CALVERTON, MD, October 6, 2020 – An undergraduate team fielded by Georgia Southern University won the Intermodal Association of North America's tenth Logistics and Supply Chain Academic Competition. It was their second consecutive victory. The annual competition was held virtually this year.

The students representing the University were Alecia Breen, Ana Ortiz-Contreras and David Hudgins. Each of the teams responded to a topical case that focused on import volume trends resulting from the U.S.-China trade war and the current global pandemic, from the perspective of a fictitious drayage company.

The other competing undergraduate schools included Auburn University and the following IANA scholarship schools: the California State Maritime Academy, the College of Charleston, and the Universities of Maryland, North Florida, North Texas and Wisconsin at Superior. The competition supports each institution’s curriculum designed to educate students on intermodal transportation and attract them to the industry following graduation.

“IANA’s academic case competitions motivate students to apply learning from coursework and encourage them to research contemporary problems facing various facets of intermodal logistics,” said Prof. Gerald Burke, Georgia Southern’s team advisor and chair of the Logistics and Supply Chain Management Department. “Participating students improve their capabilities in solving problems, thinking critically and communicating effectively. Ultimately, they gain experience and take with them confidence for meeting challenges they will face in their futures.”

“Georgia Southern excelled with their understanding of the subject matter, this time under novel circumstances,” said Joni Casey, president and CEO of IANA. “Our congratulations to all the teams. They proved themselves in terms of analytical ability and team building in a distanced environment, skills which should serve them well in their careers.”

Since the Scholarship Program's inception in 2007, IANA has awarded more than $3 million to support students in university programs focused on freight and intermodal transportation. These funds support tuition, student research projects on intermodal issues, and curriculum development.