By Joy Vann
With four internships under her belt and experience tracking cargo containers in the ports of New York, Los Angeles, Long Beach, California, Miami, Seattle and Washington, LeiLani Harpster is ready to begin a career in the blue economy.
When she graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Maritime & Supply Chain Management from Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business later this month, she will have plenty of real-world experience, including a year of work on her resume from internships.
LeiLani, who is originally from Pennsylvania and later moved to Northern Virginia, was attracted to Old Dominion University because of the campus and its size — not too big, not too small — and just the right distance from home.
She chose to pursue studies in maritime and supply chain management after picking up a brochure at one of the University’s career fairs. She was also influenced by her father who runs a small business importing products from overseas. That piqued her interest in logistics, particularly trade.
"My dad would always send me tracking information for the ships. One of the ships that had already discharged his products in New York was making a call in Norfolk, and I was able to walk to Lambert's Point and see the ship at the dock,” she said.
"That was really exciting. I've always liked the idea of how things work behind the scenes to see how they get where they need to go. I've always thought it would be interesting to work in such a versatile environment.”
She said that Kuntal Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., Beazley Professor and director of the School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations, has been influential in her studies.
“He's always been so eager for his students to, as he would say in class, blossom and be the best that they can be,” she said.
She said that classes that were particularly influential include Operations in a Global Environment with Dr. Bhattacharyya, Port and Terminal Operations with Sara Russell-Riggs, Ph.D., Professional Selling with Assistant Professor Rhett Epler, and International Shipping with Yiu Lung Cheng.
“They were more than ‘the professor shows a slideshow and you read the textbook kind-of-classes,’” she said, praising the curriculum which includes practical skills like public speaking, interviewing and teamwork. She noted that group projects, such as case studies and creating a business pitch, were helpful.
She completed four internships, three paid and one for credit, gaining hands-on experience in equipment and trade roles.
“I enjoy working and, when I came to school, I didn't have a job, and I thought it would be a really great opportunity to work in the field that I'm studying by getting an internship over the summer. So, I went on Indeed and LinkedIn and started applying to a bunch of jobs.”
She landed an internship at the Norfolk office of CMA CGM, one of the world’s largest shipping and transportation companies, where she gained practical skills in supply chain operations and management.
She worked as a trade analyst, an intermodal rail coordinator, an equipment coordinator and an intermodal truck coordinator. While there, she also earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, which emphasizes problem-solving and leadership skills.
“I've worked in so many different areas of the supply chain. I'm really attracted to trade,” she said, noting that’s it’s been an interesting time to study trade in a year when tariffs have dominated business and the news.
Her volunteer work was also in the maritime field. For three years, she volunteered for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, supporting oyster restoration efforts.
As graduation nears, LeiLani is applying for jobs throughout the maritime and supply chain industry, from shipping companies to ports.
“I don't have any boundaries as to what I don't want to do. I'm open to all new opportunities. I don't want to miss a life-changing opportunity, so I'm open to everything,” she said.”