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Inspiring Graduate: Nolan Harke, B.S. Supply Chain Management

goersab — Wed, 14 May 2025 17:55:51 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Nolan Harke, B.S. Supply Chain Managementgoersab May 14, 2025

‘I hope to make an impact by being a valuable team member who will lead by example and will make others around them better.’

Inspiring Graduate: Nolan Harke (’25)

Hometown: Kimberly
Degree: B.S. Supply Chain Management

Nolan Harke chose to attend �� because of its polytechnic focus and for its strong supply chain management major, completing internships at Fastenal and Pierce Manufacturing, in Appleton. He also chose �� to play baseball in one of the best Division III conferences.

Nolan Harke receives his diploma from Chancellor Frank.

“Being involved in a team environment at Stout not only for baseball but also during my capstone course has provided me with invaluable experience and skills that I will certainly bring to my field,” he said.

Harke, of Kimberly, plans to work in the Fox Valley area. He earned his bachelor ��. in supply chain management on May 10, along with 1,174 �� graduates.

“I hope to make an impact by being a valuable team member who will lead by example and will make others around them better,” he said.

“I also hope to add value to the suppliers that I will be working with by improving metrics like supplier service levels, relationships with suppliers and identifying savings opportunities.”

Nolan Harke played outfield for the Blue Devils baseball team.

How has �� prepared you to work in your field?

I interned with Fastenal my sophomore year as a supply chain associate, which was a good introduction to the field, helping me understand inventory management, delivery and creating strong relationships with customers.

For the past two years, I interned at Pierce Manufacturing as a strategic sourcing intern. I managed relationships with two plastic and composite suppliers, led on-time delivery meetings, supported savings projects and presented quarterly business reviews with suppliers.

My internship experience at Pierce also stood out to me as I was able to expand my scope and work on many different projects for many different commodities. The internship program also provided many opportunities to network with other interns and employees at the Oshkosh Corp. headquarters.

Gene Gutman ��. supply chain classes allow students to get out of our comfort zone, practice our critical thinking skills and problem-solve real-life situations.

Nolan Harke earned his supply chain management degree from �� on May 10.

My capstone course was very challenging but also taught me more about supply chain and more about myself than I could have ever imagined. Our capstone team held weekly mentor meetings, where we discussed our findings and created weekly slide decks and status updates to report to our mentor and professor.

All of these experiences, whether during my internships or in the classroom, have helped prepare me for life after college. I am grateful to have had this experience.

How did your involvement on campus impact your experience?

I was an outfielder on �� . baseball team. I was fortunate enough to earn Academic All-District in the 2023 and 2024 seasons and was a 2025 Scholar Athlete.

I also received Career Services’ Outstanding Cooperative Education and Internship Program Student of the Year Award in 2024 for my internship with Pierce Manufacturing.

Nolan Harke celebrates at commencement.

What challenges did you face in earning your degree and how did you overcome them?

The supply chain management major is made up of many courses that challenged me not only to think critically but also to create good time-management habits, presentation skills and attention to details.

My yearlong capstone course has certainly been my biggest challenge due to the complexity and rigorous nature of the course. Although I have to admit there have been many difficult moments and long nights working in the lab, I couldn’t be more grateful for the supply chain experience and real-life scenarios and problems that we tackle each and every day.

Staying levelheaded, writing down notes and goals each day and ensuring I understand my priorities helped me overcome these challenges. I am proud of the hard work, dedication and perseverance that have been needed to balance my capstone and coursework.

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‘I hope to make an impact by being a valuable team member who will lead by example and will make others around them better.’ Nolan Harke, Commencement

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PHOTO ESSAY: Two Classes Work with Children a World Apart

goersab — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 14:18:16 +0000

PHOTO ESSAY: Two Classes Work with Children a World Apartgoersab March 6, 2024

Discover what Sociology and Education students learn on location in Thailand and Cozumel

Abbey Goers

Two classes, two weeks. Two groups of �� students dive into the cultures of Thailand and Cozumel, Mexico, working with children and learning the histories and social structures of people a world apart.

Fifteen students venture to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces in northern Thailand, visiting communities in the Hmong and Other Minorities in Thailand course with program leader, �� sociology Professor Georgios Loizides.

Hmong and Other Minorities in Thailand course students at the Mai Sai Skywalk in Thailand / Amelia Monroe

While experiencing Thai culture, they see how the work of nongovernmental organizations addresses social challenges, like poverty, the limited citizenship status of minorities, and the trafficking of women and children.

The program was developed as part of a faculty-led series of heritage-based programming, resulting from a World Learning and U.S. Department of State IDEAS Grant (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students) awarded to ��.

Half a world away, on the island of Cozumel, 20 miles off the Yucatan Peninsula, 10 education students complete a teaching practicum in multiculturalism in local schools for children with disabilities and at an international Montessori school.

The Education in Cozumel course, which began in 2017, involves a collaboration between �� and the University of Quintana Roo. �� students connect with UQRoo students, take dance lessons, learn to speak Spanish and converse on educational experiences in the U.S. and Mexico.

Education in Cozumel students and faculty at the beach / Terry Kohlmeier

Led by �� professors Terry Kohlmeier and Mary Hopkins-Best, students develop diverse and meaningful learning experiences for children with or without disabilities. The students write lessons and implement them in a variety of classroom settings.

After class each day, they explore the island and learn about the Mexican and Mayan cultures and history of the people of Cozumel.

Study abroad opportunities are a part of Stout Core, foundational education classes at Wisconsin ��. ��. Through Stout Core ��. areas of expertise, students gain global perspective, communication and critical thinking skills, ethical reasoning and more so they graduate ready to do more on day one.

The Cozumel and Thailand courses satisfy Stout Core Racial and Ethnic Studies requirements. They are open to students in all programs.

A trek through Thailand

Amelia Monroe, a supply chain management sophomore from Northfield, Minn., has wanted to travel to Thailand since she was a kid.

“Studying abroad was a leap of faith outside of my comfort zone and a leap I would take again. Strangers become close friends. The professors and staff truly made the experience one of a kind,” Monroe said.

