University of West Florida student team secures finalist spot in national supply chain case competition

A team of four undergraduate students from the University of West Florida earned the finalist position, placing fourth, at the second National Association of State Procurement Officials, or NASPO, Supply Chain Case Competition hosted in Raleigh, North Carolina on Oct. 4 and 5. The competition aims to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application for procurement professionals. Supply chain management students Joshua Burrow, Amanda Eakin, Joshua Richardson and Jennifer Small competed against teams from eight other universities nationwide. Dr. Vitaly Brazhkin served as the team advisor.

“The NASPO procurement competition serves as a dynamic platform for students to engage with real-world procurement challenges,” Richardson said. “The collaborative spirit cultivated through this competition ultimately drives innovation and lays the foundation for successful careers in supply chain management.”

Each team of three to four students had only 24 hours to research, develop and present a strategic plan to evaluate and monitor a supplier diversity program. UWF’s presentation, along with all others, delivered new ideas and perspectives. Case competition judges included six NASPO members.

“The success of our team is a testament to the strength of our academic program in supply chain logistics management,” Brazhkin said. “It reaffirmed UWF’s position as a formidable competitor in intercollegiate supply chain case competitions. It was also a great experience for our students who were able to apply their knowledge, teamworking, analytical and presentation skills to a practical situation. Of particular value are the new contacts the students made at the event while networking with the NASPO representatives and students of other teams, their future industry peers.” 

North Carolina State University placed first, Howard University placed second and Iowa State University placed third. Participating institutions included: Brigham Young University, Florida International University, Howard University, Iowa State University, Lehigh University, North Carolina State University, Northeastern University, University of Kansas, and UWF.

NASPO is a non-profit association dedicated to advancing public procurement through leadership, excellence and integrity. It is made up of the directors of the central purchasing offices in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and territories of the United States. NASPO is an organization that helps its members achieve success as public procurement leaders through the promotion of best practices, education, professional development, research, and innovative procurement strategies. 

To learn more, visit www.naspo.org. To learn more about the Center for Supply Chain Management Excellence, visit uwf.edu/supplychain.