitte. To RSVP, click here.
* Sept. 20-23, CSCMP EDGE Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition. To register, click here.
* October 15, employer/student network event. Time and location to be announced. Employers, contact Elaine Singleton; students, contact Hongbi Kim.
* 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.
* March 9, 2021, Florida Supply Chain Summit, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, Tampa. The event is being planned as a multi-locational, on-site/virtual hybrid event,
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MONICA WOODEN SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED
About the Moncia Wooden Scholarship
The Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability provides scholarships annually to promote and support the development of both undergraduate and graduate students to enter careers in the supply chain industry. The applicants must be enrolled in the bachelor's or master's degree programs in supply chain management and have a minimum 3.0 overall GPA.
Undergraduate Scholasrship Winners
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| | Kimberly Higgins |
Kimberly Higgins, '20 Bachelor's degree in management and marketing with a concentration in supply chain management
"This program allowed me to gain a better understanding of supply chain and how it impacts literally everything around us, gain a global perspective by studying supply chain abroad and most importantly connect what I am learning daily in class to everyday life."
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| | | Maeve Thornton | |
Maeve Thornton, '20 Bachelor's degree in marketing with a concentration in supply chain management
"Through the supply chain program at USF, I made valuable connections to professionals with experience in supply chain management who helped me gain the knowledge and confidence to be successful in this career."
Graduate Scholarship Winners
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| | Tatiana Hinds |
Tatiana Hinds, '21 MBA with a concentration in supply chain management "I have been able to grow both as a person and as a professional. It has opened a world of possibilities by connecting me with highly successful people in the supply chain industry."
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| | | Bharat Tejwani | |
Bharat Tejwani, '20
MBA and master's degree in business analytics and information systems with a concentration in supply chain management
"Through this program and my graduate assistantship, I gained exposure in the supply chain management industry. In a work trip to South Africa with Dr. James Stock, I gathered and shared best supply chain and sustainability practices with senior executives from several companies. This program and experience has taught me to think strategically and to overcome modern-day business problems."
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FACULTY IN THE NEWS
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| | Seckin Ozkul |
Seckin Ozkul
Amid a pandemic that has thrown the science of supply chain curve after curve, comes hurricane season. What can consumers expect when a hurricane takes aim at Florida? What products/services will be scarce? Supply chain expert Seckin Ozkul tells the Tampa Bay Times what is likely to happen. To read more, click here.
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VIRTUAL COFFEE MEETING, SEPTEMBER 9
SAVE THE DATE Sept. 9, 5 p.m.
Join us to learn about the bachelor's degree in supply chain management.
- Virtual Coffee Meeting event, offered through Microsoft Teams, to be held on Sept. 9 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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PROFESSIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATION, CSCMP KICK OFF EVENT
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| | Guest speakers slated for this week's CSCMP event |
USF Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals kick-off session on Thursday, Sept. 3 from 5-6:15 p.m. To RSVP, click here.
What is the organization?
The University of South Florida Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Student Roundtable is a professional/student organization that 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 with current supply chain leaders and promotes the transfer of ideas and experience between current and future supply chain professionals.
All the events in the fall of 2020 will be held virtually in Microsoft Teams every Thursday from 5-6:15 p.m.
How do members benefit from the organization?
* Professional Development
* Networking Opportunities
* Tours
* Internship Opportunities
* Educational Enhancement Events
Who is coming this fall as guest speakers?
Deloitte, Walmart Supply Chain, Citi, Johnson & Johnson, AAA Cooper.
Questions? Interested in joining?
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Seckin Ozkul
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| | Seckin Ozkul, director of the Supply Chain Innovation Lab |
Q: Tell us a bit about your new role with the Supply Chain Innovation Lab in the Monica Wooden Center.
A: The Supply Chain Innovation Lab was launched on July 2, under the Monica Wooden Center umbrella, as the research arm of the center. All of the funded research efforts/projects of the center will be handled under the Supply Chain Innovation Lab, where our students work on real-life, funded-research projects with guidance from our faculty members and industry partners. As the director of the lab, my role is to develop and lead projects to help our industry and public partners' challenges with the optimization of freight movements and logistics. Our current partners at the lab are Jabil, through whose vision and generous support the lab was launched, along with our long-time partner the Florida Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Q: How will business partners engage with the lab and what is the vision and expected outcome for this collaborative approach to research?
