UofM Launches FedEx IT Command Center on Campus to Grow Regional Data Analytics Workforce

June 19, 2018 - UMRF Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Memphis Research Foundation, has hired 45 UofM graduate students primarily specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to work on campus with FedEx IT employees from their IT Command Center Team. The result of this collaboration is a UMRF Ventures-operated FedEx IT Command Center - Systems Analytics Group opening June 20 at the FedEx Institute of Technology on campus.

"We are very thankful for FedEx's continued overwhelming support and presence on our campuses," said UofM President M. David Rudd. "The FedEx IT Command Center provides another wonderful venue for our graduate students to not only gain valuable work experience but to earn wages to help make college more affordable."

The student-run IT Command Center will operate seven days a week. The students will use advanced software technologies to analyze, inspect, troubleshoot and interpret operational and network performance data on a real-time basis, as well as work to identify opportunities for IT systems improvements.

"This is yet another example of FedEx making a positive difference on our campus and in our community," said Tom Kadien, CEO of UMRF Ventures. "These graduate students will have a terrific work experience alongside FedEx professionals, and it will help them secure better jobs in the future.

"This latest initiative represents the third step of a broader collaboration by the two parties - with the first two focusing on student-operated FedEx call centers at both the Memphis and Lambuth campuses of the University."

Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, UofM chief innovation officer and dean of the Graduate School, said, "This initiative is designed to help the University recruit world-class talent from around the nation to its master's and doctoral programs in the STEM disciplines, which will help grow the regional technical workforce in computer science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics and real-time IT algorithms. Given the global shortage of talent in these technical areas, these common efforts provide a significant advantage in attracting industries of the future to our region."

CONTACT

Chuck Gallina | 901.678.1756 l cgallina@memphis.edu