Amelia Monroe with her �� backpack at the Mai Sai Skywalk / Amelia Monroe

“Studying abroad gave me a broader understanding of life in general – the differences in culture and a small peek into the reality of Thai people. I think it is so easy to take life for granted here in the states, and going to a different country was a real reality check,” she added.

Donning purple shoe booties to protect the glass, the class strolls across the Mae Sai Skywalk, which offers a unique view of the borders of Thailand and Myanmar. The curved structure, spanning 150 meters, is located at the northernmost point of Thailand and is considered to be the longest skywalk in the country.

“I never thought I would be able to study abroad, and I think it really started to hit me here. I’m a Minnesota girl representing her college in Thailand. To say I wore my �� backpack around loud and proud was an understatement,” Monroe said.

Amelia Monroe at the White Temple / Amelia Monroe

While in Mae Sai, they work at a development center with children ages 6 to 20, teaching them English. The children are at risk of parents with issues related to addiction, border trafficking, and sex and labor trafficking.

“The center works with them to bring them a better life. They believe that speaking English is the golden ticket for these kids,” Monroe said.

When they’re not studying, the class explores temples and Thai markets, takes a cooking class, samples street food and celebrates the Hmong New Year. They visit Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple, a Buddhist temple and one of the most recognizable temples in Chiang Rai Province.

They stand under the archway at the northernmost point of Thailand, in Mae Sai, and can see the military guard at the Myanmar border. At the confluence of the Mekong and Ruak rivers, they stand at the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet.

Pha Hi Village / Amelia Monroe

Riding into the lush, forested hills, and then over rutted mountain roads, the class visits several villages, including Pha Hi village, near Myanmar.

Between two mountains, nestled in the slope of a steep valley, they can see the area where the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system twists deep below the earth – where the Thailand boys’ soccer team was trapped and rescued in 2018.

During their village visits, the class learns from nongovernmental organizations about Thai culture, cultural differences, the difficulties women face and the opium war.

“It is not uncommon for an arranged marriage with girls as young as 13. Bride napping is also very common. Women are seen as bearers of children, not equals. It really put into perspective the different reality that women have in America,” Monroe explained.

Doi Tung Garden / Amelia Monroe

With mountains towering in the background, 100,000 flowers bloom and palm trees sway at the Doi Tung Garden. The class visits the garden during the annual flower festival.

“My mom loves flowers. I couldn’t stop thinking of how I wished she could be seeing the garden with me,” Monroe said. “I hope to visit with her someday and show her just how beautiful it is in person. Pictures never do anything justice.”

Amelia Monroe greets an elephant at the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary / Amelia Monroe

Students are greeted by the strong, elegant trunks of Asian elephants at the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary, and bathed the creatures in a gentle river, splashing each other with buckets of water.

“I never thought I would love a creature this much,” Monroe said. “Elephants are massive teddy bears. They just want food and loving. They are truly beautiful, gentle creatures with a calming energy.”

Education in Cozumel

Education students Evan Verboomen and Sara Christians and their classmates spend 40 hours over the two weeks, providing learning lessons in classrooms for children with or without disabilities and in the Montessori school.

They also have a walking tour of Cozumel, buy fresh ingredients at a market for a cooking class, ride a ferry to Playa del Carmen on the mainland, visit Chankanaab, a botanical garden and reef marine park, and stroll on the sands of Punta Del Sur beach.

During a visit to the Mayan ruins, they learn that Cozumel was originally settled approximately 2,000 years. Mayan women would, at least once in their lifetimes, make the treacherous journey from the mainland to the island in wooden canoes to worship Ix Chel, goddess of fertility, medicine, midwifery and weaving.

Sara Christians, upper right, with prekindergartners and teachers / Sara Christians

Knowing a little bit of Spanish, Christians, an early childhood education student from Minneapolis, wanted to study abroad to learn more.

“I wanted to take the step of independence in knowing more about myself in comfortable or uncomfortable situations,” she said. “I met new people who are kind and wonderful to be around. I also became more open about the school system and how it runs.”

Montessori students painting / Terry Kohlmeier

Christians worked with prekindergarten students for three days at the Montessori school.

“It was my favorite part of our trip. Seeing how these teachers taught Montessori, letting the children decide what they wanted to do for their ‘chore’ is something I will be incorporating in my classroom,” she said.

One of their lessons included the children ��. book "The Magic Mission" by Pebe Sebert, founder of the nonprofit organization The Magic Mission, which is dedicated to stopping the overpopulation, abuse and homelessness of dogs and cats in Central America. The book is a teaching tool used to foster a positive attitude toward dogs and cats.

“We realized it could be mutually beneficial for the �� students to incorporate the book in their classroom lessons,” Hopkins-Best said. “Pebe generously arranged to have the book printed on the island, assuring that the children taught by our students each received their own book.”

As his first activity with the children, Verboomen, a technology education student from Kimberly, teaches a dozen fifth- and sixth-graders how to make simple dog leashes.

�� students Nolan Baker, left, and Evan Verboomen, right, and Montessori students made dog leashes as a class project / Evan Verboomen

Verboomen leads the children in the activity, first tying three pieces of black paracord in a knot on a clasp to secure it. The children then braid the paracord, knot it at the end and feed it back through the leash to make a loop for a handle.

“It was a blast. The kids were so excited to make the dog leashes, and it was one of the best days we had there,” he said. “I hope they learned why dogs need to be on leashes and just have more knowledge about the Magic Mission organization and the spay and neuter campaign.”

Evan Verboomen, right, plays soccer with Montessori students / Terry Kohlmeier

Verboomen chose to study abroad to have new multicultural education experiences in a different country.

“I gained the experience of teaching kids who don't have the same background or beliefs as me and trying to get them engaged in learning while I teach the lesson. I also broadened my knowledge of the world and different cultures,” he said.

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Discover what Sociology and Education students learn on location in Thailand and Cozumel Sara Christians with prekindergartners and teachers, by Sara Christians

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Georgios Loizides

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Ten students immersed in Costa Rican culture via international business study abroad course

goersab — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 19:38:10 +0000

Ten students immersed in Costa Rican culture via international business study abroad coursegoersab February 13, 2023

Hands-on, polytechnic experiences bring group closer to heritage of Latin America

Abbey Goers

From biomedical facilities to a sustainable dairy farm, from coffee producers to climbing mountains, 10 �� students were immersed in Costa Rican culture on an 11-day study abroad experience in January.

