2013 Visiting Professor - MBA Program
Every summer, Flint Hills Resources hosts a summer visiting professor for the MBA program. This summer, Dr. Lance Gentry from Colorado State Pueblo taught Supply Chain Management.
The following are first-hand accounts of two students in the class:
Walker Wheeler
Looking back over the last 6 weeks, the topic of Supply Chain Management as a Competitive Advantage was nothing like I expected it to be. I think the whole class may have been surprised by the experience. The instructor, Lance Gentry, was brought up from Colorado State Pueblo to teach this summer course, where we ran a multi-million dollar business over the course of 2 ½ years packed into a 6 week session. We used the LINKS simulator, that is used by several big industries’ names (Chevron, ExxonMobil, ConAgra Foods, GE, IBM, Shell, Pepsico) to train their management teams and at other schools like MIT and Vanderbilt for real experience without the risk. The simulator threw curves at you and really made you think about how your decisions would impact your company. We got to learn by doing!
I can say it was intense, completely fun, and everyone walked away feeling like they understood how to compete in the big leagues. At the end of the class, we went before a mock board of directors who chose our fate, based on what we presented to them about our performance in the simulation. Overall it was a great learning opportunity (best course ever!) and I really appreciate that Flint Hills sponsored the course this summer and it was Naturally Inspiring!
Courtney Carlson
I feel compelled to share with you my wonderful experience in the Supply Chain Management course taught by Professor Gentry.
First, I would like to recognize Prof. Gentry's exceptional teaching methodology. He made participating in a 3.5 hour long class a breeze. Not one time did I catch myself looking at the clock waiting to leave. Prof. Gentry explained that an average adult has the attention span for 30 minutes of undivided attention and that every 30 minutes he would shift his focus to a new subject, activity, or technique for teaching the material. He did a great job of this.
Prof. Gentry also spent time with each and every group answering individual questions - his explanations were spot on. He clarified every question with a great deal of knowledge and expertise. There is no doubt whatsoever he is very experienced and skilled at what he teaches.
My final note regarding the instructor is the enthusiasm he had for the material and sincerity he displayed to students for their learning. He seemed genuinely interested in the student experience, had fun with the material, and provided an endless supply of encouragement and feedback.
Regarding the course itself, the content was wonderful and the tools used to teach the material were the best I have seen. Concepts and ideas were succinct, relevant, and taught in a manner that could be understood by everyone taking part in the class. I've come to appreciate Supply Chain Management as one of the core fundamentals of business management. I was able to explore how the supply chain plays a critical part in every aspect of running a business.
Overall, my experience was wonderful, and in a 6 week summer class I found one of the most demanding classes I have ever taken to have provided the greatest and most rewarding benefit to my education. Thank you for bringing Professor Gentry here to teach this course.