Workforce Spotlight: Western Illinois University
Workforce development and training continues to be a top concern for MHI members. To help promote connections between MHI member companies and academic institutions, we are going spotlight various programs. Today, we are highlighting Western Illinois University led by Honey Zimmerman, Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management.
How long has your program been running?
At Western Illinois University, we’ve been teaching logistics and transportation courses for a very long time. The degree at WIU called “Transportation and Physical Distribution” was established in 1978. It has since been renamed, Channel Management & Logistics in the 1990s, and now Supply Chain Management since 2004. So we have a long history, over 40 years of graduating transportation professionals. We are housed within the AACSB-accredited College of Business and Technology and the School of Management and Marketing.
How many students do you have in your program?
We reached an all-time high enrollment in the program in 2018 with 205 students, but currently have around 150.
What is the program set up? Do you have a physical warehouse or hands-on labs?
We do not have a physical warehouse or hands-on lab. We rely extensively on experiential learning through field trips, facility tours, required internships, industry conferences, and industry engagement with projects and guest speakers.
How could the MHI Members help you? Or What information or resources do you need?
As mentioned earlier, we rely heavily on industry professionals and organizations and are always looking for partners to engage with our students through internships, facility tours, and guest presentations, as well as sponsor student attendance to industry conferences.
