On May 7th, we hosted our 4th annual Alumni; Friends Event in partnership with DHL Supply Chain at their headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. This year, we welcomed around 45 attendees, and every minute of the evening was filled with meaningful engagement, connection, and shared enthusiasm for the future of supply chain and operations management.
A special thank you to Cait Flickinger, Caitlin Ballow, Patricia Ryan, and their incredible team for their support in organizing and executing such a successful event. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Mark Kunar and Dave Ames for their continued dedication to strengthening our partnership.
Throughout the evening, attendees heard inspiring stories about the impact of the Center for Supply Chain Excellence and the importance of mentorship, engagement, and corporate collaboration within the Supply Chain; Operations Management program. Monique Murfield shared the story of how she personally helped establish the Center to better organize and facilitate opportunities for students, alumni, and corporate partners within the program. She highlighted the tremendous value of mentoring relationships and the many ways our corporate partnerships create meaningful experiences for students — including internships, full-time job recruitment, student consulting projects, networking opportunities, and ongoing professional development. Her passion for building connections and creating opportunities continues to shape the success of the program today.
We were also excited to hear from Young Alumni Board member Michael Gallo, who reflected on his experience as a student in the Supply Chain Program. Michael shared that he worked as a student helper when Monique was first launching the Center, giving him a unique perspective on how far the program has grown over the years. He also entertained attendees by revealing his “secret college identity” as Swoop, Miami University’s mascot! Beyond the fun memories, Michael spoke about the lasting impact the program had on his career journey. Through the mentorship and opportunities provided by the Center, he ultimately secured his current role as a Global Distribution Engineer at lululemon and still keeps in touch with the mentor he was matched with during his time as a student.
Mark Kunar also shared thoughtful remarks about his connection to both Miami University and DHL Supply Chain. Although Mark is an alumnus of Ohio University, he joked that he has developed a special place in his heart for Miami after supporting all four of his children through their Miami education. He discussed his leadership role at DHL, his goals for continued collaboration with the Center, and the importance of preparing students for careers in today’s rapidly growing and evolving logistics industry. He also highlighted DHL’s continued success as a global leader in supply chain and logistics solutions and emphasized the company’s commitment to investing in future talent through university partnerships like ours.
Finally, big thanks to Yao Jin and David G. Zelenka for joining us to help represent our program and the Miami University Farmer School of Business!
