Like many young boys, Bradley Lellis enjoyed building with LEGO bricks. His favorite creations were planes, ships and trains. He also loved watching their real-life counterparts pass by in his daily travels.
Who would have thought those early interests would shape his dream career?
A native of California, Lellis graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Superior May 16 with a major in transportation and logistics management (T&L). He explained how he first caught the “transportation bug.”
“As a kid, I lived five minutes away from the train tracks,” Lellis said. “That included both Amtrak and massive freight trains.
“I liked aviation, too. I flew frequently to visit my aunt and uncle in Orange County and always loved being on airplanes.
“I was also interested in the maritime industry,” he added. “Seeing those giant container ships is like watching entire cities moving on the water. I’d see them coming through the Port of Oakland, under the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Upon graduation, Lellis will be well prepared to pursue a career across multiple transportation modes — and several industries.
California Roots, Midwest Opportunity
Lellis was born and raised in Pinole, California, near San Francisco. His mother, Pam Lellis, has worked as a physical therapist for the Oakland Unified School District for much of her career.
A chance encounter ultimately brought him to UW-Superior. While searching for a university with a strong T&L program, Lellis met Daniel Rust, professor of transportation and logistics management and School of Business and Economics department chair, during a railroad-focused youth summer camp jointly hosted by Michigan Technological University and UW-Superior.
After several productive conversations, Lellis scheduled a campus tour. The rest, he said, was history.
“I liked the small class sizes, the fact that UW-Superior had a T&L Club, and the overall vibe of the area,” Lellis said. “I also love the snow, the brick buildings and the coziness of the campus.”
Learning Every Mode of Transportation
As a T&L student at UW-Superior, Lellis has studied the full scope of the transportation industry.
“In this program, you learn about all modes of transportation,” he said. “That includes air transportation — public, private and cargo; maritime transportation; ports and terminals, including how cargo moves to and from ships; land transportation, such as railroads, trucking and pipelines; and international and intermodal transportation.”
The curriculum also addresses the documentation and logistics required to move cargo between countries and across multiple transportation modes, such as from ship to rail to truck.
Lellis spoke highly of both the program and the campus experience.
“All of my professors were very welcoming and made themselves available whenever I had questions,” he said. “I’ve also made a lot of friends here. My overall experience has been extremely positive.”
Faculty Perspective
That positive impression is mutual.
“As a student, Brad asks insightful questions,” Rust said. “I can always count on him to probe beyond the obvious facts to seek a deeper understanding.
“To make the most of his opportunities at UW–Superior, Bradley participated in multiple collegiate competitions, completed two internships and demonstrated strong leadership as T&L student club president,” Rust said.
He added that Lellis encouraged student engagement by launching recognition awards for club members who attended meetings, participated in trips and assumed leadership roles.
“Brad continually inspires me to be a better professor and mentor to the next generation of transportation professionals,” Rust said.
Leadership Beyond the Classroom
While completing his studies, Lellis held several part-time, on-campus positions, managing content creation for the university’s marketing and athletics departments.
He was also deeply involved in extracurricular activities. Lellis served as an events planner, social media manager and president of the T&L Club. He completed two internships — one with the Port of Oakland and another with Bio-Rad, a biotechnology company headquartered in Hercules, California.
In addition, Lellis participated in three T&L competitions and completed a customer analytics project for Lake Assault Boats, a subsidiary of Fraser Shipyards in Superior. The project was conducted alongside two fellow UW-Superior students under the guidance of Mei Cao, professor of supply chain management.
Looking Ahead
Lellis has already applied for positions across several transportation and logistics fields.
“I applied to BNSF Railway as a management trainee,” he said. “That role would take me wherever I’m needed.”
He also applied for a commercial manager position with SSA Marine in Seattle and for a role with Matson, a shipping company based in Walnut Creek, California.
“One day, I’d love to return to the Port of Oakland,” Lellis said. “My dream job is to become its director of maritime. This degree is incredibly versatile — you really can go anywhere and do so much with it.”
Written by UW-Superior
Link to original story: https://uwsuper.edu/about/news/earning-a-degree-that-delivers/