Podcast Summary: Supply Chain Now – The Now Generation: The Future of Supply Chain is Orange (April 8, 2026)

Episode Overview

This episode of Supply Chain Now continues the “Now Generation” series, focusing on rising stars in supply chain education and the unique programs producing tomorrow’s leaders. The spotlight is on Syracuse University and its acclaimed Whitman School of Management, where “The Future of Supply Chain is Orange.” Host Scott Luton moderates a dynamic discussion with Dr. Julie Niederhoff (Associate Professor and Department Chair) and four standout students: Odette Shirk, Katherine Foley, Michaela Amatu, and David Patterson. The conversation explores the panel’s journeys into supply chain, the university’s historic and innovative approach to education, and what excites these students most about the future of the field.

Meet the Panel (02:58–05:16)

• Dr. Julie Niederhoff: Associate Professor, Department Chair, and co-director of the Franklin Center for Supply Chain Management at Syracuse’s Whitman School. Twice nominated for the Meredith Teaching Award; specializes in behavioral aspects of supply chain management and humanitarian logistics.
• Odette Shirk: Senior, triple major in Supply Chain Management, Marketing, and Environmental Sustainability & Policy. President, Franklin Supply Chain Club, Class of 2026 Whitman Scholar.
• Katherine Foley: Junior, double major in Supply Chain and Retail Management. President, Syracuse Retail Club; member, bass fishing team.
• Michaela Amatu: Junior, Supply Chain Management and Finance. President, Women’s Network (Syracuse chapter); recently abroad in London; soon-to-be Micron intern.
• David Patterson: Junior, Supply Chain Management. Active in entrepreneurship and leadership clubs; musician; recent participant in a tech-focused West Coast immersion trip.

Syracuse’s Unique Supply Chain Program (00:30–11:56)

• Oldest supply chain management program in the U.S. (est. 1919); top 25 ranked (Gartner & others).

• Whitman fosters double and even triple majors with strong connections to industry through the Franklin Center, case competitions, and events with companies like Patagonia, Toyota, and Coca-Cola.

• Quote: “Syracuse is home to the oldest supply chain management program in the country. They were teaching Supply Chain long before it was cool. How cool is that?” – Scott Luton (01:36)

• Multipotentiality & Flexibility: Students are supported in pursuing interdisciplinary interests, which the panel credits for their wide-ranging ambitions.

  • “I wanted to study everything. And Whitman really has a way of supporting these multiple interests.” – Odette (49:50)

Meet the Students: Backgrounds & Interests (06:53–16:30)

• Odette: From Pittsburgh, PA. Hobbies include sewing, fashion design, viola performance (Symphony Orchestra). Discovered supply chain after an eye-opening sophomore class.
• Katherine: From Fairfield, CT. Passions for fashion, retail, and rock music (ex: attending Pantera concert solo), NY Fashion Week logistics experience.
• Michaela: Long Island & Philadelphia native; enjoys traveling, plays four instruments, dabbled in songwriting; currently studying abroad.
• David: From Watkins Glen, NY, a Finger Lakes tourist hub. Plays trombone and piano; active in leadership programs; recently visited California for a tech immersion.

Memorable Moment:
“...It always felt like the big city for me, even though Syracuse to [others] is like their little, in their little village. I think it earned a great perspective for me to kind of meet people from all over the world here.” – David (14:28)

Syracuse’s Learning Philosophy (06:05–17:51)

• Heavy emphasis on experiential learning: travel, case competitions, industry engagement.
• Quote: “I can't think of a better job in the world than getting to watch 18, 19, 20 year olds figure out what they want to do in their life and then jump like two feet right into it.” – Dr. Niederhoff (06:05)

Key Topics & Student Passions in Supply Chain (22:24–33:54)

1. Sustainability & Transparency

• Katherine: Sustainability, especially in retail (EU digital product passports for clothing supply chain transparency).
  • “It would give them a complete ... transparent recollection of the supply chain for that product.” (23:08)
  • “I think it's very refreshing to see it kind of being paid a little bit more attention to ... could be something interesting to follow.” (22:24)

2. Rail Logistics

• Michaela: Advocacy for greater attention to rail in the Americas, tied to her internship and conference experiences.
  • “I feel like rail is something that is sort of looked over ... it should be expanded more upon.” (23:51)

3. New Globalization & Geopolitics

• David: Fascinated by deglobalization trends, economic incentives (CHIPS Act, tariffs), and their impact on domestic supply chains.
  • “What I think is happening ... the United States and global north countries tend to be kind of pulling back away from this hyper-efficient supply chain network ... That just really fascinates me.” (27:13)

4. Scope 3 Emissions & Environmental Policy

• Odette: Deep interest in supply chain’s impact on climate, specifically tracking Scope 3 emissions (including upstream supplier emissions).
  • “Recently I've been particularly interested in how we're monitoring all ... supply chain with Scope 3 emissions.” (29:36)
  • “Finding ways to balance the complexity of a global supply chain with some of these reporting standards ... to achieve a green economy.” (31:34)