As part of Exploring International Business in Latin America, a heritage-based, faculty-led program organized by �� . Office of International Education, the group toured a diverse range of businesses centered around the capital city of San Jose, including Smith + Nephew, a British-owned medical device supplier; Sarchi, a famous artisan town; Café Britt, a gourmet coffee roaster and chocolate producer; a tree plantation; and a community water cooperative.

The students also explored cultural and environmental sites, like the Santa Ana community-based agricultural market and the Manuel Antonio National Park rainforest; shared time at the beach; attended a salsa dance class; and enjoyed a cooking class.

The group planting perennials at the Carrizal Tree Plantation. / Glendali Rodriguez

Instructional leaders were Dr. Glenn Rodríguez and �� Provost Glendalí Rodríguez, a father-daughter team whom the group came to know as “Dr. G” and Glendalí (Glenda-lee).

“The experiences ran quite the gamut. The variety of visits complemented themselves,” said Dr. G, a retired dean of McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill., where he taught international business until 2012. Dr. G, of Louisville, Ky., was also the international operations director for Latin America and the Caribbean for Papa John ��. Pizza, helping the franchise to launch its first 82 locations in six Latin American countries.

Students in the course were:

Amanda Carey, first year in management, Almond
Brittney Dehnke, senior in business administration, Eau Claire
Sarah Durst, junior in hotel, restaurant and tourism management, Menomonie
Lauren Ek, junior in business administration, Saint Michael, Minn.
Brian Holcomb, junior in supply chain management, Chanhassen, Minn.
Orianna Horel-Borrero, sophomore in business administration, Elk Mound
Jaice Jahnke, junior in business administration, Greenville
Eduardo Placencia, first year in business administration, Minneapolis
Andrew Probelski, junior in information and communication technologies, Minneapolis
Kailey Swarts, junior in business administration, Mantorville, Minn.

Dr. Glenn Rodriguez and Provost Glendali Rodriguez / Glendali Rodriguez

“An objective of the course was to teach students how business in Latin America varies because of the culture and political nature of these countries,” Dr. G said. “We engaged on these topics with speakers explaining the history of Costa Rica and its political situations and economic focus. Labor laws are different in Latin America versus in the United States. For instance, there are no unions, but rather labor-business cooperatives, and there is a 48-hour work week.”

“There is a business professionalism in everything across the country, and you can’t really understand the difference in how Latin American businesses run until you’re there,” Glendalí added.

“The locals were all very welcoming to us and shared a wide range of business practices, missions, and visions, helping the students as they chart their career paths. Watching those ‘ah-ha moments’ as they think about their future careers is spectacular.”

Immersion in Latin American business and culture

Beginning with Smith + Nephew, the group experienced a “clean facility” – where sterile conditions are required to produce medical technologies – during a tour by the plant manager and a laborer. “The benefits available and friendliness of the environment make it a pleasant place to work. The warm Latino culture came through,” Dr. G said.

Touring Smith + Nephew, a medical device supplier and 'clean facility' / Glendali Rodriguez

At Café Britt, Horel-Borrero ��. favorite business visit, the group met with the CEO. “It is very rare for the CEO of an international organization to take the time to talk to 10 college students. It was special to get the insights of growing a local business to an international brand,” Dr. G added.

“Our visit to Café Britt was fun. It has a homey environment. The employees were very kind and told us lots of information,” Horel-Borrero said.

Probelski ��. favorite trip was to a sustainable dairy farm owned by a Dos Pinos co-op member. “Following sustainable farming best practices, the owner has transformed his land from brown and desolate to green and thriving, without the use of pesticides and other chemicals,” he said.

Touring a sustainable dairy farm owned by a Dos Pinos co-op member / Glendali Rodriguez

The group continued to learn about sustainable practices in Carrizal, a remote community with a natural spring water source. Community members pay to be part of the Carrizal Aqueduct Administrative Association, a local water cooperative. Water is considered a natural human resource in Costa Rica, and citizens are not charged for it, Glendalí explained.

They also volunteered at the Carrizal Tree Plantation, planting perennial flowers for butterflies and other pollinators in an effort to reforest land that was once a coffee plantation. “Costa Rica has a goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050,” Glendalí said.

The Santa Ana Farmer's Market was Horel-Borrero ��. and Probelski ��. favorite cultural experience. In addition to having fresh foods, the market included social activities for people of all ages. “The streets were alive – ‘Calles Vivas.’ We danced, tried new fruits and juices, watched a soccer game and got to learn all about their process in building the community of Santa Ana,” Horel-Borrero said. “Making experiences more personal makes a big difference to me.”

Amanda Carey, Kailey Swarts and Lauren Ek at Santa Ana Farmers Market / Glendali Rodriguez

“There were so many beautiful, hand-made crafts,” Probelski added. “Some things could be haggled for. My lack of fluent Spanish was a barrier, but by the end of the trip my skills and comfort conversing in a limited way surprisingly improved just by being around it all day, every day.”

Practicing the polytechnic advantage abroad

�� . Office of International Education coordinates study abroad programming with Academic Programs International, which has on more than one occasion complimented OIE and �� students. “Our group was unique in a positive way,” Glendalí said. “We got our hands dirty, tried new foods, interacted with the community. We’re very engaged because we are a polytechnic. We’re ready to make the most of every learning experience – and API recognizes that in our students.”

Brittney Dehnke, Orianna Horel-Borrero and Kailey Swarts at the Carrizal Tree Plantation / Glendali Rodriguez

Horel-Borrero and Durst, who are minoring in Spanish, had opportunities to speak Spanish every day, furthering their polytechnic experience while abroad. They even acted as translators for their classmates at a McDonald's. “This really put my direct interpretation skills to the test, something that written classroom tests couldn't do,” Durst said.

Durst chose Spanish as a minor because, after English, it is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the hospitality industry. “It's especially important to me because I want to work at Walt Disney World in Florida, where there are a lot of people whose first language is Spanish. It certainly helped me a lot when I worked there last summer,” she said.

“The big thing is just putting into practice what you know in your daily actions,” Horel-Borrero added. “The best way to learn another language is to completely immerse yourself in it. Practice makes perfect. You need to practice when you have the opportunity at your fingertips.”

This was Dr. G ��. first time working with �� students. “The group gelled,” he said. “To bring 10 strangers together with instructors they’ve never met before and build community, it was beautiful.”

Foundation scholarship and federal grant make travel possible

�� . OIE received a $35,000 IDEAS grant from the U.S. Department of State ��. Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad for the Heritage-Based Faculty-Led study abroad programs. Additional funding from the Stout University Foundation supplemented student scholarships.

“Our heritage-based programming was intentionally designed to create a platform for engagement in a high impact experience that leads to increased retention, better academic performance and increased global competence,” said Scott Pierson, OIE director.

“With only 11% of U.S. undergraduate students participating in study abroad, and disproportionately lower underrepresented participation, the United States has much work to do to provide access and equity. This program, through a partnership with API and IDEAS, has helped us to make an immediate impact in advancement of these efforts,” he added.

Andrew Probelski and Eduardo Placencia at the Carrizal Aqueduct / Glendali Rodriguez

One of the initial concepts behind the program was to have faculty and staff representation from the Latino culture, Glendalí explained. “This was fundamental to the students’ learning, to have personal connections to the culture within the Stout group. As a Latina, I was interested in helping implement the course, and Dr. G worked with the business department to join me,” she said.

“Leading the group together was a really special experience for Dr. G and me,” Glendalí said. “We’ve traveled together before to Puerto Rico, where we have family. But this was our first time traveling together professionally. It was a great partnership.”

Horel-Borrero, Placencia and Probelski received a heritage-based scholarship toward the trip and said that without it they would not have been able to afford the experience. They recommend study abroad to all students “so they are aware of how different we are from the rest of the world,” said Horel-Borrero.

As an adult learner returning to school to finish his degree, Probelski thought he would never have an opportunity to study abroad.

“Study abroad will broaden your cultural aperture, shatter expectations and stereotypes, and give you life-changing new perspectives on how others live. Ideally, you will come away from your study abroad experience a better person – I did,” he said. “I am beyond grateful to ��, Academic Programs International and everyone that made this a reality for me.”

The next program in the three-part series is planned for Thailand in WinTerm 2024, which will focus on Hmong culture and identity. In WinTerm 2025, a program is being planned in Africa, likely in Ghana.

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Hands-on, polytechnic experiences bring group closer to heritage of Latin America Planting perennials at the Carrizal Tree Plantation

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Inspiring Graduate: Ben Larson, B.S. Supply Chain Management

goersab — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 19:07:20 +0000

Inspiring Graduate: Ben Larson, B.S. Supply Chain Managementgoersab January 23, 2023

'The polytechnic experience aided my learning more than anything.'

Inspiring Graduate: Ben Larson (’22)

Hometown: Menomonie
Degree: B.S. Supply Chain Management

Ben Larson / ��

Through two internships obtained during �� . Career Fair – one as a distribution supervisor with Menards and another as a supply chain intern with Andersen Corp. – Ben Larson added to his hands-on experience.

“My internships taught me a lot about the workplace and applications I learned about in the program. Having these opportunities taught me areas that I enjoyed in work, as well as areas that I did not enjoy. This narrowed down my job selection process,” he said.

Larson accepted a full-time position as a supply chain analyst with Andersen in Menomonie, before graduating on Dec. 17, when he earned his bachelor ��. in supply chain management.

How has your Stout education and experience changed you?

Stout exposed me to courses that helped me decide to change my career path as a whole from business administration to supply chain.

The polytechnic experience aided my learning more than anything in my supply chain degree, a degree I was previously unfamiliar with.

My mandatory internships helped me harness soft skills I would not have likely learned in the classroom, all while supervising workers and learning analytic applications for production facilities.

Ben Larson celebrates at commencement. / ��

What stands out about your Stout experience?

Supply chain ��. Design 1 and Design 2 courses were very beneficial in teaching me about the many areas of a business, as well as how decisions made in one area can impact others.

These courses also taught me about myself, how I react to challenges, how to hold myself and teammates accountable and use time management. I have applied some of these personal lessons to my everyday life.

Gene Gutman created and taught the four most impactful courses I had at the university, in a hands-on style. He gave us real world networking opportunities to give progress reports and gain feedback. He expected and brought out only the best in each of his students, which prepared us for the many different challenges that we’ll face in a problem-solving and analytic field. These expectations and opportunities contributed to my professional personality immensely.

How did your involvement at Stout impact your experience?

I was an officer in the Stout Ambassadors program, which gives students opportunities to engage with alumni, industry partners, campus and community stakeholders.

I also served as an officer in two professional student organizations. APICS is the nation ��. leading professional association for supply chain and operations management; and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals is the worldwide professional association dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of research and knowledge on supply chain management.

These three organizations gave me many networking opportunities, as well as connections to campus.

How did you overcome the challenges you faced in earning your degree?

Switching to an online education format during COVID was a difficult transition. But I am much more efficient and comfortable on the computer now in many different programs that I may not have been exposed to otherwise.

My capstone course and other rigorous courses helped me improve my time management and prioritization skills immensely.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

I’m most proud of the ability to look back and see all the work I accomplished, the maturity I gained as a professional and the many friendships I made.

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Inspiring Graduate: Nolan Harke, B.S. Supply Chain Management

‘I hope to make an impact by being a valuable team member who will lead by example and will make others around them better.’

May 14, 2025

PHOTO ESSAY: Two Classes Work with Children a World Apart

Discover what Sociology and Education students learn on location in Thailand and Cozumel

March 6, 2024

Ten students immersed in Costa Rican culture via international business study abroad course

Hands-on, polytechnic experiences bring group closer to heritage of Latin America

February 13, 2023

'The polytechnic experience aided my learning more than anything.' Ben Larson, inspiring grad, fall 2022, 2

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‘Stout Proud’ day: Commencement celebrates dedication, courage, success by 594 graduates

Two commencement ceremonies on Dec. 17 at �� celebrated a special “Stout Proud” day in the lives of 594 graduates.

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Third time ��. the charm for veteran who returns to school, earns degree, lands job

goersab — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 18:09:51 +0000

Third time ��. the charm for veteran who returns to school, earns degree, lands jobgoersab July 22, 2021

Richards’ goal, after beginning new supply chain management career at Andersen, is to ‘never stop learning’

Abbey Goers

Adam Richards believes that if you want something, you need to go get it. He graduated from Menomonie High School in 1998 and served in the United States Marine Corps for four years. But when he was injured, he was honorably discharged and could no longer pursue a military career.

“I made the decision to pave my own way in life,” Richards said. “Being a United States Marine was my first career choice. I was then faced with a road of uncertainty, unsure of where I was to go next.

“But you are never stuck. We can change our paths, which is never easy,” he added

Adam Richards, supply chain management graduate. / Adam Richards

Richards started as a lineman with Henkels and McCoy, a utility construction firm. But work was inconsistent, and he was frequently laid off. He decided to pursue a degree in criminal justice and become a state trooper. He was told, however, by the Veteran Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation Office that this would not be a feasible career for him.

“Once again, I found myself in a realm of uncertainty,” he said.

Richards still wanted to return to school. He enrolled in hotel and restaurant management at Chippewa Valley Technical College, but he never finished his degree. When he was offered a job with University of Wisconsin-Stout ��. Dining Services, he seized the opportunity and worked there for 10 years.

While at Dining Services, Richards applied for higher-level positions he felt he was qualified for. But he didn’t receive the promotions. “I realized that no matter my experience and capabilities, I would not get a promotion without a degree,” he said.

Some of the student employees he worked with were in the supply chain management program. They talked about the high employment rate for graduates, generous starting salaries and variety of career paths, as well as the program being a good challenge. SCM graduates have a 100% employment rate within one year of graduation, with an average starting salary of $55,000 to $65,000.

Richards became fascinated with supply chain management. He quit his job with Dining Services and took a position at Walmart Distribution Center in Menomonie to gain experience in supply chain. He also met with Gene Gutman, �� supply chain management program director, and decided to return to school for the third time.

“This time around, I was determined to finish,” he said.

Returning to school

Adam Richards and his son at a Menomonie Mustangs game. / Adam Richards

Richards returned to school in summer 2016. It had been nearly 10 years since he’d stepped foot inside a classroom. Being an adult learner was scary at first, he said. “I felt very old and out of place.”

On his first day of class, he walked into Jarvis Hall for his statistics class. But the door was locked, so he waited in the hall. A man about Richards’ age showed up in a T-shirt and khaki shorts with a blue JanSport backpack.

“I remember thinking to myself, ‘Sweet, someone my own age will be in this class,’” he said. “What I soon found out was that this man was not a student like me. He was the professor.”

Richards started slow, warming up to life as a student, he said. As he found his footing, he increased his class load and became a full-time student, all while working full time with two children at home.

Richards completed his required co-op at Andersen Windows, working with the supply chain procurement team at the company ��. Menomonie facilities. He graduated with his SCM degree in May and also earned a minor in project management. Before graduation, he was hired as an associate supply chain analyst at Andersen Windows, working specifically with the made-to-order materials.

“My goals for the future are to learn as many roles as possible within the supply chain field at Andersen, continuing to advance and grow within the company,” he said.

Never stop learning

Adam Richards and his daughter taking a selfie. / Adam Richards

Juggling family life, work and school was Richards’ biggest challenge. School started out bumpy, he said. But like other aspects in his life, his academics smoothed out as he moved forward, found a routine and received guidance from his professors.

“I was determined to get my degree and change my path,” he said. “It was with this mentality I was able to find success. Though it most definitely helps when you have a supportive family to motivate you and provide you the fuel to continue to push yourself.”

As an adult learner, Richards learned three main things, he said:

The vastness of the end-to-end supply chain.
Always ask why. And even when you think you know why, keep going.
There is always room for growth.

All of this goes hand-in-hand with the most important lesson Richards learned – to never stop learning. “That is one thing Gene does very well,” Richards said. “He forces us to really dig in and ask questions to figure it out. There are always issues that lead to potential opportunities.”

“I am so proud of Adam and his accomplishments," said SCM Program Director Gene Gutman. "I remember the first time I met him in my office, and he told me his story and his desire to earn a degree. His work ethic, perseverance and desire to learn will serve him well. He has a bright future in supply chain management.”

Richards plans to pursue his online master ��. in operations and supply management from ��.

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Pandemic challenges thrust national, world supply chain into spotlight

polingj — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 17:35:20 +0000

Pandemic challenges thrust national, world supply chain into spotlightpolingj April 8, 2020

Gutman, undergraduate program director, looks at ‘unprecedented’ surge in demand

Reprinted with permission of the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
(Published April 7, 2020, Page 3A)

By Ryan Patterson
Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

Personal protective equipment like ventilators and masks are in short supply in some parts of the county facing COVID-19. The lack of equipment is due to many reasons, but the basic reason is demand for the materials far exceeded supply and companies are unable to quickly respond to the increased demand.

That is where supply chain management comes in. The area deals with “the flow of materials and the flow of information from the lowest-level supplier to the end consumer,” according to Gene Gutman, �� associate professor of supply chain management and director of the supply chain management undergraduate program.

Gutman recently spoke with the Leader-Telegram about supply challenges, how the coronavirus might impact companies’ future decisions and a metaphor to think about surge capacity.

The interview has been edited and condensed.

It seems like COVID-19 has affected most supply chains to some degree, is that fair to say?

It ��. causing disruption … and the reason for this is we have such a tremendous surge in demand that ��. unprecedented. Typically, the way supply chains work is supply chains plan for somewhat normal or constant demand, and then they plan for variation. There ��. typically variation on a day-to-day or a week-to-week or a month-to-month basis in terms of what people consume, and that variation isn’t anywhere near what we’re seeing today in terms of certain products. What happens is this ripples all the way back to the suppliers who supply raw materials, components, sub-assemblies, and then to the manufacturers who actually do the fabrication and final assembly of the product.

Is there a certain industry or product that ��. been most impacted?

It ��. clear the medical supplies are seeing the surge in demand. We saw something as simple as toilet paper as a surge in demand. If you think about toilet paper being normal demand, that ��. probably about as constant as it gets. People use the same amount every day, and when all of a sudden they go and buy large amounts of toilet paper you have a surge. Companies just aren’t able to scale the business to be able to deal with this … When things are going well, people don’t even know about the supply chain. You expect milk, bread and toilet paper to show up every day at the grocery store. You just don’t think about it.

