As educational and industry leaders prepare for the upcoming Maritime Interaction Day on Oct. 27 in La Crosse, Wis., Culver-Stockton College is highlighting its vital role in the newly designated Corn Belt Ports Rural Maritime & Logistics Training & Education Consortium.
Earlier this fall, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) designated the 10-member consortium as a 2026 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education. The designation runs through 2031 and spans key postsecondary institutions across Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin along the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway.
Upcoming regional workforce events — such as Maritime Interaction Day, hosted by consortium partner institutions — demonstrate how the 10 member schools are connecting students directly with maritime employers, supply chain operators, and river industry career pathways.
While consortium members train thousands of students in technical trades such as diesel mechanics, welding, and logistics, Culver-Stockton College brings a distinct academic perspective to the regional effort. C-SC contributes five key majors — business administration, criminal justice, biology, data science, and communication — equipping graduates with high-demand, transferable skills for logistics management, port security, environmental analytics, and data analysis along the river corridor.
Additionally, C-SC houses Tri-State Development and the Center for Rural Opportunity, which both help align regional economic and training strategies across community sectors. The College also recently implemented a digital badging system to verify and track students’ practical skills as they earn them.
“Culver-Stockton is proud to stand alongside our regional consortium partners as we build direct links between higher education and the river transportation network that keeps the Midwest’s economy moving,” said Culver-Stockton College President Lauren Schellenberger. “Our students bring critical analytical, business, and leadership skills that support logistics, operations, and homeland security along this vital corridor.”
C-SC Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Mike Seale noted that C-SC is grateful to the Corn Belt Ports and Western Illinois University for making this happen.
“We are thrilled to be part of the multi-state network of higher education institutions contributing to bringing a sustainable talent pipeline to inland waterways and the agricultural supply chains,” he added.
Graduates from consortium programs regularly go on to support major inland waterway employers, including J.F. Brennan, ADM, and Ingram Barge.
The Corn Belt Ports Consortium includes Culver-Stockton College, Western Illinois University, Black Hawk College, Carl Sandburg College, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, Illinois Central College, John Wood Community College, Northeast Iowa Community College, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and Western Technical College.
For more information about Culver-Stockton College’s academic programs and regional initiatives, visit www.culver.edu. For more information about Corn Belt Ports, visit https://cornbeltports.com/. Learn more about the Oct. 27 Maritime Interaction Day at https://weworkthewaterways.com/event/maritime-interaction-day-lacrosse-wi-date-tbd/
Contact the Marketing & Public Relations Office, at pr@culver.edu or 573-288-6000 ext. 6728 for more information.
NOTE: A number that appears immediately after a person’s name (i.e. Jane Doe ’18) is a reference to the year that person earned their bachelor’s degree from Culver-Stockton.