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TLU Fosters Innovative Partnership With Labatt Food Service

The unique relationship between Texas Lutheran University and Labatt Food Service is aligning academic excellence and hands-on industry experience. This dynamic and successful collaboration has seen multiple graduates secure full-time jobs. As the 10th-largest food-away-from-home distributor in the nation, Labatt is a family-owned business that began in 1910.

By serving as a pipeline for Labatt, TLU has created a platform for students to acquire invaluable real-world experience while establishing connections that enhance their career aspirations. Vendor Relations Manager Chad Porter ’97 has worked at Labatt for 25 years.

“I found out about Labatt through two of my classmates who had interned there,” Porter said. “I had done another internship and thought I wanted to be a stockbroker. But I decided that wasn’t the right path for me.”

Recognizing the alignment between his Finance major and the goals of Labatt, Porter prioritized securing a job at the company. Labatt provided an ideal environment for handling various job functions, making it a perfect fit for his career path.

Computer Science major Lukas Kemp ’06 is a programmer at Labatt and recalls the importance of his start with the company nearly 20 years ago.

“I started as an intern in my last semester of college, where I had the opportunity to work on important projects that directly contributed to the company’s success,” he said. “The company’s focus on problem-solving and creative thinking is what excited me the most.”

For Computer Science major Courtney Burnett ’24, interning at Labatt this past summer was the opportunity of a lifetime. She had the chance to experience the corporate environment while applying the knowledge she had gained at TLU.

“Joining Labatt as an intern was an eye-opening experience,” she said. “Specializing in marketing and purchasing while also working on customer application dashboards and data analysis was fascinating.”

Labatt’s emphasis on programming and critical thinking skills aligned seamlessly with Burnett’s major. She credits her well-rounded skill set to dedicated professors like Math, Computer Science, and Information Systems Department Chair Dr. Linda Wilson and Professor of Information Systems Dr. Samer Hijazi.

TLU Board of Regents member Tony Canty ’83, who originated the information technology department at Labatt and now serves as the executive vice president, spoke about how the relationship with long-standing TLU professors has been vital to Labatt.

“I have always had a special relationship with the Computer Science faculty at TLU,” he said. “It started with Dr. John Sieben 40 years ago and continues to this day with both him and Dr. Linda Wilson. They have been instrumental in matching TLU graduates to Labatt’s information technology needs for over 25 years. TLU graduates are technically prepared, and they come to the company with a strong work ethic and a humble attitude.”

Through their experiences at Labatt, these industry professionals have showcased the transformative power of their education at TLU. The shared commitment to excellence and the fostering of critical skills have enabled these Bulldogs to thrive in their roles at Labatt, emphasizing the importance of partnerships between these two mission-driven establishments in Texas.

Today, there are 20 TLU graduates from five different decades working in multiple departments, including IT, sales, purchasing, marketing, construction, and communications. Their commitment to Labatt has assisted in the impressive growth of the company over the last 40 years, with annual sales increasing from $8 million in 1980 to over $1.7 billion today.

“We’ve had a great relationship with Texas Lutheran over the years,” said CEO Blair Labatt. “The company is very lucky to have so many TLU graduates. I’ve always felt that it’s been wonderful to have not just a university that produces great people, but to have great professors who funnel people to us.”