CETL Info Session at the College of Business Administration
On October 15th, 2026, the Center of Excellence in Transportation and Logistics (CETL), with the help of student association APICS, paid a visit to the College of Business Administration in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez to talk about the importance of business administration students in transportation and logistics, as well as share the opportunities and benefits available to business students at CETL. With over 40 participants, the information session was a complete success.
As a precursor to the information session, CETL’s business administration students Ana P. Oquendo and Gianna P. Fagundo led an information table at the College of Business Administration to spark students’ interest in CETL’s opportunities.
Kicking off the session, business administration professor and CETL-affiliate Dr. Benjamin Rosa gave a crash course about supply chain and the different ways students can become involved, especially within the industry of transportation and logistics. The presentation highlighted the different aspects of the supply chain and how it affects the island’s day-to-day. Dr. Rosa emphasized the importance of a healthy and stable supply chain, especially in Puerto Rico where vital merchandise is imported every day.
In order to further develop talent in transportation and logistics, a new course in transportation and logistics is taking place in the following semester, GERE4046: Transportation and Logistics in the Supply Chain. This course is aimed at developing Business Administration students in transportation and logistics. So far the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez has a course offering of 49 courses across different disciplines all focused on transportation and logistics. Out of the 49 courses, 19 are in the College of Business Administration.
After an enriching presentation from Dr. Benjamin Rosas, CETL graduate student Rosa Laureano presented “Estudia lo que quieras y Aplícalo a transportación y logística” (“Study What You Want and Apply It to Transportation and Logistics”). The title of this presentation is an important motto for CETL’s mission as it highlights the interdisciplinary nature of transportation and logistics. The presentation started off asking students to think about how many stops coffee grounds need to take before landing in their cup. Who makes sure the correct amount is shipped? Who is in charge of making sure clients receive their coffee? From harvesting to transportation to distribution to customers’ cups, the coffee grounds needed to pass through the hands of hundreds of capable workers and travel large distances all coordinated by professionals in transportation and logistics.
The CETL leads the development of talent and innovation within transportation and logistics as well as serving as a hub with the industry for the socioeconomic development of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The CETL emphasizes its function as a resource for students. It has opportunities for development within academic and research circles as well as a direct tie with industry experts. The CETL invites business administration students to make the most of the research and work opportunities available, emphasizing the crucial role they play for logistics.
The resource the CETL most emphasizes for interested students is its Talent Bank. The Talent Bank is a repository where students can share their skills and connect with partner companies looking for talent as well as join the CETL family to work towards the future of transportation and logistics. The CETL Talent Bank offers coops, internships and capstone projects to students that join. Business administration students directly benefit as they can gain hands-on experience with companies.
From left to right: Dr. Benjamin Rosas, APICS President Lorraine Porrata, CETL representatives Tatiana Pinzón, Ana Oquendo, Gianna Fagundo, Rosa Laureano, Carlos Álvarez and Dr. Patricia Valentín.
In partnership with Dr. Patricia Valentín as facilitator, the CETL is hosting ENACTUS. ENACTUS is an organization directed to business students and people with promising and innovative business ideas. It will host a competition that will guide students throughout the development of their ideas through workshops before presenting it at the CETL showcase, on December 10, 2026, unto a panel of industry professionals. The competition aims to be a direct tie-in to the three pillars of CETL, industry, academia and innovation, and offer participants a boost into the realm of entrepreneurship. Registration for ENACTUS opens on October 28th, 2026.
