College Teams Tackle Logistics Challenges

The team from Valparaiso University was declared winner.

The winners are in for a new competition that taps into the minds of Indiana college students taking on some of the biggest challenges facing the logistics sector. A team from Valparaiso University took home top honors today at the Conexus Indiana Logistics Case Competition in Indianapolis. The three-day event wrapped up today at the Rolls-Royce facility. Entries from teams made up of more than 65 students took on a hypothetical study involving an over-capacity issue.

A team from Purdue Polytechnic finished second and a University of Evansville team took third. Indiana Higher Education Commissioner Teresa Lubbers says the competition highlights how industry and education can connect. "What we know is sometimes there is not only a mismatch between the job needs that we have and the preparation, but we know there’s also a mismatch in terms of impression of what these jobs are like and people don’t always know about advanced manufacturing or logistics." She says more and more logistics industry companies are getting an opportunity "to paint a more vivid picture" of what the jobs entail.

The students were judged by officials including Lubbers, Indianapolis-based FULLBEAUTY Brands Executive Vice President of Operations Chip Edgington, Columbus-based Cummins Inc. (NYSE: CMI) Global Supply Chain Executive Director Doug Sunkel, UPS Ohio Valley President Lou Rivieccio and Indianapolis-based Integrated Distribution Services Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark DeFabis.

Congressman Todd Rokita (R-4) presented the awards. Rokita calls the competition "a positive and proactive way to showcase the talent at Indiana’s colleges and universities." He adds the students performance helps showcase the innovative programs at their respective colleges.

Conexus Indiana says the sector employs some 300,000 Hoosiers.

See the case: