Maritime Management

Last December, my article in the Bayou Business Monthly discussed a partnership formed between the College of Business Administration at Nicholls State University and the regional maritime industry to develop and implement a Maritime Management Concentration. The program’s goal is to prepare graduates to meet specific workforce needs in the regional maritime community and beyond. Student success was defined as the creation of career-enhancing outcomes for our students. As a follow-up to that article, I thought it may be appropriate to hear how stakeholders have benefited from the program.  

Stephen LeBouef (Fleet Manager at American River Transportation Co., Class of 2016) recently stated, “The Maritime Management program opened many doors for my future.” The base knowledge learned about multiple facets of the maritime industry allowed me to “stand apart from other candidates in the U.S.” and provided me with tools that afforded success early in my career. Since then, the knowledge and experience gained has taken me from ports in South Louisiana to the Midwest, where the bulk of agricultural commodities originate and are loaded onto barges. “It leaves me in awe that such a “niche” or “specialized” program can provide so much knowledge and equip an alumnus like me with tools to succeed in three different cities, almost 800 combined miles apart.”

A recent graduate, Ashlynn Dempster (Operations Coordinated at Bordelon Marine, Class of 2021), also benefits from her commitment to completing the program. She recently stated, “I’m truly grateful to have graduated with the maritime concentration.” As the Director of the program, I was especially pleased to hear that my insight opened her eyes “to the opportunities the industry offers, especially for women, and not just locally but worldwide. The courses prepared me with a broad range of maritime knowledge, which I used to narrow down my specific interests.” An internship at Thoma-Sea Marine Contractors provided her with experience in the industry and the confidence to successfully apply the skills and confidence acquired in the program. According to Ms. Dempster, “My career now in Operations doesn’t even feel like a “job” because I get to see and be a part of some pretty exciting projects. I’m not sure I would have realized how happy I could be at work if I wouldn’t have taken advantage of this unique program.”

Brett Landry (Purchasing Analyst at Kirby Inland Marine, Class of 2014) has applied the knowledge gained in the program to exploit emerging opportunities in the regional maritime community. In doing so, his expanded capabilities provided the flexibility to adapt to the industry’s ever-changing conditions. “The concentration in Maritime Management is truly one of a kind and what I attribute the early success of my career to.” From the offshore oil sector to inland transportation on the Mississippi River, he credits the maritime management program as having “prepared me for opportunities at some of the largest maritime companies across the region.” According to Mr. Landry, “The maritime industry is ever-changing, and this concentration prepared me for that and more.”  

Dr. Joe Orgeron, an instructor in the program since its inception, sees the value the program creates for students, the majority of which are from our local and regional communities. “Whether their goal is a career focused on the inland waters of the Mississippi River, offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, or within the new expanding maritime markets like offshore renewables, the Maritime Management Concentration at NSU will better prepare students for the maritime market of tomorrow.”  

Employers also recognize the value of graduates who are exposed to industry-specific knowledge and thus better prepared to meet particular workforce needs.  This past summer, a maritime management student completed an internship with Guice Offshore. We were excited to hear that, like many of our industry partners, they were delighted with student competencies. Nathan Guice commented, “We recently had the pleasure of employing “a student” for a summer internship. I wanted to let you know that he did an outstanding job. He is a very polite, hardworking and intelligent young man.  He fulfilled the tasks given with great enthusiasm. Thank you for your efforts at Nicholls. They are paying off.  A+’s for both of you!”

Testimonials from students, instructors, industry and other stakeholders are clear indicators of the Maritime Management Program’s success in meeting workforce needs in an ever-changing, increasingly competitive, global maritime sector.  In times of uncertainty, students can be confident that they are well prepared to enter the industry as well-educated, responsible and engaged business professionals.