The W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University is teaming up again with WSU Tech on a new career pathway program for WSU Tech students interested in an industry greatly affecting the entire world right now: supply chain management.

“Supply chain and logistics are critical to our economic success,” said Sheree Utash, president of WSU Tech. “This is a fast-growing occupation and something that is needed in every industry. We hope to harness our students’ curiosity and ingenuity throughout their entire four-year journey.”

Students who graduate from the pathway program will have the technical skills and conceptual background, creative mindset and applied experiences to address the workforce needs for statewide economic development.

“Our city and state are in need of supply chain experts,” said Dr. Shirley Lefever, executive vice president and provost of Wichita State University. “By filling that need, we’re helping make our communities operate more smoothly. And who doesn’t love that?”

This partnership is a coordinated “2+2” program, where students will receive an Associate of Applied Science degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from WSU Tech over their first two years and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at WSU’s Barton School over their following two years.

“There are many common threads between our two institutions,” said Mehmet Barut, professor and director of the Supply Chain Management Program at the Barton School. “The supply chain program is tying those threads together and creating a career rope ladder for our students.”

This pathway will begin in fall 2022 and will be available to current and prospective WSU Tech students. Students will begin by learning fundamental principles of logistics and transportation during their time in the program including procurement, movement, and storage and processing of materials and information across the entire supply chain.

This is not the first time the Barton School and WSU Tech have teamed up. In 2021, a similar “2+2” model was implemented for students interested in pursuing business administration. The Barton School and WSU Tech also partnered to award $35,000 in scholarships for participating students.

“When we announced our first partnership with WSU Tech almost exactly a year ago, I knew that it would be the first of many innovative educational endeavors,” said Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business. “We have found great success in last year’s collaboration, and we hope this supply chain program builds on that momentum.”