Students get initial taste of logistics
Article By: Clark Leonard
The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Mike Cottrell College of Business partnered with Syfan Logistics to give 19 high school students invited from a five-county area to Camp Logistics an introduction to the logistics and supply chain management area of business. UNG welcomed students to the Syfan Logistics Lab in the Cottrell Center for Business, Technology & Innovation at its Dahlonega Campus from June 26-29.
The students learned and actively participated In logistics discussions in the mornings and were taken on field trips during the afternoons to see logistics in action at local companies. The afternoon hands-on learning took place at King's Hawaiian, Kubota, Georgia Mountain Food Bank, and Syfan Logistics.
"Since logistics is of major significance to Georgia's economy, enlightening these high school students to explore the space and potentially seek out careers in the industry is vital to position Georgia as the center of America's logistical operations," Dr. Mohan Menon, department head of management and marketing, said.
About 181,000 Georgians are employed in the logistics industry, making the information the students learned even more valuable as they pursue potential careers.
"This camp fostered early career awareness and encouraged students to consider pursuing higher education or vocational training in logistics, thereby contributing to the development of a skilled workforce and meeting the industry's growing demand for professionals in this domain," Dr. Varun Gupta, associate professor of logistics and business analytics, said.
In addition to Menon and Gupta, UNG faculty members Dr. Lu Xu, assistant professor of business statistics and quantitative methods, and Dr. Zuoming Liu, assistant professor of management, were also part of the teaching team.
Herui Li, a rising sophomore at South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia, attended the camp because he felt like it offered valuable knowledge to complement his interest in business and information technology. Li previously saw logistics as obscure, but he said the camp gave him a more realistic picture.
Since logistics is of major significance to Georgia's economy, enlightening these high school students to explore the space and potentially seek out careers in the industry is vital to position Georgia as the center of America's logistical operations.
Dr. Mohan Menon
Mike Cottrell College of Business department head of management and marketing
"Logistics is everywhere. Everybody needs it," Li said. "It's the backbone to support all of our businesses."
Alexis Berman, also a rising senior at South Forsyth High School, was interested in the camp because she knows some people who work in logistics.
"It's been good to get information and learn what logistics is all about," she said.
Pranav Raghavendra, a rising junior at Alliance Academy for Innovation in Cumming, Georgia, was especially grateful for the afternoon field trips that reinforced what students learned in the classroom.
"I'm impressed with how hands-on everything is," he said.
In addition to the afternoon field trips, students also had a chance to hear from a wide array of companies who sent representatives as guest speakers in the mornings to supplement the lessons from four UNG faculty members. Lt. Col. Rebecca D'Angelo, '02, logistics officer for the Army, also shared some of her experience with the group.
State Sen. Steve Gooch, the Senate majority leader, spoke to the students about the Georgia General Assembly's role in supporting logistics.
Pierce Wesley, a rising junior at Cherokee Bluff High School in Flowery Branch, Georgia, was excited to learn about the complexities of logistics.
"I've enjoyed being able to talk to business owners and businesspeople and learn about how they do their jobs," he said. "I want to channel their knowledge to help my career."
In addition to learning about logistics, high school students were able to get information about the supply chain and logistics management concentration within UNG's Bachelor of Business Administration in management.
Syfan Logistics and asset-based Syfan Transport provide a diverse array of shipping services across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
"We wanted to open students' eyes to the many possibilities of career options and the living they can make. It doesn't get any better than doing that with UNG, our home university," Dan Bacus, director of community and academic outreach for Syfan Logistics, said. "It was exciting to see the students' interest in logistics during the Camp Logistics lab sessions. For many years, Syfan Logistics CEO Jim Syfan has had a vision to provide students with career exploration in logistics, and it's exciting to see that vision come to fruition through Syfan’s sponsorship of the camp."
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