From July 7 through July 12, 15 high school students from Tennessee and four other states participated in the second annual Supply Chain Management (SCM) Camp at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Organized by the Haslam College of Business’ Global Supply Chain Institute (GSCI) and Office of Access and Community Connections (OACC), the six-day camp gives rising high school juniors and seniors from communities with less supply chain industry exposure the chance to explore the opportunity-rich business field through lectures, case studies, business site visits and more.
Lakietha Jackson, camp program director and OACC’s coordinator of outreach and pre-collegiate programs, and Cole Burns, GSCI’s director of student development and career management, noted the camp can help students start their path into a business area they might not have previously considered.
“In the camp, students gain awareness of what supply chain is and the job possibilities in this industry, which they otherwise might not hear about,” Burns said.
Jackson added, “With programs such as the SCM Summer Camp, we are building more nurturing, inclusive and dynamic environments at the university and business levels.”
Immersive Learning with Supply Chain Leaders and Site Visits
At the camp, in interactive lectures and activities led by Haslam SCM faculty, the high schoolers delved into areas like manufacturing, procurement and negotiation, distribution, transportation and logistics. Thomas Deakins, lecturer and GSCI’s managing director, introduced the campers to supply chain management by having them engage in an interactive simulation exhibiting the interconnectedness and complexity of SCM through using pieces of string to represent each area of the supply chain.
Andrea Prud’homme, clinical professor and director of SCM undergraduate studies, presented a case study where students acted as cookie company personnel charged with procuring ingredients, organizing manufacturing and distributing their product. Interacting with the camp participants made her feel confident about supply chain’s future.
“I’m optimistic about the future of our profession, knowing that there are young, excited students considering supply chain,” Prud’homme said. “I hope to see many in our program next year. Given that supply chain is critical for not only the nation’s economy, but also for national security, the more students we have with different backgrounds and different points of view, the more creative our solutions can be.”
Students also engaged with other Haslam faculty, staff and students, as well as representatives from GSCI partner organizations and experts from various disciplines. Robert Loggins, Bush Brothers & Company’s director of external affairs and community engagement, delivered a keynote address, and George Drinnon, Haslam’s assistant dean for undergraduate programs, presented students an overview of what opportunities await business majors.
SCM student peer counselors led camp students on a campus scavenger hunt, and the high school students also participated in teambuilding and leadership development exercises, an ACT prep session and professional presentation coaching. However, immersive site visits to Haslam Supply Chain Forum partners’ facilities were a favorite camp activity among the students.
Participants Reflect on Their Experiences
At the facilities owned by Colgate-Palmolive, Amazon, Norfolk Southern and Axle Logistics, the campers were treated to interactive demonstrations of SCM Camp subjects. Akash Ashwin, a rising high school junior from Brentwood, Tennessee, particularly enjoyed the Axle Logistics visit.
“We got to have job shadowing one-on-one,” he explained. “They assigned one employee with each one of us, and we got to ask questions to them, so it was an individualized experience.”
Sunehri Choudannavar, a rising senior at from in Collierville, Tennessee, was impressed by the camp’s teambuilding and communication components.
“The most important thing I learned at the SCM Camp was the significance of strong team bonding and effective communication,” Choudannavar said. “These skills not only fostered a collaborative environment but also enhanced our ability to tackle challenges together. I found that clear communication and teamwork are the key in achieving success in SCM operations.”
Makenna Dahl, a rising senior also from Brentwood, felt the camp was a great experience to bond with other students.
“I went knowing nobody, so I was nervous for that,” she said. “But once we were put into our groups with our peer counselors, it started to click. Then on the teambuilding day, it was cool to see everybody learn everyone’s name and just get to know everyone from there.”
Learning Made Possible by Employer Partners
The GSCI team recognized the important contributions of Bush Brothers, Colgate-Palmolive, Amazon, Norfolk Southern and Axle Logistics, who helped make the SCM Camp possible by giving their time and inviting students to engage with their employees.
Dreakins praised the Supply Chain Forum members who participated in the camp:
“We hold deep gratitude to our partners for making the camp a reality for the students and for empowering us to offer these horizon-expanding opportunities. We hope the exposure the students gained to college and business learning environments were enlightening and energizing and serve as the stepping stones to them becoming part of the next generation of supply chain leaders.”
Relive the 2024 Supply Chain Management Summer Camp on Instagram.
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