LEWISBURG, Pa. — These are Bucknell University story ideas that may interest you in October.
HOLIDAY SUPPLY CHAIN HEADACHES — Freeman College of Management Professor Jimmy Chen, analytics & operations management, is following several supply chain trends that are posed to create countless headaches for holiday shoppers this year. “Vaccines have been rolled out to a large extent and the pent up angst for consumers has driven demand to huge levels while supply has only recently been catching up,” Chen says. The worker shortage is also manifesting at every level of the supply chain, according to Chen. The factory level, warehouse level and transportation level. For overseas cargo, some retailers are chartering their own vessels to regain control of their product shipping, but several problems still persist with processing the cargo when it arrives in domestic ports, regardless of which ship it arrived on. Products made domestically may be somewhat insulated, but concerns around domestic shipping exist as well. Brick and mortar retail and ecommerce operations are likely to struggle to either keep shelves stocked or keep packages arriving on schedule. As a result, consumers can expect to see costlier goods in general, not to mention extra shipping costs or fewer offerings for free shipping, as retailers may no longer be willing to absorb them entirely. CONTACT: Chen, 570-577-1678, jimmy.chen@bucknell.edu
MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS — World Mental Health Day is Oct. 10, and like most colleges and universities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Bucknell has a growing need. Kelly Kettlewell, director of Bucknell Counseling and the Student Development Center, reports that the request for clinical services is higher among students this year than it was in each of the last two years. Bucknell’s two student-run mental health organizations — Active Minds and Be Herd — are raising awareness about student needs on campus. Active Minds was brought back on campus around the time of the pandemic. Since last fall, the roster has grown to about 200 students. The club speaks in classrooms to students and student-athletes, and to faculty about how they can help students. Be Herd evolved from a Management 101 company project in the Freeman College of Management class. The organization is currently working on a project where bracelets will be sold to promote suicide awareness, with all the proceeds going to an organization of their choice. CONTACTS: Lauren Sullivan, Be Herd, lms048@bucknell.edu: Joe Roffer, Active Minds, jar052@bucknell.edu: Kettlewell, 570-577-1604, kelly.kettlewell@bucknell.edu
HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS – Halloween is October 31 and Bucknell has plenty of stories related to ghosts, hauntings and pumpkins this month. Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences Rich Robbins is a certified parapsychologist who annually attempts to demystify the truth behind paranormal phenomena during a free, public talk entitled,“Ghosts and Hauntings: Decide for Yourself.” The presentation will take place Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in MacDonald Commons. Robbins will present a critical interdisciplinary consideration of the theories of what ghosts and other related phenomena are and will conduct a discussion of evidence for and against the existence of ghosts. He will also introduce ghost hunting and identification of local “hot spots,” including Bucknell’s own Hunt Hall, which has been nicknamed “Haunt Hall” after numerous students and faculty reported witnessing inexplicable phenomena in the building for over 20 years. Bucknell’s Chemistry Club will also be participating in an event called “Munchkins and Pumpkins” on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lewisburg Children’s Museum. CONTACTS: Robbins, 570-577-1301, rich.robbins@bucknell.edu; Professor Will Kerber, chemistry, advisor to the Chemistry Club, 570-577-2588, will.kerber@bucknell.edu
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CONTACT: Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu