Roundtable introduces new campus degree program

Penn State Wilkes-Barre hosted a Supply Chain Management Round Table event on Tuesday, Sept. 25 with industry professionals from Fed Ex, Tyson, Tobyhanna Depot, Kass Logistics, Mondelez and TJMAXX in attendance.

The round table discussion included career services staff and faculty from the Penn State Hazleton, Schuylkill, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre campuses. The event kicked off the new Project and Supply Chain Management (PSCM) program being offered beginning this fall at the campuses.

“It is an increasingly difficult challenge to prepare our graduates for a world that changes rapidly and for economies driven by constantly evolving technologies,” explained Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Dale Jones. “However, since the inception of Penn State in Northeast Pennsylvania, we’ve always strived to meet the needs of the community. As the workforce in the area has changed, we’ve developed new degree programs to meet the area’s demands.”

The evening was an opportunity for the 25 professionals to discuss the growing field of supply chain management in Northeast Pennsylvania as well as how Penn State can best prepare their students for successful careers in the field. Dr. Lui Zugang, Professor-in-Charge of Project and Supply Chain Management East and West Consortium, presented an overview of the PSCM bachelor degree curriculum.

“This event afforded everyone the opportunity to hear directly what industry professionals are looking for in entry-level candidates,” said Eastern Region Employer Engagement and Career Specialist, Nicole Darling. “Penn State’s PSCM degree provides the solid academic background employers are searching for in an employee. While career services’ staff knows the importance of preparing students with strong soft skills, industry professionals shared just how critical it is for candidates to have those skills nurtured.”

Maureen Ciliberto, career services coordinator at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, discussed with employers how they can collaborate with faculty to facilitate real world learning projects with Penn State students.

“When employers work directly with our students to find solutions to relevant work challenges in their field, it helps students put into practice what they are learning in the classroom and it gives employers the opportunity to tackle issues they may not have the time or manpower to address.”

The round table event kicks off the Supply Chain Management Lecture Series this fall. Industry speakers will speak on all four campuses, as well as at Penn State Lehigh Valley. Additionally, these presentations will be a part of an online library for faculty and students to access in order to gain a better perspective into the supply chain management field.

For more information, contact Nicole Darling, Eastern Region employer engagement and career specialist, at 570-675-9224 or [email protected].