In the fall of 2015, 35 corporate representatives from the transportation industry got together for one purpose: to enrich the student experience by introducing programs and events that would further supply chain, operations, and transportation-related higher education at Kelley. As of this past fall, the board has grown to 42 members, representing 39 transportation-oriented companies, striving to share their successes and challenges in the field of transportation with Kelley MBA students, with the Supply Chain Academy (SCA) in particular.

Between the annual symposium, biannual meetings, and roundtable discussions about current transportation topics, such as economic impacts on transportation logistics and artificial intelligence in transportation, as well as student-oriented trips to DSC Logistics Distribution Center for Kraft-Heinz, they have provided the SCA students with a lot of unique educational opportunities outside of the classroom with practitioners in the field. This spring, the board is sponsoring part of the Systems and Operations Management Association (SOMA)’s Spring Trek for the students to travel to Kroger, PMG, GE, and Luxottica among other locations.

Students have found this exposure to the companies and their representatives to be really helpful in adding opportunities to their education here at Kelley.

Scott Hedden, a 2019 MBA Candidate and Supply Chain Academy student, reflects on his experience with the board, stating “I truly enjoyed the opportunity to learn from a mix of the industry’s CEOs, Presidents, VPs and other top-level leadership to gain insights on where their focus lies and what worries keep them up at night. It was fascinating to connect the concepts we are learning as MBA students to problems these folks are solving on a daily basis, and sitting in on their discussions about the future of transportation gave us the opportunity to think like an executive in the industry!”