Herff welcomes We Work the Waterways for Maritime Interaction Day
April 8, 2026
The Herff College of Engineering is excited to welcome We Work the Waterways, a national maritime education outreach program, for Maritime Interaction Day on Friday, April 10, 2026.
Herff and We Work the Waterways will hold an event between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Edwards Research & Innovation Center at the University of Memphis to bring together high school students from across the region for an immersive introduction to careers in the maritime, shipping and logistics industries. Students will engage directly with maritime professionals and explore a wide range of career pathways through hands-on Explorer Dock stations and interactive demonstrations.
“We bring the industry to the students,” said Errin Howard, Executive Director of We Work the Waterways. “Our goal is to help young people understand how vital the maritime industry is to communities like Memphis and show them that there are meaningful, well-paying career opportunities available right here at home.”
Through the event, students will have opportunities to experience line handling, equipment demonstrations, safety exercises, and navigation concepts. Industry professionals will provide insight into careers across vessel operations, engineering logistics, marine services, port operations and more. Those careers are particulary important in Memphis, situated along the Mississippi River and playing a vital role in the nation's inland waterways system.
Herff and We Work the Waterways greatly appreciate the Maritime Industry Partners who helped make the event possible, including the International Port of Memphis, Wepfer Marine, American Commercial Barge Line, Ergon Marine Industrial Supply, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PTL Maine, The Metal Museum, Lucy Woodstock, Port of Rosedale, Enstructure, Magnolia Marine and the University of Memphis.