Therefore, it is critical for educational institutions such as the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to educate students on the importance of making conscientious purchasing decisions, both as day-to-day consumers and supply chain professionals. UT's Supply Chain Management program is ranked the 3rd in the nation, and this perstige also bestows more responsibility on faculty members--to produce a pipeline of supply chain professionals who are not only business-savvy, but are also able and willing to use their talent to make this world a better place, partly through the means of fair trade practices.

One of UT's business core classes is Business Administration 331: Supply Chain Management. This class is required for all incoming business majors and has about 700 enrolled students each semester. Given the importance and size of the class, we urge UT’s Department of Supply Chain Management to incorporate the concepts of responsible sourcing and fair trade as part of the curriculum for the class. By including fair-trade-related content in the class, UT's Department of Supply Chain Management will be able to create awareness and even alter purchasing behavior among its 700 students each semester.

Nelson Mandela once said, "Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. You can be that great generation." We are part of "that great generation." We believe that the collaboration of students and faculty members will nurture and create a pipeline of fair trade leaders, right here at UT.