Georgia Southern University's Logistics and Intermodal Transportation (LIT) program in the College of Business Administration has just received a multi-million dollar software donation from i2 and Chainalytics. The gift of i2's Supply Chain Strategist software, which followed an exhaustive study of leading supply chain applications by Georgia Southern's faculty, is complemented by Chainalytics' contribution of services to support installation, training and curriculum development.

The faculty plans to use the new software in a majority of the required courses for logistics majors. But the application will be the centerpiece of at least one class. "We are in the process of developing a distinct class where i2 Supply Chain Strategist will serve as the vehicle for teaching more about optimizing supply chains," says Dr. Karl B. Manrodt, a faculty member in the LIT program.

The donation is clearly a win-win situation for all involved. "This is a prime example of how partnerships between a corporation and a university work to the benefit of both," says Georgia Southern President Bruce Grube. "The partnerships with i2 and Chainalytics will take our students to the leading edge of logistical strategies and solutions for moving goods through the supply chain to the right markets at the lowest cost. In turn, our graduates will take their knowledge of this planning tool into the workplace as they pursue their careers."