Contact: Robert Nason, chairperson of the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, (517) 355-2240; or Kristin K. Anderson, University Relations, (517) 353-8819, ander284@msu.edu
4/30/2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. � Two Michigan State University students have been selected among six students nationwide for the R. Gene Richter Scholarship Award.
Michelle Jackson of Kalamazoo and Shawn Shackleford of Brownstown have received the Richter Scholarship Award, which is considered a symbol of excellence among purchasing and supply chain management professionals. The scholarship is $5,000 toward the 2004-05 academic year. Applicants are judged on merit, recommendations and a completed essay. Interviews with the applicant may be requested.
The award is in honor of the late R. Gene Richter, a pioneer in procurement for three major companies.
�Throughout his long career, Gene Richter was a strong proponent of academic advancement in the field of purchasing and supply management,� said Robert Nason, chairperson of the Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management at MSU. �It is fitting that a scholarship in his memory has been established to build on Gene�s legacy.�
Jackson, a junior majoring in supply chain management, is the president of American Association of Blacks in Energy and the vice president of Multicultural Business Students. She also is a member of the Business Spanish Club and the Supply Chain Management Association. Jackson, the daughter of Michael and Sherita Jackson, graduated from Loy Norrix High School in 2001.
�I feel blessed to have been selected as a scholarship recipient and I am positive that I will be an awesome representative of the award,� Jackson said. �I chose to pursue a career in supply chain management because of the challenge.There is a plethora of knowledge milling around The Eli Broad College of Business and I feel confident that I am fully prepared to face challenges because of my training at MSU.�
Shackleford, a sophomore majoring in supply chain management, is the treasurer of Multicultural Business Students, a member of the Supply Chain Management Association and other business associations at MSU.He also is a mentor for the Young Spartan Program and the Big Spartan Program.Shackleford, the son of Jamie Bodnar and Robert Shackleford, graduated from Cabrini High School in 2002.
�I am very excited and honored to be considered worthy of such an award and I hope to set a positive standard,� said Shackleford. �I chose to major in supply chain management because it is a growing field and it has many options such as working in logistics or procurement.I want to work in procurement because I want to improve business strategies such as cost-effectiveness and supplier relations.�
Richter led supply organizations at major companies including, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Black and Decker. Richter and his teams were awarded three Purchasing magazine Medals of Professional Excellence.
�The Broad College Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Management Program is deeply honored to be chosen by the R. Gene Richter Foundation and Nancy Richter to be included in this prestigious scholarship,� Nason said. �The financial support the scholarship will provide to undergraduate supply chain management majors will enable them to concentrate more fully on their studies, and will strengthen purchasing and supply management education at MSU now and in the future.�
For more information about the scholarship e-mail dsmock@reedbusiness.com