A: The Supply Chain Innovation Lab will be a crossroads for representatives from our industry partners, higher education entities and public agencies to work together in a "living-lab" tackling some of the industries' biggest challenges. The research relates to the transformation of digital supply chains and the optimization of supply chain network design to help companies obtain a competitive advantage in the global marketplace. Industry partners will also help guide undergraduate and graduate research assistants working at the lab on research projects, together with our MWC faculty members. When the lab was created through the support of John Caltabiano, Jabil vice president of supply chain management, together with our Jabil colleagues, we envisioned a program that would provide new experiential learning opportunities and skills students need to stand out -- and start out strong -- in a competitive job market. I am happy that the initiatives we planned with our industry partners will do just that. Our overall vision is that the lab aims to be a leading-edge research partnership bringing together representatives from industry, academia and public agencies to solve supply chain challenges with innovative digital solutions.
Q: Will business partners be able to see lab results and progress going forward?
A: Collaborating with professionals from Jabil and other partners with expertise in areas such as manufacturing and design is exciting, because we will have a chance not only to work with industry experts to solve vexing problems, but we will also have a chance to provide learning opportunities for our students. Our partners, who will work with us on these projects, will be able to supply us with their input regarding challenging real-world supply chain problems that we aim to tackle at the lab and provide immediate access to the results we obtain in these projects. We also provide immediate access for our partners to recruit and hire our world-class student researchers. The current funded research projects we are working on for a multitude of partners total over half-a-million dollars with multiple pending proposals at the contracting stage. These funds help pay tuition and stipends for student research assistants working at the lab under the direction of our faculty members and industry partners.
If you would like to get involved with the Supply Chain Innovation Lab and/or have a supply chain management related project idea you would like to discuss, please reach out to Seckin Ozkul at sozkul@usf.edu
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Ashlee Heirman
USF Education: Master's degree in supply chain management, fall 2021; bachelor's degree in French, 2014; bachelor's degree in marketing with a concentration in supply chain management, 2014
Employer: Johnson & Johnson
Job Title: Lead buyer
Key Responsibilities: Purchasing procedures involved with the IT software category for North America
Q: While at USF, what were some of the key takeaways that helped you prepare for your role with Johnson & Johnson?
A: Knowledge, exposure and insight. Being a part of the first group of students at USF to take on the supply chain concentration gave me an immense knowledge base about the subjects and this thorough preparation is what made my transition into my first role in the industry quite easy when it came to understanding the processes and why they exist. Additionally, USF allowed me the opportunity to take sneak peeks into how companies operate in the real world. As a student member of the CSCMP, we were given invaluable insight provided by the leaders that spoke during our meetings along with the hands-on experiences from the site tours. That knowledge and exposure alone was monumental in my progression within Jabil as well as Johnson & Johnson.
Q: What were some key transition hurdles and how did you overcome these challenges?
A: When I started my career after receiving my bachelor's degrees, I was a little taken aback by how male-dominated the manufacturing industry appeared to be. I learned about certain outdated stereotypes concerning females and their leadership abilities, the idea of nepotism, as well as what it really means when an employer asks, "How do you approach a situation that you are not fully trained for?" How did I overcome this? By continuously proving that I deserve a seat at the table, learning how to ask the right questions and taking more strategic as well as proactive, approaches in efforts of working smarter not harder.
Q: What advice do you have for current USF supply chain students?
A: Lean into discomfort and embrace as well as encourage change whether it be in the workplace or daily life. Students studying this career path will learn quickly that change is good and it's an endless process in the reality of the supply chain world. Don't be fearful in pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone and always strive for better. One of my least favorite quotes of all time is, "If it's not broken, don't fix it." Anyone who's a true advocate for an efficient chain of supply will tell you that even some of the best operations will always have some sort of room for improvement. Always push for better.
Q: Describe your key contributions/successes since joining Johnson & Johnson.