Is there any similar precedent, anything remotely to compare this to?

Ironically, yes. It depends how you look at the question … When we had Hurricane Katrina (in 2005), that created a huge, huge surge in demand in that region for different items and supplies. Or you go back a few years (to 2011) when there was the tsunami in Japan … We’ve seen it many times from a pure supply chain perspective. Where we haven’t seen it is the broad-scale economic and social impact this is causing, where so many businesses are severely impacted across the country and across the globe. When Hurricane Katrina hits or a tsunami hits, it ��. somewhat localized to that region. This is hitting the economy and people ��. everyday interaction and social activity on a global scale, and we have not seen that before.

Is there a most concerning aspect from a supply chain perspective?

What ��. most concerning is that we do not know how long and how deep this is going to last. How bad is this going to be? The unfortunate thing is people are dying, and the economy is being hit severely … The other concern is that if the front line in the supply chain gets decimated, that can really, really, really be troublesome. And when I say the front line, it can be the health care workers … trucking and warehouse people to deliver food to grocery stores, people who manage power plants.

Anecdotally, what have supply chain people learned from this situation over the past month?

Unfortunately, this is a great way to teach supply chain concepts. When we talk about surge in demand, we can illustrate what ��. going on with medical supplies. We can talk about stockpiles, and when we talk about lead time or time it takes to replenish, we have real-life examples that we can use as teachable concepts.

When the country gets out of the worst of this, how do think companies will change their supply chain management, if at all?

Companies are constantly evaluating and re-evaluating their supply chains, so I don’t believe there will be one magic way to do this … I think companies will continue to make conscious decisions on where to source products … They’re constantly balancing risk, they’re balancing costs, they’re balancing the ability to respond and scale, they’re balancing quality, they’re balancing lead time and they balance how to protect their intellectual property. These factors drive if they source locally, regionally, domestically or globally.

One of the things I use as an example to illustrate “surge capability and how can people understand it?” The example I use is most people in their life have baked a cake or have made cookies. Most people have ingredients at home to bake a cake or make cookies, and all of a sudden there ��. a bake sale going on and you’ve been asked to make some cookies or make a cake, and you decide, “OK I’m going to make a couple cakes for the bake sale or a couple dozen cookies,” and you may have to go to the store. There ��. plenty of those ingredients on the shelf, and you come home and you make your cakes and away you go.

All of a sudden the bake sale calls up and says, “You know what? I need 10 cakes or 10 dozen cookies.” And you say, “I think I can still do that, but I’m going to have to work really hard to do that,” and you go back to the store and get more ingredients. Then while you’re out, they call you up and say, “You know what? We need 100 cakes.” There ��. no way you can physically make 100 cakes for tomorrow with one oven, so what do you do? You call your friends, you say, “Can each of you make 10 cakes?” Then the 13-time World Champion Green Bay Packers call up and say, “We want to have a cake or a cookie for everybody who ��. coming to the game on Sunday, and we want that cake or cookie to be in the form of the Lombardi Trophy or the Packer logo.”

So, you need to make 80,000 cakes by tomorrow, and you don’t even have cookie cutters or a cake mold to do this. We now have to buy cookie cutters or cake molds to do this, and there ��. no way the grocery store ��. going to have enough ingredients to make 80,000 cakes. So, then what happens is the rest of the world is getting wind of this, all of the countries around the world call you up and say, “Guess what? We want a cake for every single person on the planet. Eight billion cakes.” This has all happened in a matter of a couple days. Well guess what? There aren’t enough eggs on the planet to make eight billion cakes, so what do you do? We need more chickens to lay eggs, so we need to breed chickens, the chickens need to lay eggs, we need to hatch the eggs, we need to grow chickens to become adults. All of this will take a few months before chickens can even start producing eggs. Then, we need to package and distribute the eggs to the grocery store. While all of this is going on, the health department hears about our bake sale and they want to come in and certify our facility. We will need to apply for a license.

This simple example illustrates how this concept of surge capacity works — people and businesses can only grow and surge so much before they hit their capacity limit. Companies have no more capacity, because they are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every single piece of equipment they have. We can’t bake more cakes if we don’t have any more ovens. We can’t bake more cakes unless we have more ingredients. It ��. physically impossible …The challenge is you would not keep all of these ingredients on hand; they have a shelf life and spoil, and you would not have all of the extra ovens sitting idle for something that happens so infrequently. It is not a piece of cake!

Supply chain people deal with this every day and know how to address these issues. The issue isn’t knowing what to do. The issue is being able to do it and having the capability to do it.

###

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Gene Gutman

Personal protective equipment like ventilators and masks are in short supply in some parts of the county facing COVID-19. Gene Gutman

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Gene Gutman

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Student chose supply chain management to see the customer ��. perspective

goersab — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 17:57:51 +0000

Student chose supply chain management to see the customer ��. perspectivegoersab March 2, 2020

Vojtik developed professionalism through hands-on experiences.

Abbey Goers

Destiny Vojtik began her studies at �� as a business major. But after Gene Gutman, program director of supply chain management, spoke in one of her classes, she knew she wanted to look further into the field.

“My business classes weren’t digging deep enough for me and weren’t really what I wanted to do,” Vojtik said. “I like to think more critically. I don’t enjoy classes where there is an answer.”

Vojtik wanted to see the customer ��. perspective of a business. Supply chain management allowed her to do that. She delved into customer expectations, transportation and logistics of shipping.

“The goal is to reduce cost and do the best job you can,” she said. “Supply chain is more about getting your hands dirty. It ��. so hands-on and so different.”

A rewarding scholarship and hands-on experience

Vojtik was awarded the William and Patricia Hendricksen Supply Chain Management Scholarship.

2018 recipients of the William and Patricia Hendricksen Supply Chain Management Scholarship. Vojtik, on right. / ��

“The scholarship allowed me to focus more time on my studies and in the supply chain lab instead of on working more hours off campus,” Vojtik said.

She learned about areas of a business she didn’t even know existed, with hands-on, real-world experiences. Her favorite experiences were in Design 1 and Design 2 senior capstone classes. She and her team reached out to businesses to seek solutions to real-world supply chain situations that they could apply post-graduation.

