51�鱨վ

By Joy Vann

By the time he was a sophomore in high school, 51�鱨վ senior David Costello knew the line of work he wanted to pursue. He’d considered working in the arts, especially music. He thought about different types of business jobs, many that would require sitting at a desk all day. But after considering his family history, his curiosity about how stuff works and his experience as a band manager, he landed on the perfect field—supply chain management.

He will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration of Supply Chain Management from the Department of Information Technology & Decision Sciences in the Strome College of Business.

Coming from a Navy family that moved quite a bit grew his curiosity about shipping and logistics. Then, he learned that both of his grandfathers worked in the supply chain industry. One was a truck driver, the other a warehouse clerk.

He also oversaw the equipment for the marching band he played in as a percussionist, spending countless nights figuring out how to load props, audio equipment and drums, and having to fix things on the spot.

 “That was my job. And I just loved the problem solving that came with it,” he said. “It structured my way of thinking into objective, goal-based problem solving. If you really think about supply chain, it's just problem solving.”

Costello is primed for the workforce thanks in part to 51�鱨վ’s commitment to having all students get hands-on work experience. He had an internship at Givens, a third-party logistics company in Chesapeake. There, he found a mentor in Andrew Jenkins '90, an 51�鱨վ alumnus, former marching band member and former president of the Student Propeller Club, which is dedicated to the maritime industry.

“He has mentored me throughout my time there, working during the summer and winter break and now working part-time in the warehouse, which I really enjoy. A high velocity of goods is constantly coming in and out of the warehouse and it’s been a great learning experience,” Costello said.

Another big part of his student experience has been as treasurer of the Student Propeller Club. He’s helped with marketing events, panel discussions at the Virginia Maritime Association and staffing the University’s maritime conference.

“We do a lot with our parent organization, the Propeller Club Port of Norfolk. We also hold student-led workshops on business etiquette,” Costello said.

Every student involved has to practice making business cards, creating resumes and getting established on LinkedIn, he added.

“We want them to get out there and have the skills to communicate and build relationships. The biggest thing about supply chain is building trust and proving your reliability.”

Other highlights of studying supply chain and maritime operations at 51�鱨վ include trips to the Norfolk International Terminal, Purdue Agriculture, SVT Robotics, Stihle’s Foreign-Trade Zone warehouse and Dollar Tree’s high velocity warehouse.

The students also attended the Virginia Maritime Association’s annual banquet in October which provided the opportunity to meet with business leaders in the industry. Four Student Propeller Club officers also attended the annual conference of the International Propeller Club in Tampa, Florida, last October.

Costello and his fellow officers went with Ricardo Ungo, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor and director of the Maritime & Logistics Institute. They attended discussions about cybersecurity, AI, the “gray wave” — the societal and workforce changes resulting from the aging and retirement of the baby boomer generation — and the Houthi rebel crisis.

“We were able to see a lot of interesting perspectives from the international clubs. We reached out to them and to other student organizations to see how we differ, how we are similar, and how we might work together in the future,” he said.

Costello added that the group has grown exponentially since last spring thanks to Dr. Ungo and Kuntal Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., who is the director of the School of Supply Chain Logistics and Maritime Operations. 

“If it hadn't been for their support, along with the industry's support, we wouldn't have grown to the size we are right now. I think we're sitting around 14 active members, and then anywhere up to 25 who come to events.”

Costello said that the Student Propeller Club has provided a solid foundation in leadership and teamwork.

“In the real world, if you don't understand how to interact with people, how to communicate, delegate and work as a team, then it's not going to be practical,” he said. “It’s not just about technical skills, it’s about building soft skills.”