A: I currently support the IT software category for North America as a lead buyer for Johnson & Johnson's Global Services in Tampa. I am also a part of a small team for J&J's Talent for Healthy Communities, working to create a better system in terms of procurement for Metropolitan Ministries. Most recently, I was a procure-to-pay associate and worked closely with the supply chain categories to help streamline procurement processes for J&J's PPE orders from start-to-finish worldwide fighting the spread of COVID-19. I am a lead for a global sustainability initiative at J&J and I was also regional champion for a health and wellness initiative called "We Nourish for North America."
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Tatiana Hinds
USF Degree: Master's degree in business administration with a concentration in supply chain management, 2021; bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in supply chain management, 2018.
Q: What brought you to the University of South Florida?
A: Finishing my associate's degree in Seattle gave me the opportunity to see firsthand how the college experience was in the United States. By the time I finished, I already knew what I liked and disliked and especially what I thought was crucial to have a well-rounded learning experience. There are a lot of prestigious universities however, USF makes a special effort to embrace cultural diversity. Coming from El Salvador that was something that was very important to me.
Q: Why did you choose to study supply chain management at Monica Wooden Center?
A: When the time came for me to decide where to pursue my master's degree, I wanted to attend an institution that values the importance of the supply chain field as much as I do. The Monica Wooden Center at USF is a prestigious higher education institution that keeps growing its supply chain management program. Having a significant number of distinguished faculty members invested in developing groundbreaking research made my decision a no-brainer.
Q: What did you achieve through the program?
A: I have been able to grow both as a person and as a professional. It has opened a world of possibilities by connecting me with highly successful people in the industry, by giving me the tools to assess and solve the problems companies might have in supply chain and by making me aware of the importance of sustainability not only for the future of our planet, but also to improve efficiency processes in corporations.
Q: What is your future career goal after graduation?
A: The program will allow me to obtain the right tools and knowledge in order for me to contribute to the infrastructure and development of my country, El Salvador, moving forward. In reality, supply chain management and transportation are fields that have been overlooked in El Salvador. One example of how supply chain theory could impact my community is if big companies like "La Constancia," which is El Salvador's largest industrial company that produces beer, soft drinks, juices, nectar and water, create a network of micro-distribution centers that would allow their staff to deliver product down the narrowest roads to village shops in remote regions. This would also provide employment for hundreds of people in smaller regions. In emergencies like the recent Tropical Storm Amanda, these distributions systems could serve to deliver life-saving medicines to remote villages. Making contributions like this a reality is what drives me and makes me so excited to finish my master's degree at USF.
INTERN SPOTLIGHT: Kimberly Higgins
USF Education: Bachelor's degree in management and marketing with a concentration in supply chain management, 2020
Employer: Goldman Sachs
Position: Summer analyst
Key Responsibilities: Examining listed derivatives current processes and coming up with ways to make them more effective and efficient, participating in weekly projects and getting to know different clients, functions and areas of the firm that impact listed derivatives and performing daily reports to ensure there are no inefficiencies.
Q: Why did you choose to do internship at Goldman Sachs?
A: I chose to do an internship with Goldman Sachs because there isn't just one linear path for a career there. I can be a part of different divisions and still apply supply chain concepts in order to make a process more effective.
Q: How did you prepare yourself to have internship with Goldman Sachs?
A: Fortunately, I had another internship prior to Goldman Sachs that prepared me to adapt to a business environment and how to navigate the virtual environment. Another crucial thing that I did to prepare was to ask as many questions of the right people when it was appropriate. Exploring my intellectual curiosity and understanding what I was interested in beforehand helped significantly during the internship as well. Also, knowing my soft skills helped me prepare for the internship because I was able to focus more on my strengths and know what I needed to improve on.
Q: What did you achieve/learn through this internship?
A: I was able to learn more about the firm overall and how operations are essential to the company' success. Supply chain concepts aren't just applied to companies that ship things but they are in everything that we do. In a world that is constantly changing and evolving, it's important business. No matter the product adaptation, this is where the supply chain team steps in to become a major boardroom partner.
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