Consortium including Sandburg designated as Center of Excellence by US Maritime Administration

 The Corn Belt Ports Rural Logistics & Maritime Training & Education Consortium, which includes Sandburg as a member, has been designated as a 2026 Center of Excellence (CoE) for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education.

 

The consortium was one of 16 CoE designees for 2026 by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD). The CoE title is valid for five years and supports maritime training programs that prepare students for careers in the industry by highlighting workforce development, high-quality career paths and national infrastructure.

 

Formed earlier this year, the Corn Belt Ports Rural Logistics & Maritime Training & Education Consortium is a regional workforce development initiative through a network of higher education institutions from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin located along the upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Its focus is to further align with industry demands for afloat and ashore careers and to solidify long-term regional collaboration.   

 

The consortium includes Sandburg, Western Illinois University, Black Hawk College, Culver-Stockton College, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, Illinois Central College, John Wood Community College, Northeast Iowa Community College, the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and Western Technical College.

 

“Being designated as a Center of Excellence by the Maritime Administration is a considerable achievement for Sandburg and this consortium,” Sandburg President Dr. Seamus Reilly said. “This joint effort of community colleges, universities, industry champions and public partners speaks to the importance of addressing our region’s workforce needs and training students for careers that will support them. Having this designation will shine a brighter light on the critical role inland maritime and logistics industries have in this region.”

 

Member schools work with Corn Belt Ports, an organization of federally recognized ports within the Corn Belt’s lock-and-dam system, to keep the consortium’s work aligned with industry goals and academic strengths. They also partner with We Work the Waterways, a national nonprofit education organization, to ensure regional efforts meet maritime workforce priorities.