NDTA Headquarters Staff LTG Kenneth Wykle, USA (Ret.) President COL Mark Victorson, USA (Ret.) VP Membership
The NDTA/MSC Internship Program Provides Short and Long-term Opportunities to Students
COL Dennis Edwards, USA (Ret.) VP Marketing | Corporate Development Patty Casidy VP Finance Lee Matthews Marketing | Corporate Development Manager Leah Ashe Manager, Database Sharon Lo Manager, Meetings and Publications Jeff Campbell Manager, Chapter and Membership Support Rebecca Jones Administrative Assistant to the President Carl Wlotzko Coordinator, Banquet & Special Events For a listing of current Committee Chair-persons, Government Liaisons, and Chapter & Regional Presidents, please visit our Association website at www.ndtahq.com. Editorial Objectives The editorial objectives of the Defense Transportation Journal are to advance knowledge and science in defense logistics and transportation and the partnership between the commercial transportation industry and the government transporter. DTJ stimulates thought and effort in the areas of defense transportation, logistics, and distribution by providing readers with: • News and information about defense logistics and transportation issues • New theories or techniques • Information on research programs • Creative views and syntheses of new concepts • Articles in subject areas that have significant current impact on thought and practice in defense logistics and transportation • Reports on NDTA Chapters Editorial Policy The Defense Transportation Journal is designed as a forum for current research, opinion, and identification of trends in defense transportation and logistics. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Editors, the Editorial Review Board, or NDTA. Editorial Content For a Media Kit and Archives, visit www.ndtahq.com/education_dtj.htm Dr. Kent N. Gourdin, Editor, DTJ Director of the Global Logistics & Transportation Program, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 843-953-5327 • F 843-953-5697 gourdink@email.cofc.edu Sharon Lo, Managing Editor, DTJ NDTA 50 South Pickett Street, Suite 220 Alexandria, VA 22304-7296 703-751-5011 • F 703-823-8761 sharon@ndtahq.com
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Defense Transportation Journal
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By Sharon Lo, Managing Editor, DTJ Manager, Meetings & Publications, NDTA
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n October I attended an Industry Day hosted by the Supply Chain Management Society at the University of Maryland. I was very impressed by the students that I met there. They were bright, energetic about what they were learning, and many were pursuing challenging dual degrees. My main purpose in going was to make sure that the students were aware of what benefits NDTA provides them. Most students, and NDTA members in general, know that the organization provides scholarships, both on the national and chapter levels, in addition to educational and networking opportunities. However, not everyone is aware of what I would call one of the most valuable programs NDTA offers—the NDTA/MSC Summer Intern Program. This year marks the third year for the NDTA/MSC Summer Intern Program. The mission of this program is to provide internships for qualified students and ultimately to provide the Military Sealift Command (MSC) with a pool of potential candidates for selecting full time government employees. As with most government departments, the current workforce is ageing and many are reaching retirement eligibility. MSC is seeking programs to develop qualified replacements for future retirees. MSC supports our Nation by delivering supplies and conducting specialized missions across the world’s oceans. It seeks to be the leader in innovative and cost-effective maritime solutions. As an educational organization that consistently promotes the development of the future leaders of the transportation and logistics industries, NDTA was the perfect partner to bring this program to fruition. The summer internship program is for rising college juniors and seniors. Individuals who have received an NDTA schol-
December 2012
arship, or other highly qualified students, will receive priority placement for a paid summer internship with MSC. The location for the internship may be at the Norfolk, Virginia; San Diego, California; or Washington, DC MSC office. The intern candidate may state a location preference. To be eligible for the internship, an applicant must be a previous NDTA scholarship recipient or other highly qualified student, who is a member of NDTA or dependent of an NDTA member. In addition, the applicant must have successfully completed his or her sophomore or junior year in college, still be in a student status, and must be a citizen of the United States of America. Interested students can find more information, including the application form, on the NDTA website (select “Programs” under the Education tab). Each year, completed applications must be mailed back to NDTA Headquarters, postmarked no later than January 15th. Once applications are received, the NDTA Scholarship Subcommittee of the Forum, Education and Professional Development Committee will prepare a list of recommended candidates and provide the names to MSC for final selection. MSC will then notify the winning candidates no later than March 30th. I sincerely hope that NDTA’s student members will take into consideration applying to this worthwhile program. While there has been a slight drop in the unemployment rate from the beginning of the year, those under the age of 25 still face the highest unemployment rate out of all age groups. I say this not to be pessimistic, rather, I want to encourage all of our student members to consider the long-term value of the choices you are making. A successful internship now can make a real difference when you graduate, and believe me that year or two will go by quickly! DTJ
