Building Supply Chain Leaders for Retail’s Future
The supply chain crisis that unfolded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic led to global shipping delays, higher prices, product shortages and empty store shelves, underscoring the critical importance of supply chain operational management to the retail industry.
Similiar disruptions are always possible in the future, which is why it is a must for emerging supply chain leaders to embrace technology, listen to data and lean into AI. Modern retail has become less about selling, marketing and merchandising and more about understanding data, logistics and demand than we might have envisioned even five to 10 years ago.
The WGU School of Business recognizes this economic need, which is why – in addition to offering a bachelor’s degree in supply chain and operations management and a certificate in supply chain fundamentals – we will soon launch the WGU Chapter of the National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation Student Association.
The NRF has represented retail for over a century. As the nation’s largest private-sector industry, retail contributes $5.3 trillion to the annual GDP, according to the NRF.
Dr. Maria Malayter, instructor for WGU’s supply chain and operations management courses and member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, will serve as co-faculty adviser for the WGU NRF student chapter. As a business strategy consultant, she has improved operational efficiency and process improvement in government, corporate, higher education and nonprofit organizations, which has led to revenue growth, cost reduction and organizational transformation. She holds a doctoral degree in Applied Management and Decision Science from Walden University and a certificate in Women’s Entrepreneurship from Cornell University.
“I look forward to guiding WGU students as they further explore the supply chain industry, particularly as it relates to the retail industry, through experiential learning, networking and professional development opportunities,” Malayter said.
Co-faculty adviser David Hassen is a program mentor for the WGU School of Business. He mentors students across accounting, finance and supply chain and operations management, helping them connect academic learning with industry expectations and professional pathways.
Hassen holds a bachelor’s degree from High Point University and an MBA from Liberty University.
“Opportunities like the NRF Foundation Student Association provide students with opportunities to apply their professional experience and the skills they acquired through their coursework in real-world settings, which will better equip them to advance their careers as they support key aspects of the global supply chain,” Hassen said.
As we prepare for this student chapter launch, WGU School of Business students, faculty members, university staff members and I recently attended the NRF Foundation Student Program in New York City.
The three-day conference provided an accelerated exploration of retail careers for undergraduate and graduate students, featuring sessions led by industry executives spanning merchandising to supply chain management. To help make this possible, the NRF Foundation generously awarded $1,000 conference attendance scholarships to two WGU School of Business students.
Student Taylor Zobel, who is earning a bachelor’s degree in supply chain and operations management at WGU while also working as a production planner at GAF, a roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, appreciated the many learning opportunities offered through the NRF Foundation event.
“This experience supported my career goals by allowing me to network and learn more about opportunities offered by many different employers within the retail market, as well as by learning more about current trends within retail and its supply chain,” Zobel said. “I was able to learn so much about AI, networking, perseverance and communication from this event. There is so much to learn and experience through NRF, and I'm excited to come back next year and see what else we can accomplish.”
Student Jazmin Jones, who is also earning a bachelor’s degree in supply chain and operations management at WGU while working full-time as a manufacturing production manager in the supply chain industry, said the NRF Foundation conference was inspiring.
“I had the opportunity to connect with influential leaders in the supply chain field, and those conversations opened new channels that could shape my next career step,” Jones said. “The event also shifted my perspective. Many of the students (from other institutions) were younger, and their enthusiasm pushed me to reflect on my own journey. Sharing my unconventional path with them was both motivating and affirming.”
Zobel and Jones will serve as student officers in the WGU chapter of the NRF Student Association. Following the NRF event in New York, Malayter, Hassen, Zobel and Jones have been fostering important industry relationships with plans to invite several new connections as guest speakers for the WGU student chapter in the coming year.
The future of the retail industry, including delivering goods to consumers during a crisis, depends on the strength of supply chain operational management, which is why the WGU School of Business is committed to equipping emerging leaders to handle what may lie ahead.
