December 17, 2021 — The Master of Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics program (MSCTL) has named incoming student Anna Martinez (MSCTL ’23) the inaugural awardee of the Matson, Inc. Diversity in Supply Chain Scholarship, selected from this year’s applicants for admission to receive $5,000 towards tuition expenses.
Martinez earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University in International Studies, focusing on global interconnection and international commerce. She joined the U.S. Military a few months after graduating, in the Logistics core with a concentration on transportation. During her service, she has planned complex movements, coordinating with people, teams, and equipment, and the commercial activity of transporting goods. She is currently stationed in Fort Polk, Lousiiana.
We connected with Martinez to discuss the award and enrolling in the program.
SCTL: What made you decide to pursue a Master’s degree?
Martinez: I decided to go back to school for a second degree because it was time for me to actively challenge myself in pursuing supply chain and logistics in the civilian and private sector. The military has its own way of teaching and executing logistics functions, and I want to learn about supply chain in the business world. I know this will create a strong foundation for me if I decide to transition out of the military. Completing my undergrad and being in the workforce a few years has helped me realize my passion for logistics, and it is something I want to do for the next 20-30 years of my career.
SCTL: How did you decide to apply for the Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics Master’s degree program?
Martinez: I applied for the Master’s in Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics program because I enjoy the intricacy and the meticulous planning that is required for an effective and efficient transportation and supply chain transportation system. All organizations, no matter the size, industry, market sector or product, require solid transportation and supply chains to operate successfully. These aspects should be fluid and constantly be assessed, be profit-making, and meet competitive advantage objectives. I look forward to finding creative solutions to some of today’s complex logistical challenges.
SCTL: What made you interested in this program specifically?
Martinez: While deployed to Europe to coordinate and plan movements in the Africa theater, I meet another logistics officer who became my mentor. A few years ago, he attended the University of Washington for the Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics degree program. He knows my passion for logistics and transportation and shared his experience going through the curriculum and completing the degree. He encouraged me to apply. After reviewing all the great things the UW offers and the curriculum for SCTL, I knew it was a program that would help me further understand the intricacy of the transportation and logistics sector and better prepare me for my future.
SCTL: What do you like about working in the supply chain industry?
Martinez: I am pursuing supply chain because I want to specifically address the logistics evaluation process required to meet customer’s demand in an ever-changing operating environment considering the lasting impacts on social, economic, and political decisions both domestic and international. The complexity of logistic challenges increases exponentially when supply chains involve multi-modal global logistics. To find creative solutions to these challenges, it is important to ask the right questions, analyze processes and ensure the team consists of qualified personnel who share the same motivation.
SCTL: Who influenced your career path?
Martinez: My parents and mentors, without a doubt, have influenced my career path. My father and mother are immigrants, and I am a first-generation college student. Growing up, every day I saw my parents working hard to provide for our family, and the one thing they stressed the most was preparing myself for the future with an education. They have always been by my side, supporting me in all my endeavors. I have been blessed to have incredible mentors in the supply chain and logistics field who encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and apply to internships and graduate school.
SCTL: What are you looking forward to over the next two years in the program?
Martinez: What I am looking forward to the most is SCTL 510: Freight Transport. My core focus in the military is transportation, and I have studied the complexity of all modes of transportation. The resources and analysis needed to choose the right mode, monitor costs, and meet customer expectations using critical thinking and problem-solving skills are the things that make this class appealing to me. This is the functional area I would love to be a part of one day in an organization.
SCTL: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
Martinez: After graduating and transitioning from the military, I want to work for an organization that exports goods to Europe. I would love to be part of an organization that has mastered the global markets side of logistics and transportation and strives to innovate itself. The U.S. and Europe have different regulations, sustainability goals, and business models, and I want to become a subject matter expert in these areas. I know the SCTL program is a great way to continue to broaden my knowledge of these functions and share my experience and expertise with my cohort. I also look forward to learning from experienced professors and applying proven logistics solutions within my current, and future, organization.
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About the Master of Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics degree program: A work-compatible hybrid online program, the Master of Supply Chain Transportation & Logistics (MSCTL) degree is designed to enable early- and mid-career professionals to advance in their careers. Our innovative curriculum provides students with a 360-degree view of all aspects of supply chain and logistics — facility design, inventory management, data analysis, risk, IT systems, business strategy, freight transport, and performance management — so students graduate ready to make evidence-based decisions and navigate complex real-world problems.