IN THE SPOTLIGHT
‘Excellence’ i s the perfect word to describe Richard Stewart, UW-Superior professor of transportation and logistics management (TLM). Having served as a sea captain and ship fleet manager for years, he often tells his students, “It’s not OK to land the plane correctly 99 percent of the time or bring the ship across the ocean 95 percent of the time. In our profession, only one goal is acceptable – 100 percent – so this is the goal you must work toward.” Stewart not only expects that level of commitment from his students, he expects it of himself, and it is precisely for that reason that he was selected as the 2020 recipient of the UW System’s Teaching Excellence Award – the first person from UW-Superior to receive the award. “After decades of work, it is very satisfying to receive this recognition from UW System,” said Stewart. “This award is truly for our entire school and university, because there is no way I could have done this alone. I feel it is long overdue for someone from UW-Superior to receive this award and I am hopeful this is just the first of more to come.” Land, rail and sea Stewart’s path to UW-Superior covers land, rail and sea, making him perfectly suited to create and lead the transportation and logistics management major, which has become one of the largest and most distinctive programs at the university. Stewart was a tenured professor at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York when he got the call in 1998 from Bernard Abrahamson, chair of UW-Superior’s Business and Economics Department, as it was called at the time, asking if he’d like to come and create the TLM major. “I could have easily stayed and retired in New York, but I was drawn to UWS by the ideal location for the program,” said Stewart. “I quickly realized the unique geographic location provided students easy access to all five modes of transportation and I knew this was a community that would embrace a major like this.” Building a world-class program Starting out with only three students and limited funding, Stewart said there were those who thought the program would fail, but he had his sights set on creating a word-class program, which is exactly what he did. Today, there are over 100 students in the program and almost 500 graduates hold leadership roles in all areas of transportation and supply chain management – a field that is growing exponentially and even
Richard Stewart, professor of transportation and logistics management, recognized for excellence in teaching EXCELLENCE A Legacy of
more visible and critical with the challenges that COVID-19 has presented.
“I knew we were successful about 11 years ago when former students began contacting me looking to hire UW-Superior TLM graduates,” Stewart said. “That’s the definition of a self- supporting legacy program.” Students in the UW-Superior TLM program learn more than just the technical aspects of transportation and logistics, they also learn leadership, respect and professionalism. “I do not allow profanity in my classroom because in the working world it could result in a loss of respect,” said Stewart. “I treat my students with respect and expect them to treat me and their fellow classmates the same way. They also can’t wear hats in the classroom because it’s not acceptable in all cultures and workplaces and they need to attune themselves to cultural differences. I teach them how to handle themselves in a meeting, how to leave a phone message, email and social media etiquette. They put all of this into practice, along with the skills and knowledge they've learned, into practice during their required internships – a cornerstone of the program.” Stewart is very grateful for the companies and individuals that have contributed to the UW-Superior Foundation's transportation and logistics management endowment fund, which provides scholarships and support for the internships, experiential learning trips and competitions. “We couldn’t have our great program without the support of the UW-Superior Foundation and administration,” said Stewart. “Alumni, families and employers recognize quality when they see it and are willing to put money into it. Our students have benefitted greatly from that support.” For over 20 years the program and research center has benefited from the expert recommendations of an advisory board composed of industry leaders and an academic. Sarah Sengupta, assistant professor of operations & supply chain management at St. Cloud State University is the current academic member on the advisory board, and had this to say about Stewart and the TLM program: “Richard is not only passionate about his students and research, but also a warm and compassionate human being. He has developed abundant knowledge, experience, and connections throughout the transportation world that he readily shares with his students and colleagues. UWS TLM students are more than ready to enter their professional careers making positive contributions to their organizations. Colleagues and students alike admire Dr. Stewart, he is truly exceptional.”
I knew we were successful about 11 years ago when former students began contacting me looking to hire UW-Superior TLM graduates. That’s the definition of a self- supporting legacy program. – Richard Stewart
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