Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, not many people used the phrase “supply chain” in their everyday vernacular. Today, it is commonly used for blaming product shortages across the world. Yet it is the supply chain management strategies that will be needed to reduce these shortages and make improvements to the system.
The pandemic brought everyone’s attention to the complexities of our global supply chain systems and the need for better coordination. Now, the future of our supply chain management is up to students who are hungry and eager to help design new and innovative ideas to further the success of the industry.

“Supply chains are no longer so simple as ‘The Little Red Hen’ children’s book,” said UNT Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) Business Organization Vice President Regan Weaver.

In the book, the Little Red Hen grew her wheat, made her bread, and ate it on her farm. But now, wheat is harvested, trucked to factories, taken to bakeries, baked into bread, and then packaged for delivery to stores across the country.

As the supply chain system has become more complex over the years, the need for using advanced technology, such as warehouse robots, has increased.

Students are the future of those advanced technologies and new ways of thinking. In 2022, UNT was ranked first in Texas and sixth in the nation by Gartner's  Top 25 North American Supply Chain Undergraduate Program Report.

UNT LSCM is one of the largest organizations at the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. It’s a newly combined organization that was previously three smaller groups—Logistics Student Organization (LogSA), Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) and the Institute of Supply Chain Management (ISM).

The three groups united after the COVID shutdowns limited activities and membership. The joint organization now allows students more opportunity in the field because they’re exposed to all aspects of the industry instead of focusing on just one area. 

Now bigger and better than ever, UNT LSCM is revitalizing their activities and wants you to begin your membership and join them at a future event.

According to UNT LSCM, “the organization's official membership is nearing 100 and growing monthly. Membership in UNT LSCM Student Organization provides the opportunity to join the professional organizations of ASCM and ISM at reduced rates and to participate in their activities to network.”

LSCM hosts monthly sessions to connect members to guest speakers and to provide tours of DFW businesses who are involved in logistics and supply chain activities. They host job fairs, bringing in recruiters from across the US, and have partnerships with companies for internship opportunities for members before graduation and jobs after they graduate.

Partnerships for LSCM include huge names in the Supply Chain industry, such as Keurig, Dr. Pepper, DHL, PepsiCo Logistics, Ben E. Keith, BNSF Railway, and Southwest Airlines. Recent tours with LSCM were hosted by BNSF Railway, Southwest Airlines, and Fastenal, and American Diamond Logistics.

Professional guest speakers in the Fall 2022 semester included Norma Payne, CEO of DIF Transportation, Mitchell Ward, chairman and CEO of MW Logistics, and Hanns-Christian Hanebeck, CEO of Truckl.

UNT LSCM is currently looking for more members to join, and is open for officer positions as well. They are hosting their semester welcome back event on Wednesday, February 8th at 6:00 PM in Sage Hall (room #116). This is a chance to sign up for membership, network with other students and officers, and get free pizza! Their last welcome event was a huge success with over 60 people in attendance.

Two of the current officers for UNT LSCM are Christine Truong, president, and Regan Weaver, vice president.

Christine Truong is a senior majoring in operations and supply management and is a research assistant for UNT’s Logistics and Operations Management Department. She’s originally from Vietnam and has a diverse background and experience in communication, education, non-profit organizations, customer service, marketing, project management, and more. Her hard work and dedication to excel have contributed to her receiving numerous leadership positions at NGOs like UNICEF Vietnam, JUNKO Association, Forte Foundation, as well as earning several academic honors (President's List, Phi Theta Kappa, etc.).

Regan Weaver is a junior majoring in logistics and supply chain management. He actively supported the winning IANA Case Competition Team last semester and will be competing with the student case competition team going to Colorado State University in

March. He’s a native-born Texan, an avid fan of baseball and loves meeting new people. His goal is to help UNT grow to number one in the nation in Gartner’s ranking of top Supply Chain Undergraduate Programs. To get in touch with UNT LSCM and become a member, you can follow them on social media or reach out to Christine or Regan.

Special thanks to LSCM faculty sponsors Dr. Michael Savoie and Dr. Tim Hawkins.

UNT LSCM SOCIALS:
Instagram - @unt_lscm

DEPARTMENT SOCIALS:
LinkedIn

CHRISTINE TRUONG SOCIALS:
Instagram – @Christine.Truong_
LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/3RJsRby

REGAN WEAVER SOCIALS:
Instagram – @Regan_Weaver3
LinkedIn