A group of ten Transportation and Logistics Management students recently traveled with Daniel Rust, associate professor of Transportation & Logistics Management, to Long Beach, California, for the annual Intermodal Association of North America’s Expo.
Students networked with industry professionals, interacted with students from other IANA Scholarship universities, and took a boat tour of the Port of Long Beach. They also had invaluable opportunities to learn from industry experts and discover the latest technology and equipment from more than 80 exhibitors and vendors.
“One of the new additions to the Expo this year was a series of informative sessions specifically designed for university students,” said Rust. “Led by industry experts, the sessions focused on topics such as drayage and rail intermodal as well as advice for students as they launch their careers as intermodal transportation professionals.”
Students shared their thoughts about the experience:
“Not only was networking with industry professionals important to me, but so was interacting with students from other universities in attendance. Making connections with other students my age is important going into the future, because there is almost a guarantee that I will run across them again sometime in my career. Both my professors and the great mentors from IANA stress the importance of building and maintaining relationships with others in the industry, whether you work with them directly or not.”
- Korey Garceau, T&L senior, president of T&L/SCM Student Club
“The trip to Long Beach, California was the highlight of my college career. I cannot thank the Intermodal Association of North America enough for the opportunity. It was such a cool experience getting the tour of the Long Beach port because we talk so much about it in all of the transportation-focused classes. Getting to see all of the different ship types in person and witnessing the sheer size of them was incredible after taking the Marine Transportation Class.”
- Dan Grimm, T&L senior
“I was able to learn a lot about the intermodal industry, specifically with the six briefings before the exhibit floor opened up. They had conversations that were aimed toward students and gave us the ability to understand them better. And of course, the exhibit floor was a great time. You get to meet many industry professionals and make connections with them and their companies.”
- Jakob Holmlund, T&L senior
“One of the things I liked was the exposition part of the conference. Seeing the new software available, trucks and trailers amazed me. Specially the refrigerated trailer that could transport two different types of goods that require different temperatures. During my internship I worked a lot with refrigerated trailers and it wasn’t possible to put different kinds of goods in them because they required different temperatures, so with this new type of trailer it would make it easier to move different products at the same time. I just want to say thanks for this opportunity. It helped me figure out what area of transportation that I want to go into.”
- Laura Kumimatsu, T&L senior from Brazil
“One moment that stood out for me was the tour boat around the Long Beach Port that IANA provided for all the students. The tour boat was navigating right beside the huge vessels along the port, under the bridges that provide access to the port, and by the huge piles of containers waiting to be shipped. This was one of the best moments to understand the proportions and the importance of the port to the country.”
- Lorenzo Korehisa Silva, T&L senior from Brazil
“Overall, I had a great time being exposed to the real world of transportation. Of course, it was great to get to know some of my fellow classmates better as well meet students from other universities. I was able to develop new and existing relationships with so many different people in a few short days. I really could not recommend a better event to familiarize students with their classmates, industry professionals, and their desired career within transportation.”
- Sam Parendo, T&L senior
“The boat tour was probably the highlight of the trip for me. Seeing all those massive ships, towering cranes, and endless rows of containers up close from the water was so awesome. I’ve always wanted to go there and see for myself how they manage to move so much freight and it’s crazy to think that almost everything we buy in the states comes through that port. As for the Expo itself, it was super interesting to be at the heart of the industry watching as all these industry leaders mingle, make business moves, and learn from each other. I learned so much about the industry, how things work in it, and what the future holds. This whole trip was a true blessing for me, and it really makes me look forward to my future in transportation.”
- Kyle Weinschenk, T&L sophomore
“One thing this year that I thought was a strong addition was the intermodal university sessions. I attended the second one which was set up in a way that students were able to ask questions and get the perspective of individuals who recently graduated college and moved on into the workplace. It was nice to see their path following school as that is where I am at in my career. I thought that this was very beneficial to the students who attended. I think that the best part about the IANA Expo is just being able to connect with so many different individuals from around the United States. I appreciate being able to be a part of the Expo the past two years as it has been a highlight of my time at UWS.”
- Brandon Conklin, T&L senior
Original source can be found here.
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