“These classes challenged every bit of my critical thinking skills but also allowed me and my team to get creative when it came to problem-solving,” she said.

Vojtik used her skills during a nine-month co-op at Greenheck in Schofield. She started as a materials specialist working with engineering and parts. She then worked in continuous improvement to rearrange the facility. She ended the internship as a shift supervisor in manufacturing, working with employees on how to get product out faster and on time.

The following summer her parents opened a small business. Vojtik stayed close to home and applied her supply chain knowledge to a new scenario.

“It was interesting to be able to scale down everything I learned to fit a smaller environment,” she said.

Entering the professional world of supply chain

Vojtik, pictured in the MSC stairwell. / ��

Because of the constant change affecting products, markets, and customers’ needs and wants, the industry has many options for graduates to pursue. When Vojtik graduated in May 2019, she knew she didn’t want a desk job. She has become a buyer at Global Finishing Solutions in Osseo.

“I find myself applying the critical thinking and perspectives I learned at �� daily,” she said.

Vojtik recommends the program to anyone interested in digging deeper into the realm of business.

“My experience in the supply chain management program was nothing short of incredible,” she said. “If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be ‘growth.’ The creativity, critical thinking skills and professionalism really prepared me for the real world.”

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Native American Heritage month celebrated through stories, food

powersp — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 15:24:51 +0000

Native American Heritage month celebrated through stories, foodpowersp November 13, 2019

Student organization hosts Ho-Chunk storyteller, indigenous foods chef

The first snowfall of the season recently made Dylan Prescott smile as he spoke at University of Wisconsin-Stout for Native American Heritage Month.

“As Ho-Chunk people we are only allowed to tell stories with snow on the ground,” he explained.

Prescott shared, as part of the event sponsored in early November by the �� Native American Student Organization, the importance of oral history to Native Americans.

He started with a story of his ancestors who in a vision saw a large lizard with a pig snout that would eat everything in its path, churning dust into the sky and water, which Prescott said was the Transamerica railroad.

“The story I just told you, you’re not going to read about it on the internet or in a book,” said Prescott, who is half Ho-Chunk and half Potawatomi. “These stories are told from our great- great-grandparents on down.”

Prescott, 42, of Wausau, started sharing his people ��. stories when he was 18. “We are an endangered species,” he said of Native Americans, noting they make up less than 1% of the population. “Part of the reason I come to talk to people is because we are still here. To me being Native American is being human. Help someone. Care for someone. Love everyone, everything.”

Showing an eagle feather, Prescott noted the feathers are used at powwows and in prayers. “If you ever see an eagle, it keeps a balance in life,” he said.

Balance is important to maintain, even for Mother Earth. “Everything we eat and drink comes from her,” he noted. “Everything we have to keep us out of the elements comes from her. She ��. alive just like us. She has a heart in her core. The water is her veins. The crust of her earth is her skin.”

In his culture, the creator created all two-legged people. Race doesn’t matter because all two-legged people are one creation, Prescott noted.

As woodland people, the Ho-Chunk built wigwams from birch bark and wood. “Our dwellings were made to go back into the Earth,” he said.

Passing around a medicine wheel, Prescott said the wheel helps depict the four directions of the Earth and the four earthly elements of wind, fire, air and earth. Colored white, black, yellow and red it represents the four races of people.

Showing cloth with a Ho-Chunk applique on it, Prescott explained the design has balanced sides despite showing a sometimes crooked path. “In life, we are supposed to live in balance,” he noted. “If you get out of balance, you have all the opportunities to get back a balance.”

Another event was with Elena Terry of the Ho-Chunk Nation, an executive chef and founder of Wild Bearies, a catering business that blends indigenous cuisines to educate others about food as medicine.

�� NASO President Ariana Bourdon, a junior majoring in supply chain management and business administration, said it is important to share Native American culture with the general population. “It ��. also important to show there is a big variety of us,” she noted. “There is not just one way to be Native American.”

Sharing food helps reconnect to ancestors and the history of Native Americans, she added.

Many Native Americans have fallen out of balance as they still struggle in society and may use drugs and alcohol, Prescott noted. High blood pressure and diabetes plague Native Americans because they are not used to salt and sugar, Prescott said. “We were hunters and gatherers,” he said. “A long time ago we didn’t eat every day.”

Holding up a traditional headdress made from porcupine guard hair and white deer hair, Prescott explained that the headdresses protected and reminded them that they needed to be on guard and aware of the danger.

Playing a traditional drum, Prescott noted the beat used by Native Americans is the heartbeat, which is in all living creatures. “When we dance, we dance to the heartbeat of our people, the heartbeat of Mother Earth.”

###

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Playing a traditional drum, Prescott noted the beat is that of a heartbeat, which is in all living creatures.

Sharing traditional stories helps keep Native American oral traditions alive, Prescott said.

The first snowfall of the season recently made Dylan Prescott smile as he spoke at University of Wisconsin-Stout for Native American Heritage Month. dylanprescotteaglefeatherhero.jpg

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Hero Caption: Dylan Prescott shared stories of the Ho-Chunk people at �� as part of Native American Heritage Month and used an eagle feather during one story.

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Graduate gains skills, confidence in supply chain management

goersab — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 16:37:27 +0000

Graduate gains skills, confidence in supply chain managementgoersab December 26, 2018

Cops thankful for being pushed to new heights.

Abbey Goers

Some students attend �� for a specific major. Maybe the campus is close to home or their friends are attending. But Gregory Cops enrolled based on intuition.

"I chose �� because my gut told me to," he said. "Now, reflecting on my time here, there are many reasons why I thank my younger self for making the selection that I did."

Now a senior anticipating graduation in December with a degree in supply chain management, Cops is proud to know he has the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to be successful in his career.

"I have been challenged in ways that have allowed me to grow academically and as a person," Cops said. "I have learned how to wrap my head around ambiguity in a problem, develop creative solutions and drive results. I believe I have learned the skills and abilities that will become the cornerstone of my professional success."

