Students walk along Schuylkill mall walk after some midday autumn rainfall.

Penn State Schuylkill to introduce Project and Supply Chain Management degree program in fall 2018

By: Susan C. Andrews

A new degree program, Project and Supply Chain Management, is coming to Penn State Schuylkill in fall 2018. Classroom instruction will be complemented with hands-on research and experiential learning opportunities that will equip students for early career success in designing and operating today’s complex management systems, including honing quantitative and interpersonal skills.

Dr. Darcy Medica, interim chancellor of Penn State Schuylkill, said, “I am delighted that this innovative degree program will provide additional opportunities for those interested in business, and also will serve to educate the future workforce in logistics and distribution positions in a variety of industries in Schuylkill County and beyond.”

Pennsylvania, the Keystone State, is well-positioned to be a leader in supply chain management, according to Steve Andelin, business program coordinator at Penn State Schuylkill. "The state is centrally located. Distribution and logistics operations in Pennsylvania can reach in a single day the one third of the U.S. population that is between Boston, Washington, and Richmond, Virginia,” he said.

According to Gina Whalen, lecturer in business on the Schuylkill campus, in addition to developing knowledge, skills and abilities in project management, supply chain management and business fundamentals, students learn how to effectively integrate IT tools. “Students in this program earn an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Certificate with SAP, which is an enterprise system with high complexity software applications. SAP helps manage the entire supply chain management process from the purchase of raw materials to the distribution of a finished product with multiple touch points in between.”

Bob Carl, president and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, believes the Project and Supply Chain Management degree being offered by Penn State Schuylkill “is an important and significant development in our region because of the importance of this degree to the growing employment opportunities, with nationally renowned Fortune 500 companies locating and expanding in our job market.”

Graduates of the Project and Supply chain Management program can expect good job prospects in areas such as project management, warehousing, logistics, purchasing, systems analysis, and more.

Carl added, “These professions are high-demand in both business and government applications and common for world-class business firms, providing great paying jobs and career opportunities.”

Data from the National Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that supply chain management professions are projected to increase by 2% nationally and by 5% in Pennsylvania. The Bureau also reported that the median pay for logisticians in 2015 was $74,260 and $86,630 for logistics managers.

Dr. Maung Min, assistant teaching professor and director of business programs at Penn State Lehigh Valley, remarked that “With increased efficiencies and systems effectiveness from successful supply chain management practices, businesses often experience significant operating cost reductions and sustainability benefits.”  

Penn State Schuylkill’s degree in Project and Supply Chain Management will be offered in collaboration with the Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton campuses. This will allow students to benefit from the combined resources and faculty strengths of the four campuses.  

For more information about the bachelor of science degree in Project and Supply Chain Management at Penn State Schuylkill, contact Gina Whalen at 570-385-6085.