On Oct. 11, a small group of women in supply chain management at the Broad College traveled down south for the WISE Future Supply Chain Leaders Symposium, hosted by the University of Arkansas. The event was specifically focused on students’ development and on connecting them to current female leaders in the supply chain industry.
The Broad College was represented by Simone Peinkofer, assistant professor in the Department of Supply Chain Management, as well as sophomore Megan Barry, junior Lydia Whipple and seniors Abby Wilson and Athena Gray.
Four Broad College students and Assistant Professor Simone Peinkofer (center) attended the WISE Symposium and were empowered by successful women leading the supply chain management industry.
In addition to taking advantage of numerous networking opportunities, the students in attendance had the chance to sit in on a panel discussion with female executives from J.B. Hunt, a major shipping company based in Arkansas. All the Broad students noted how inspiring the panel was and encouraging for their future. “It really showed me that being a woman in business is a challenge, but still an amazing opportunity to push yourself and prove your worth,” Whipple said.
Wilson offered a similarly positive comment on the panel. “The J.B. Hunt Women Executive Panel was also my favorite part of the weekend,” she said. “It was so inspiring to hear from successful women and feel empowered to make the same type of impact they have in supply chain.”
One key insight taken from the event was a look into how Broad really stands apart from other schools. “I loved speaking with students from other programs across the country about supply chain,” Grey said. “This helped me see how the program at Michigan State University is different than other programs.”
Barry echoed this by saying that her “biggest takeaway from the event is how the curriculum and support services at Michigan State is unparalleled by other supply chain programs. Many of the other participants had only been exposed to logistics through their coursework, and it showed me the value of [the Broad College] having a broader foundation in the many pillars of supply chain.”