Identify your goals in life

Cops worked hard in school. He will graduate summa cum laude. He was awarded the Multicultural Student Scholarship and CSTEMM scholarships, including the Brinkman Supply Chain Management Scholarship and Bill and Patricia Hendrickson Supply Chain Management Scholarship

Cops, pictured in the Memorial Student Center. / ��

Cops worked a part-time job, volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters, played club soccer and was president of ��'s Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals student chapter.

It was challenging to balance his activities and schoolwork while trying to get enough sleep and stay healthy. Still, Cops suggested students get involved.

"It's important, especially in college, because it is a unique opportunity to grow as a person and gain valuable perspectives into other ways of life," Cops said.

Cops also suggested students identify what's most valuable to them, whether it be school, their spiritual life or sports.

"I do not know what it is for you. But it is important to identify what your goals in life are and work hard toward them," he said.

Success is a choice

College has changed Cops in many ways. Much of this change he owes to the people he met. His friends and family, mentors and teachers pushed him to go beyond his best and supported him when he needed it most.

"I owe my success to the resources and people that I have been exposed to at ��," Cops said. "My appreciation goes out to my teachers and especially my program director Gene Gutman for pushing me to new heights. Surround yourself with good people and treat them well. You will not be disappointed."

Supply chain management: Critical thinking and continuous improvement attract students

Senior Greg Cops wanted a fast-paced and challenging career with no limits.

But Cops has his own strength of perseverance, as well. He believes success is a choice we all have the opportunity to make.

"Some of us have much larger challenges to face than others," he said. "However, every decision we make is an opportunity to learn and grow as a person. How we will face that decision is up to us."

The next step

Cops is wondering where to start the next chapter in his life. He and his girlfriend Megan, a �� alumna, know they'll move out of the Midwest, far from his hometown of Appleton.

He's interviewed with companies in San Jose, Indianapolis and North Carolina. Cops received a job offer as a procurement agent with Boeing in Seattle, where he served as a project management intern.

Cops and Megan are also thinking of taking a year away from work and giving their time through service volunteering, in mission work.

"No matter the choice, I am confident �� has provided me with the skills and knowledge to be successful in whatever I do next," he said.

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Supply chain management: Critical thinking and continuous improvement attract students

powersp — Tue, 04 Sep 2018 16:45:52 +0000

Supply chain management: Critical thinking and continuous improvement attract studentspowersp September 4, 2018

Senior Greg Cops wanted a fast-paced and challenging career with no limits.

University of Wisconsin-Stout senior Greg Cops wanted a fast-paced and challenging career with no limits.

He visited 3M ��. headquarters and met with five people working in supply chain management jobs and knew that was what he wanted to major in at ��.

Supply chain management has different paths working in procurement and sourcing, managing materials, logistics and transportation, and an operational side involving the flow of products and speeding up processes to eliminate waste, Cops said.

The operational side fascinates Cops.

“I find it interesting and challenging,” he said. “There is no right or wrong answer, and there is always room for improvement. There is no limit. I like projects that are large scale and you can dig your teeth into and require critical thinking and continuous improvement.”

Cops has completed two internships in his major. In 2016, during his second year, he did an eight-month co-op at Graco in Rogers, Minn., in a building where paint sprayers are manufactured. He was a sourcing intern acquiring the raw materials for road painting sprayers and dry wall texture units. He learned to look at demand, inventory and trends to allow lead time to get materials, which sometimes can be complicated by holidays in other countries.

His second internship was for three months at Plexus in Appleton, a contract manufacturer, in a plant that manufactured Coke freestyle machines, allowing customers to choose multiple soda products from one fountain machine in restaurants. As a continuous improvement intern, he made small process and facility layout changes that accumulate to major changes in the business.

“I went out to the main line, talked to people, learned processes, started looking at waste and how to make improvements,” Cops said, noting some work stations were moved to save steps and time. He also set up a couple of tools for purchasing by automating emails to suppliers so that materials could be ordered when they got low.

He had a third internship this summer with Boeing in Seattle.

Career field with many opportunities

The supply chain management degree at �� has 100 percent employment for graduates, said Gene Gutman, program director and assistant professor. Enrollment ranges from 80 to 100 students in the program.

Gutman describes supply chain management as the flow of materials and information from the lowest level of supplier to the end customer.

“Everything we have in our world comes to us through a supply chain — our food, medicines, clothes, cars, household items, gadgets,” Gutman said, noting most jobs in business are in supply chain. “It ��. not just manufacturing, distribution and retail. It ��. also in-service industries such as banking, hospitals and hotels. Every business has a supply chain. The difficult part is getting young people who are college-bound to understand how broad and vast this is as a career path. There are significant career opportunities for men and women.

“The jobs are very, very plentiful as evidenced by our placement rate,” he said. “Entry level salaries are in the upper 50 to the low 60-thousand dollars per year. Salaries advance quickly after that with experience.”

Candidates for supply chain management should be analytical, well-organized, detail-oriented, team players and hard workers looking to make improvements in business.

“You have to always be thinking how to improve what ��. going on,” Gutman said. “We’re looking for people who want to improve efficiency, reduce time, improve quality and reduce cost across the supply chain.”

Gutman summarizes supply chain management as following the seven R ��.: Right product, right place, right time, right quality, right quantity, right cost and right safety. This is extremely hard to do given the complexity of products and number of components that are produced around the world.

�� . program is unique because the curriculum is deeper in core supply chain and engineering courses. The university also has industry executives who meet and mentor students through their senior capstone classes. They also evaluate their final presentations.

Bob Seidel, director of supply chain at JF Ahern in Fond du Lac, has been a mentor to students the past decade. He has worked in supply chain for more than 25 years. JF Ahern is a design and construction company in mechanical heating, ventilation and plumbing, wastewater and fire protection.

As a mentor, Seidel talks to students and teams to provide guidance and direction. “Supply chain management is multifaceted,” he said. “You have a number of career paths you can ultimately decide on.”

‘Real-time problem-solving’

Charles Bomar, dean of the �� College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management, said students studying supply chain management must have an array of skills to be successful including mathematics, logistics, basic engineering and the most important people skills.

“Supply chain is about creative, real-time problem-solving,” Bomar said. “Supply chain calls for an understanding of the nuances of global markets to be successful. The classroom experiences in combination with the internship in the field ensure the graduates of this program are ready to take on the business challenges of the 21st century.”

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