Every day, massive cargo ships navigate in and out of the 520-acre PortMiami, the 10th busiest cargo port in the country and the world’s largest and busiest cruise port. Contributing to that traffic over the summer was Miami Dade College business student Juan Jose Serna Tabares, who interned at the port, a prominent trade gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America and a major economic driver for Miami-Dade County. MDC is the Port’s official academic partner.
“I conducted detailed analyses of international port data using specialty software,” said Tabares, who earned an associate degree in Business Administration and is working toward a Bachelor of Applied Science in Supply Chain Management. “My role involved deciphering economic trends and their causes, as well as examining cargo logistics, commodities and shipping routes.”
Serna embarked on a solitary journey to Miami from Colombia when he was only 14. Six years later, he became the first in his family to graduate from college.
He’s grateful for the personalized attention he receives at MDC’s West Campus. “The professors here are not just familiar with my name; they’re invested in my success,” he said. “Unlike my peers at larger institutions, I’ve never felt reduced to a mere number at MDC.”
Tabares has become a role model for his younger siblings. His brother Jeronimo, 19, is already enrolled at MDC.
“When I graduated with my associate degree it was a moment of absolute pride,” he said. “It felt so good to be able to walk at commencement in front of my mother and brothers. I’ve come a long way.”