Faculty Perspective:
“Once retailers have that transparency, they're going to ... vote with their wallet, which companies are then going to follow ... it's going to cause supply chains to shift.” – Dr. Niederhoff (25:41)
“The only thing for certain in this life is change ... companies are constantly having to think about where is that sweet spot between being super flexible and not wasting ... on unnecessary redundancy.” (31:51)

Career Aspirations & Desired Impact (35:09–46:17)

Mining & Minerals for Sustainable Tech (35:09)

• Michaela: Wants to specialize in making mining and mineral supply chains more ethical and sustainable (“leave my mark”).
  • “Mining and minerals are needed for renewable energy ... The main issue is ... ability to improve traceability and reduce environmental impact.” (35:09)

Healthcare, Distribution, and Logistics (37:11)

• David: Inspired by Grainger’s distribution speed supplying hospitals—keen to work on the distribution/manufacturing side of global supply chain.
  • “How do you even get these shipments there ... these logistics and forecasting ... I already had my supply chain mindset set.” (37:11)

Technology Enablement & Green Consulting (40:26)

• Odette: Entering Deloitte as a technology enablement analyst, with a passion for problem-solving and green consulting.
  • “I'm really excited to be kind of in the technology space, especially as we're in some of this AI transformation period ... combining sustainability, technology, and the supply chain.” (40:26, 42:02)

Sustainable Procurement in Luxury Fashion (42:22)

• Katherine: Drawn to procurement and vendor negotiation, with the aim to foster sustainability in high luxury markets.
  • “Walking away from that buying internship, I really pinpointed that I love the vendor negotiations, I love the relationship building ... and really foster that sustainability within procurement ... within high luxury markets.” (42:22)

The Value of Syracuse’s Supply Chain Program (46:45–56:38)

• David: Whitman’s adaptability, small/niche supply chain cohort, experiential events (like the Salzburg Memorial), and career prep.

  • “That initiative ... that leap ... trying to differentiate and really trying to stand out.” (46:55)

• Odette: High flexibility, multi-major support, leadership opportunities, real-world learning outside the classroom.

  • “I want to study everything ... They didn't say go figure it out. They just said, then you will study everything, and we'll make it work.” (49:50)
  • “All of the out-of-classroom experiences ... bring [textbook learning] into practical application.” (51:31)

• Katherine: Faculty support network, strong transfer experience, emphasis on teamwork and soft skills.

  • “I think Whitman and our supply chain program does a really, really fantastic job at fostering those soft skills ... that's really going to propel difference moving forward in our professional careers.” (52:31–54:22)

• Michaela: Faculty support and alumni network opened the door to a greater breadth of opportunity; supply chain as a respected/viable career option.

  • “Syracuse really helped my family see that supply chain is a really amazing career to go into ... where you could really just show how invaluable you are to your team.” (54:57)

Faculty Perspective:
“We all take our jobs really, really passionately ... One of the best things we have here ... is deep support.” – Dr. Niederhoff (57:06)
“The Franklin Center for Supply Chain Management ... provides us with really important financial resources that allow us to send students ... all over the world ... so that every student has that opportunity, regardless of financial profile.” (58:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The orange grows on you, but I think really the orange grows with you.” – Odette (49:50)
• “If you incentivize just one player in the supply chain to [reduce] emissions, they can game that system by making their supplier's supplier take a credit ... that doesn't actually improve the world.” – Dr. Niederhoff (31:51)
• “Syracuse really helped ... my family see that supply chain is a really amazing career to go into where you could really just show how invaluable you are to your team.” – Michaela (54:57)
• “From Pittsburgh, not too far from Syracuse but a little more removed from our lake effect snow phenomenon ... got to know that effect when I got up to school here.” – Odette (06:53)
• “Overall population of Whitman ... it's not like your typical finance person ... but the supply chain is just very niche ... we just kind of stick together.” – David (46:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:30–02:58: Introduction, program history, and the importance of the “Now Generation” series.
• 03:01–05:16: Panel introductions.
• 06:53–16:30: Student backgrounds and interests.
• 18:31–21:18: Dr. Niederhoff outlines her roles and behavioral supply chain research.
• 22:24–33:54: Students share top industry interests and trends.
• 35:09–46:17: Career motivations and desired impact in industry.
• 46:45–56:38: Student reflections on Syracuse’s program value.
• 57:06–59:56: Faculty perspective on building a supportive, opportunity-rich environment.

Conclusion:

This episode powerfully showcases how Syracuse University—backed by historic legacy and modern vision—prepares diverse, passionate students for real-world supply chain challenges. Faculty support, abundant experiential learning, flexible curricula, and real-world engagement emerge as the keys to Syracuse’s enduring success. The students’ commitment to sustainability, ethical practice, and continuous learning mirror the future-facing demands of the profession.

Connect with Guests:
All panelists and Dr. Niederhoff are available on LinkedIn for networking and conversation.

Useful For:
Anyone considering a career or degree in supply chain, advocates for diversity in the field, or professionals seeking inspiration from the next generation of supply chain leaders.