Logistics program prepares graduates for careers with IANA member companies

December 19, 2018

Jerry Burke (left), Ph.D., chair of the department of logistics and supply chain management, with the team who won the 2018 IANA UNF case competition.

Students in the Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University who are pursuing careers in logistics and intermodal transportation (LIT) are being prepared for and connected to careers in a program that is recognized by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) and its member companies.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in LIT degree was recently spotlighted by the IANA in their e-magazine and has received scholarship awards from the organization since 2016. During the 2017-18 academic year, more than 50 LIT graduates began management careers with IANA member companies.

The program emphasizes the integration of all modes of transportation, especially surface, to efficiently move goods through supply chains. The program connects coursework to careers in business logistics.

With proximity to the Port of Savannah and the many freight movement companies in the region, the program meets the managerial workforce needs of the freight transportation sector. Other areas students are prepared for through the program include demand forecasting and facility location decisions, which are relevant to broader supply chain applications.

Through five courses focused on freight transport within the program, the BBA in LIT extends learning beyond the classroom by incorporating industry and student-led events such as the Georgia Logistics Summit, the IANA Intermodal EXPO Academic Challenge Annual Student Competition and the Logistics Roundtable.

The Logistics Roundtable is hosted by the Logistics Association, the student organization for the LIT program, in both spring and fall semesters. During the roundtable, managers from more than 30 freight transportation companies participate in panel sessions and career networking. Many of the managers participating in the Logistics Roundtable are alumni of the program.

In addition to these activities, students take a course based solely on a case study. This approach leverages a containerized freight challenge faced by a local organization. Past cases have included overcapacity challenges of ocean carriers, congestion at marine port gates, rail-freight pricing with third-party logistics competitive responses, freight-haul routing optimization and motor carrier capacity crunches.

To learn more about the AACSB-accredited Georgia Southern University LIT program, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/bbalogistics.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving nearly 26,500 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. VisitGeorgiaSouthern.edu.