National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) President Ashley Wieland has been elected to a three-year term on the Industry Advisory Board for the Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) Program at Penn State Altoona.
Penn State’s Industry Advisory Board for its RTE Program is comprised of a diverse cross-section of high-level railroad industry professionals from various sectors of the industry.The board plays an important role developing and directing the RTE program so its students can effectively address the unique needs of the railroad industry.
“There has never been a more important time to address the need for the next generation of leaders in the railroad industry,” says Wieland. “I am delighted to join with others on the board in shaping Penn State Altoona’s RTE program to recruit, train and prepare students to have successful careers in the railroad industry.”
Penn State Altoona offers the nation’s first and only Bachelor of Science degree program in Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE). The program gives students an in-depth engineering and mathematics education required to meet the challenges facing today’s railroad industry.
Wieland leads the NRC, a U.S. trade association that advances the mutual interests of and suppliers who construct, maintain and supply railroads and rail-transit lines. She has more than 10 years of integrated experience in government relations and association management in the railroad and transportation industries.
The NRC scholarship was an important component of my undergraduate studies at St. Ambrose University. It enabled me to take an internship in physical therapy in Costa Rica the summer before my junior year. It was a rewarding experience that solidified my academic direction to become a Physical Therapist. Receiving the scholarship my senior year allowed me to reduce my working hours to focus more time on my academic studies.
Student, Future Doctorate of Physical Therapy Class of 2026
Progress Rail
