ITI Welcomes Cohort 11

DENVER, Colo. — The Intermodal Transportation Institute (ITI) at the University of Denver announced that its newest class of 16 transportation management professionals has begun its Executive Masters Program.

Cohort 11, which began this 2012 fall — quarter, is yet another diverse class to enroll since the graduate program’s inception in 1999. During ITI’s 13-year history of providing graduate-level education for transportation management professionals, 157 students have graduated through June 2012, and there are currently 35 students (Cohorts 10 and 11) in the process of completing the program. ITI’s unique Executive Masters Program has a retention rate of 98 percent and a very high graduation rate of 98 percent. Cohort 10 (19 professionals) will graduate in June 2013 and Cohort 11 will do so in 2014. ITI graduates receive a Master of Science in Intermodal Transportation Management from the University of Denver.

This year’s Cohort 11 includes transportation management professionals from Mexico and Singapore in addition to the U.S. Students are from a broad spectrum of transportation sectors, including rail, trucking, port operations, logistics providers, transit agencies, retail companies, and public transportation solution providers.

“The broad spread of students enrolling in the program is a reflection of the transportation industry’s growing understanding of the need for new approaches to the challenges that confront it in today’s global intermodal trade environment,” said Cathryne Johnson, ITI Executive Director. “ITI’s graduate program at the University of Denver offers an interactive learning experience that provides current and future transportation leaders with the management, analytical, and operational skills necessary to address both business and public-policy issues during these critical times.”

A unique feature of the ITI Executive Masters Program is the amount of significant interaction between students and industry leaders that occurs on a regular, quarterly basis. Not only are many members of the ITI faculty team practicing professionals, but they also invite many high-profile guest speakers into the classroom. Also, each October, the ITI Board of Directors hosts an annual panel discussion, reception, and dinner in Denver during the students’ residency week, providing the opportunity for current cohorts, alumni, guest speakers, and ITI Board members to renew connections, network, and engage in the ongoing learning process.

The ITI Executive Masters Program requires students to attend five one-week residencies on-campus over a period of five quarters. The residencies are followed by an international travel seminar, where students meet a broad spectrum of international industry executives, learn different ways of thinking, and experience another culture. A key feature of the program is the collaboration between industry and academia, which enhances the learning experience of the students and reinforces the value of continuing and higher education for transportation managers and professionals.