CN Donates $500,000 to University of Memphis’ Southeast Transportation Workforce Center

September 20, 2018 - The University of Memphis received a $500,000 donation from CN, renewing the railway's long-standing partnership in support of the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center, it was announced Thursday.

“Developing a diverse transportation workforce is our top priority," said Dr. Stephanie Ivey, director of the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center (SETWC). "We are so excited to continue our strong partnership with CN. One meaningful aspect of this partnership has been introducing women, underrepresented minorities and veterans to the excellent career opportunities found in this industry where emerging technologies and global complexities create challenging but rewarding career opportunities that make a difference in our world."

CN has committed more than $1 million to the UofM since 2015.

"We are proud to continue our long partnership with the University of Memphis," said John Orr, senior vice president and chief transportation officer at CN. "We are hiring hundreds of people across our network, and as the railway and the transportation industry changes, we will be looking for more talented people to join our team. Programs like this help develop the future railroaders needed to serve our customers and our economy."

Established in 2012, the UofM's Southeast Transportation Workforce Center addresses workforce challenges related to the limited pipeline of potential workers, evolving job requirements and limited understanding of transportation career pathways. Founded through funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, SETWC collaborates with regional and national partners to conduct relevant research and develop innovative programming and solutions that prepare the transportation workforce of the future.

For more information about the Southeast Transportation Workforce Center at the UofM Herff College of Engineering, visit www.memphis.edu/setwc. The Herff College of Engineering offers nationally-ranked undergraduate and graduate programs in five academic departments: biomedical engineering, civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, engineering technology and mechanical engineering, and is housed in one of only two public universities in Tennessee classified as research intensive.

CN is a true backbone of the economy whose team of more than 25,000 railroaders transports more than $250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and Mid-America. For more information about CN, visit the company's website at www.cn.ca.