Texas Tech University now looks several shade trees greener, thanks to a joint effort today between DHL Supply Chain employees and students of the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business.
A 1987 Rawls College alumnus, DHL Supply Chain North America CEO Scott Sureddin and about 20 of his associates traveled from Ohio and the Dallas-Fort Worth area to plant 20 trees with some two dozen business students on the Texas Tech campus. Students and DHL employees mingled and heard opening remarks from Senior Associate Dean Jeff Mercer and Sureddin before planting the trees in Urbanovsky Park near the Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center.
Sureddin helped connect the two organizations, which share interests in both supply chain management and the environmental benefits of enhancing and protecting natural ecosystems.
"We recently began integrating volunteer projects, such as this tree planting event, into our campus recruiting efforts to allow us to engage with supply chain students in a relaxed, fun way, promote the importance of corporate responsibility in the supply chain industry, and encourage students to consider a career in the logistics industry," he said.
Cameron Quarles, a Rawls College senior, welcomed the opportunity to get acquainted with DHL's crew.
"I just wanted to learn more about DHL," she said. "I've heard many good things about the company, but it's a unique experience to get to interact with the employees one-on-one."
A national leader in contract logistics based in Westerville, Ohio, DHL Supply Chain donated the trees as part of its Mission 2050 initiative. Trees and other plants help clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants. The two main goals of DHL's global initiative are to plant one million trees each year through 2025 and generate net zero emissions from its logistics-related services by 2050. These efforts stem from the company's GoGreen Solutions program, which has steadily reduced carbon dioxide emissions each year from miles traveled and space used by the company for its customers worldwide.
In addition to the trees, DHL Supply Chain donated a $2,500 scholarship to be awarded to a student of the Supply Chain Management program for the upcoming fall semester in an effort to promote the supply chain industry as a career path.
DHL's student outreach efforts and initiatives to protect the environment impress Adrian Fabela, a Rawls College senior. He enjoyed getting to know some of the company's operations supervisors and managers at the event.
"It was really eye-opening to talk with people who are actually in the job that you could later be doing," he said.
The relationship between DHL Supply Chain and Texas Tech has grown stronger each year,
said Stephen Rutner, a Rawls College professor of practice of supply chain management
who attended the event. Sureddin has visited the college several times to talk with
students, and DHL has hired students as interns and graduates as full-time employees
since 2015. The relationship is of particular value to Rawls College students majoring
in supply chain management who are learning about the business of moving goods, services
and information from the point of origin to the destination.
"We really appreciate the relationship we have with DHL Supply Chain to mentor, grow and develop our students," Rutner said.
Rawls College junior Ava Manuel said Sureddin came to talk with her class yesterday.
"He's a really good person." she said. "We need more people like him to run large companies like this one, especially those that make such an impact."
Watch video of this fantastic event!