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By Joy Vann

As ���ϲ�����’s inaugural Maritime Student of the Year, senior Finley Stoops is poised to make waves in the blue economy.

The Virginia Beach resident graduates this month with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on maritime and supply chain management from ���ϲ�����’s Strome College of Business. Then, she starts her job as an assistant operations manager at The Port of Virginia. With hands-on experience gained through work and internships, she is well prepared to embark on her maritime career.

Finley earned an associate degree at Tidewater Community College before coming to ���ϲ�����. During that time, she held a position at a small company that did automotive work and government contracting, which was her first foray into the supply chain. She enjoyed it so much that she decided to make it her major.

As a transfer student, Finley said that joining the Student Propeller Club was just one way to get involved at ���ϲ�����.

“If you want to be involved, you have to make the effort. Once I come for the day, I stay for the day, because then I can be involved in all the events the University offers,” she said.

Finley was one of the first students Kuntal Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., Beazley Professor and director of the University’s School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations, mentored after joining the University in 2024.

He invited Finley to join the Student Propeller Club, and she’s glad she did.

“Ever since then, I just felt like I found my people in the maritime and supply chain program,” she said. “The Student Propeller Club was a great way for me to meet people and make friends.”

Dr. Bhattacharyya engaged industry contacts and helped Finley get an internship at Dollar Tree and later prepared her for interviews and salary negotiations.

“I credit the School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations, the Strome College of Business and the Student Propeller Club for helping me get that internship,” she said. “Companies came to speak when they were looking for interns, so I met the recruiters on multiple occasions before I even applied.” 

Of Dr. Bhattacharyya, Finley said, “He's been super helpful meeting with me and reading over my resume. He really cares about the professional development of students and not just making sure that they get a good grade on things.”

After serving as secretary, she is now vice president of the Student Propeller Club, which has grown from a small group of students into a full roster of up-and-coming maritime industry experts.

“I absolutely loved the work that we’ve been able to do in the Student Propeller Club. I’m trying to help other students who are not part of it, or maybe they're new to the program, see the impact that it has made on my educational career.”

Finley has enjoyed other opportunities provided by the Student Propeller Club, including tours of the Norfolk International Terminal at The Port of Virginia; an Amazon warehouse tour with the Monarch Real Estate Club; and resume reviews and networking events with the Virginia Maritime Association. Some members of the Student Propeller Club attended the International Propeller Club Conference in Lyon, France, in October 2025, which was supported by the group’s parent organization, the Norfolk Propeller Club.

Finley received the inaugural Maritime Student of the Year award on March 10 as part of the University’s fourth annual Maritime Conference, which focused on collaboration, workforce development and innovation — an event emblematic of the University's maritime focus.

“With more than 300 attendees from industry, government and academia, the conference was the perfect platform to present Finley with this inaugural award,” said Elspeth McMahon, Ph.D., associate vice president for Maritime Initiatives, who organized the conference and initiated the recognition.

“Finley’s leadership in the Student Propeller Club, strong academic achievements and dedication to the maritime community in Hampton Roads embody exactly what this award is meant to celebrate. As ���ϲ�����’s first Maritime Student of the Year, Finley represents the next generation of leaders who will help steer the future of the maritime sector.”

Mentorships &�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

Finley was also influenced by the School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations mentorship program that links industry professionals with students looking for opportunities and networking experiences.

She has enjoyed being mentored by David Sloane (MBA ’98), senior vice president for labor relations at U.S. Marine Management. He is a member of the ���ϲ����� School of Supply Chain, Logistics and Maritime Operations Advisory Council and has been an adjunct professor since 2010. In addition to what she learned in his International Maritime Transportation course, Finley appreciated his professional guidance.

"He's been a great resource, helping connect me with people I wanted to meet and talk to about what their job looked like, and if that would be something that I'd be interested in,” she said.

Internships &�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

���ϲ�����’s Strategic Plan, Forward-Focused: Where Innovation Meets Possibilities, calls for all students to participate in internships or work-based learning by 2027. Finley said her experience, as a data analyst intern in the supply chain department at Dollar Tree, was invaluable and provided her with practical skills and insights that enhanced her understanding of the industry.

The 10-week internship included a project that required business skills and analytical thinking and led to a lasting solution for the company.

“I created a new dashboard that was conceptual and built specifically for the things that the vice presidents I interviewed wanted to see,” she said. “I simplified the data to make it more visually appealing, easier to understand and faster, so they can make decisions based on it.”  &�Բ�����;&�Բ�����;

When Finley starts her new job at The Port of Virginia, she is not sure whether her focus will be in maritime, rail or truck operations — regardless, she is ready for the challenge.