In the spring of 2025, Boise State College of Business and Economics career track MBA students got hands-on supply chain management experience through a competition in partnership with Fastenal. The competition tested student strategy and presentation skills using a real, anonymized client supply chain challenge.
Fastenal, a Fortune 500 supply chain solutions company, helps businesses buy and manage everyday supplies. For example, managing vending machines at Amazon distribution centers, providing workers with personal protective equipment like gloves and earplugs. Fastenal has previously engaged with the college through sales competitions, career fairs, internships and guest speaking in classes.
Nate Swift, a third-year supply chain management student who participated in past sales competitions with Fastenal, approached the company about offering a supply chain competition for students. Although he didn’t get to compete since he’s an undergraduate, Swift served as the teacher’s assistant for the competition, coordinating logistics and student support.
“This was the first time Fastenal offered a supply chain case competition like this at Boise State, and it conveniently aligned with the Career Track MBA Operations and Supply Chain Management class,” Swift said. “For students, having a major company like Fastenal provide a real-world business scenario was incredibly valuable. Personally, stepping into a role of assisting with the project and communicating with the company and Boise State faculty helped me significantly develop my leadership and organizational skills.”
The competition kicked off in late March as part of the MBA 510 Operations and Supply Chain Management class. Students made a case for how Fastenal’s involvement with a factory’s tool cribs could reduce costs. They used supply chain tools like spaghetti diagrams, swimlane flowcharts and total cost of ownership analysis to show how their strategies would save money, improve facility flow and minimize downtime by streamlining employee access to tools.
Teams had one month to work on the case and could consult with Fastenal representatives, asking questions and gathering more information. The competition wrapped up with 10-minute presentations to Fastenal representatives, followed by rigorous question and answer sessions. Fastenal provided cash prizes for the top three teams.
“The case competition for Boise State went very well,” said Joseph Riley, a Fastenal lean solutions team member and competition judge. “I enjoyed working with such a talented group of students who were always engaged and brought creative solutions to our case. Each group had a unique approach to the competition and interviewing the students was always a great time. Fastenal is always interested in investing in the future of supply chain leaders whether with us or wherever these bright students end up. We’ve historically seen great success in recruiting talented individuals from Boise State and look forward to continually working with the students.”
The competition also counted for 20% of the students’ course grades – but their scores were based on meeting project milestones, not on whether they won.
“The competition is supposed to stretch students and feel intimidating–they have some skin in the game, but it’s an achievable challenge,” said Tracie Lee, the course’s instructor and a lecturer in the Department of Information Technology and Supply Change Management. “It gives students real world skills in distilling information, talking to clients and working toward deadlines in a field they’re not familiar with. It’s also an opportunity to see how you can make a big difference to the bottom line by serving customers.”
Kelby Andrew, one of the MBA students who competed in the competition posted about it on LinkedIn.
“None of us had a background in supply chain, so we weren’t quite sure what to expect going in. But after weeks of trial and error, we developed a solution we were proud to present – and we were honored to take first place,” Andrew said. “Boise State’s Career Track MBA program continues to push me in the best ways, and this case competition reaffirmed just how much I love helping communities address real, tangible problems.”
Beyond the supply chain challenge, the competition also gave students interested in internships or jobs a direct connection with Fastenal.