Hudson County Community College Student Earns a Paid Internship with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
May 5, 2025
Hudson County Community College student Leonardo Amador, a member of the College’s Class of 2025, has been awarded a paid internship with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
May 5, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) student Leonardo Amador was selected for a spring 2025 paid internship with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). During the full-time, 12-week program, he will utilize the knowledge and skills acquired at HCCC in maritime, supply chain, and logistics industries related to transportation, logistics, and distribution.
Set to receive his Associate in Science degree in Business Administration at Commencement on May 21, 2025, Leonardo is active in the HCCC School of Business, Culinary Arts, and Hospitality Management and within his community. A tutor with the Educational Opportunity Fund program, Leonardo is a member of the inaugural cohort of students engaged in Hudson B.E.S.T. (Business Education Supplemental Training), part of the College’s partnership with the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) that connects pioneering corporate and higher education leaders focusing on economic mobility and competitiveness.
According to Dr. Ara Karakashian, Dean of the HCCC School of Business, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, Leonardo is an initiative-taking individual with a passion for lifelong learning, whose skills range from customer service to team leadership. “Leonardo exhibits excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. During his time at HCCC, he sought opportunities that allowed him to grow both professionally and personally,” Dr. Karakashian said. Leonardo joined a cohort of HCCC students in the Model United Nations Club who participated in the recent Harvard Model United Nations Conference in Boston, collaborating with over 2,500 students worldwide.
“We are proud of Leonardo for his accomplishments and ambition,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “Qualifying for an internship with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is especially significant and highly competitive. This is a coveted opportunity for students seeking experience in specific fields or programs within the agency.”
After graduating and completing his internship, Leonardo plans to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Analytics at Rutgers Business School in Newark.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey internships provide students with opportunities to work with experienced professionals on assignments critical to building, operating, and maintaining transportation and infrastructure assets. Hands-on projects allow interns to quickly become part of the team and help the agency with its mission of keeping the region moving.
Founded in 1921, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the United States. The agency's network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the World Trade Center site, where One World Trade Center is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere.