SW New Mexico News

The Center for Supply Chain Entrepreneurship (CSCE) program at the College of Business offers students hands-on experience in supply chain management, artificial intelligence, and business analytics. Launched in 2021, the program aims to connect local, national, and international businesses with faculty and students to foster entrepreneurial activity.

“We’re trying to establish NMSU as the regional school for supply chain,” said Victor Pimentel, assistant professor of supply chain/business analytics and director of the CSCE program. “We’re fighting for new classes. We’re fighting to get more students in the major. We’re working with students and taking them on trips, competitions, and trainings. Once they graduate from our program, they end up doing great.”

Students have participated in various competitions, gaining recognition from top business leaders globally. “Last fall, we took four of our undergraduate students to the 2023 GM/WSU Case Competition...and we demolished the competition,” Pimentel said. “They’re having those interactions with massive players... They’re rubbing shoulders with the right players and learning from people who have done it.”

Graduate students are also enhancing their research with local companies and publishing studies. “We recently won a presidential award for one of our papers,” Pimentel shared. “Our students are getting good jobs, recognized, and also some come back to us with job opportunities for current students.”

A unique aspect of the CSCE program is its proximity to one of the largest ports of entry at the United States-Mexico border. “We went to the Lear Corporation maquiladora in Juárez, Mexico...we presented our research...and they spent two hours just chatting,” Pimentel explained.

Pimentel emphasized that such experiences motivate students to pursue their passions: “They’re taking lessons not only from their professors but from people who have lived that life...it’s very inspirational for us because they realize the potential they have.”

Many graduates return to share their success stories and assist current students. “There’s no greater joy for us involved in the program than to see our students succeed,” Pimentel said.

Highlighting student achievements, he noted: “We have an alum from NASA who debriefs with us every month...I have one student who used to work construction with her dad since she was 4 years old...[now] she took her mom to Europe for eight weeks.”

Looking ahead, Pimentel expressed optimism about the program's future: “It’s a very fun and fulfilling career that allows you to travel... It’s well paid [and] well respected...Geographically speaking, we cannot be in a better place right now.”

This story first appeared in the latest issue of the College of Business Annual Report.