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CMU logistics students take first place at Collins Aerospace competition

Team turned research, teamwork and real-world problem-solving into a first-place finish

A real-world supply chain challenge, three weeks of research and preparation, and a last-minute business twist tested four Central Michigan University Logistics Management students at the Collins Aerospace Supply Chain Case Competition. Their work paid off with a first-place finish, continuing CMU’s strong record in the competition.

Lauren Vandekerckhove, Addilyn Followell, Bhagya Shri and Ashley McBride represented CMU among six university teams competing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The competition also included students from Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Howard University, Wayne State University and Kansas State University. The two-day experience gave students an opportunity to apply their supply chain knowledge to a business problem while gaining firsthand exposure to the aerospace industry.

Four students and a company representative pose onstage at the Collins Aerospace Supply Chain Case Competition, with one holding a glass award. — CMU Logistics Management students Bhagya Shri, Ashley McBride, Addilyn Followell, and Lauren Vandekerckhove celebrate their first-place finish at the 2026 Collins Aerospace Supply Chain Case Competition.

Solving a real-world supply chain challenge

The competition centered on a potential new government contract that would benefit Collins Aerospace but create demand the company was not currently equipped to handle. Teams were tasked with making a make-or-buy decision, evaluating three possible facility locations and three supplier options. With three weeks to develop a strategy, the CMU team divided the research and analysis among its members.

Vandekerckhove and Followell focused on supplier evaluations and programs, while Shri and McBride researched facility locations and overall implementation. The team met regularly to share findings, evaluate options, and build a cohesive recommendation. Their research led to a hybrid solution that balanced the company's needs and potential risks.

But the challenge did not end with the initial presentation. After teams presented their recommendations, they faced an unexpected change: an accelerated increase in demand and a much shorter deadline. The teams had just two hours to develop a revised solution. Only the top three teams from the first day advanced to present their responses to the new challenge.

Four CMU students stand beside a screen displaying the Collins Aerospace 2026 Case Competition presentation, featuring aircraft images. — The team developed a supply chain strategy addressing facility locations, supplier selection and production demands. Their first-place finish followed three weeks of preparation and an unexpected challenge that required teams to revise their recommendations in just two hours.

Preparation and teamwork made the difference

The students balanced three weeks of competition preparation with their academic and extracurricular commitments. They set goals, maintained consistent communication, and drew on concepts from their coursework. They also received valuable support from Evelyn Smith, their faculty mentor and competition attendee. Smith helped refine the team’s presentation flow, identify gaps in its analysis and strengthen its overall approach.

For the students, the experience provided a closer look at the complexity of aerospace manufacturing and the coordination required among machines, suppliers, engineers, and operators. The first-place finish also adds to CMU’s history in the competition. Since 2019, CMU teams have earned first place in 2024 and 2026, along with finalist finishes in 2020, 2022 and 2025.

For the four students, the experience was an opportunity to represent CMU’s Logistics Management program while strengthening the research, analytical, and presentation skills they will carry into their careers. As one team member reflected, the opportunity to compete and bring home the trophy was an honor and a source of pride for the Logistics program.