MUMA College of Business receives $5 million donation
The donation will be used to build the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability. ORACLE FILE PHOTO.
Monica Wooden, co-founder and ex-CEO of MercuryGate International, donated $5 million to the USF Foundation to create a program focused on supply chain and logistics management in the Muma College of Business.
The announcement took place Monday in the atrium of the Muma College of Business, where USF System President Judy Genshaft relayed the news.
USF Foundation CEO Joel Momberg said part of Wooden’s donation will go toward building the endowment for USF preeminence, which will support scholarships, research and operational expenses.
“A lot of this $5 million donation will go into our endowment, which ensures that USF will really be a powerful institution in the future,” Momberg said. “It’s a terrific gift that will help several students in their education and future careers.”
The size of USF’s endowment — currently at $480 million — was the only metric measured for preeminence the university did not meet. USF needs an endowment of $500 million to satisfy the metric. However, USF met the other 11 metrics which allowed the university to gain preeminence.
With the multimillion-dollar donation, the USF Muma College of Business will offer a major in supply chain management starting in 2019. In addition, the money will be used to build the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability, the first center of its kind in Florida.
“Wooden’s donation will further the college’s goal of providing needed research in the field of supply chain management, as well as prepare talent to carry the state into an era that some experts project may one-day rival tourism as the main industry,” a press release read following the announcement. “The center employs five supply chain management faculty who are leading researchers on logistics issues.”
The planned location of the Monica Wooden Center for Supply Chain Management and Sustainability was not disclosed.
Michael Denny, a junior majoring in supply chain, said the gift was important because of the importance of supply chain in the marketplace.
“This really makes me feel legit since this field actually became a major at USF,” Denny said. “It means a lot having this recognition, especially since it boosts up our resumes and provide us with better skills for the workforce.”
According to Moez Limayem, dean of the Muma College of Business, Wooden’s gift will be fundamental for the education of several students in the field.
“Wooden will serve as an adviser for the Muma College of Business to guarantee that our new program will help students and provide them with the most important skills, key concepts and strategies that they will need to be successful in the supply chain industry,” Limayem said. “With this gift, Monica is lighting a path for future generations of leaders for years to come.”
In 2000, Wooden co-founded MercuryGate, a transportation management system focused on increasing efficiencies and decreasing costs on transportation needs. With that goal in mind, the company developed a Transportation Management System (TMS) software using real-world logistics experience and a passion for transportation management innovation, according to its website.
“In the past couple of decades, this university has done an amazing job of transforming itself into an unbelievable place where so many lives are changed,” Wooden said. “I’m honored to now play a greater role in those efforts."
More Stories
Florida lawmakers talk political polarization at USF Tampa
USF Student Government (SG) brought state leaders to campus Wednesday night in an effort to inform students about the impacts of political polarization. In the hour-and-a-half discussion, the officials encouraged students to get involved and be respectful, regardless of who they voted for. The guest speakers for the event were Florida House Republican Representative Karen […]
USF new student enrollment increased by 14% this fall
This fall, USF welcomed around 6,700 new Bulls across its three campuses, marking a 14% uptick in arrivals from the year before. After seeing the increase, professors and students are sharing the benefits and drawbacks they see with the increased enrollment. Doctoral student and instructor Rio Tate said the increase in incoming students shows people […]
Compass Group to replace Aramark as USF’s dining, facilities partner
After 22 years of partnership with Aramark, the time has come for some staff members to receive brand-new badges and uniforms. The university announced a new dining and facilities partnership with Compass Group last month. USF will sever its partnership with Aramark in favor of a multi-million dollar cost-saving deal with Compass. The change will […]
Meet the USF custodians who work to keep campus clean
After work, Gloria Murphy goes to her daughter’s house. They talk, turn on old television shows and laugh with Murphy’s grandsons. That’s how the 65-year-old custodian plans to spend her time when she retires in January. For 26 years, Murphy has been one of the 83 custodians who keep USF’s academic buildings clean – from […]
UP says ‘suspicious article’ found at USF is not a threat
The “suspicious article” found on campus Tuesday evening is not a threat, said Michael Lavelle, a University Police (UP) spokesperson. Lavelle said UP was conducting a “multi-agency” training exercise when it encountered the object around 4:30 p.m. near USF Redbud Lane and USF Sycamore Drive. UP did not provide an exact location or description of […]
New USF SG leaders plan to tackle parking, funding issues
Aviral Gupta, a newly-elected Tampa Campus Senator, said being a leader in Student Government (SG) means representing his classmates’ voices. Before moving from India to the U.S. this year, Gupta had previous SG experience and served as head boy in his high school. “We have a student government that represents the student body,” Gupta said. […]