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The State University of New York Maritime College is located in the Bronx, New York City in historic Fort Schuyler on the Throggs Neck peninsula where the East River meets Long Island Sound. Founded in 1874, the SUNY Maritime College was the first college of its kind (federally approved, offering commercial nautical instruction) to be founded in the United States.

The school offers Bachelor of Engineering degrees in electrical, facilities, marine, and mechanical engineering; marine electrical and electronic systems; and naval architecture. It offers the Bachelor of Science degree in business administration/marine transportation, general business and commerce (with a humanities concentration), general engineering, international transportation and trade, marine environmental science (with a meteorology or oceanography concentration), and marine operations. All bachelor's degree programs may be combined with preparation for the professional license as a United States Merchant Marine Officer. The College also offers a master's degree in International Transportation Management, as well as several graduate certificate programs.

Most of the degree programs may be completed while concurrently preparing for the United States Merchant Marine officer's license as a third mate or third assistant engineer. Additionally, SUNY Maritime College has the only United States Navy/United States Marine Corps Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program in the metropolitan New York City area, which prepares enrollees for commissioned officer positions in the US Navy and US Marine Corps.

Regiment of Cadets

The undergraduate student body at the Maritime College is organized into a Regiment of Cadets. The Regiment is a military-style organization and is governed by a set of Rules and Regulations similar to that of the US federal service academies. The Regiment is led by cadet officers assisted by professional personnel of the Office of the Commandant of Cadets. The College sets high standards for conduct, leadership, teamwork and personal appearance that are in keeping with the demands of the profession and the best traditions of the sea going services.

The regimental system offers a vehicle for developing the leadership skills of the cadets, supports the professional training of the cadets, and provides a framework for safely managing a large number of cadets at sea on the training ship.

History

The State University of New York Maritime College's history began over 125 years ago. In response to industry demand, more Americans were being encouraged to enter maritime careers. The Governor of New York applied for a training ship and, on December 14, 1874, the USS St. Mary's arrived in New York harbor and became the home of the first commercial maritime institution in the United States. The initial 26 students aboard the St. Mary's, known then as the New York Nautical School, became the first class of what has evolved into the State University of New York Maritime College.

As the school prospered, it became a land-based, degree-granting college, finding a permanent home in 1934 at the Maritime College's present Fort Schuyler campus. The College is one of the original institutions incorporated into the State University of New York system in 1948 and was the first of its kind to enroll women in 1972.

At Sea

The College's primary ship, Empire State VI, a 565 foot (172 m) vessel driven by a 17,000 horsepower (13 MW) steam turbine engine, is the best-equipped training ship in the United States. Originally built as a break-bulk cargo freighter for States Lines, it was converted by the Maritime Administration and delivered to the College for use as a training ship in 1990. The Empire State is host to cadet watches and work parties during the academic year, and departs each May with the college's cadets on board for "Summer Sea Term," a two-month training voyage. Athens, Dublin, Barbados, Naples, Barcelona, London, Istanbul, Kiel, and Copenhagen are just some of the recent ports of call for the Empire State VI.

During summer sea term cadets function in a three part cycle. The first part if the cycle is the watch rotation, during the watch rotation cadets stand “watches” that are vital to the safe running of the vessel. Examples of these watches include Corpsman watch, Navigation watch, lookout watch, boiler watch, and radar observer watch. During each watch rotation cadets spend four hours on watch and eight hours off watch; this cycle is repeated until the end of the three day watch rotation. The second part of the cycle is Maintenance and Repair (M&R). During the three day long M&R rotation cadets spend from ten to twelve hours a day performing routine Maintenance on vital areas of the ship. For example deck cadets may be found wire wheeling, painting, and repairing cargo gear, while engine cadets may be found servicing the MSD tanks, and performing electrical work. The last part of the three part cycle is Class. During the three day long class rotation cadets spend eight hours per day in classes that reinforce good watch standing, and hone their professional skills in marlinespike seamanship, radar theory, International Navigational Rules, plumbing, electrical work, etc…

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Empire State VI was mobilized on September 8, 2005, to provide berthing for up to 700 ConocoPhillips employees. Students from the school's Regiment of Cadets, as well as students from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, volunteered hours of time in between classes to prepare the ship to depart. The ship was readied for departure in record time, and remained in Bel Chasse, Louisiana for six months before returning to her berth at the college on March 8, 2006. The crew and the College were awarded a commendation for their service from the Maritime Administration.

The college also opperates the USNS Stalwart (affectionately called "the wart" by the colleges cadets/staff); which it uses for additional engineering, and port security training.

On the Playing Fields

The college fields 19 varsity teams ("The Privateers") in five different conferences, including football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, swimming, softball, soccer, volleyball, cross-country running,rugby, rifle and pistol. The college has attained national prominence in crew and sailing.

Notable alumni

External links

References

  • http://www.sunymaritime.edu/zpt/z04/z0400.makka?z=966
  • http://www.sunymaritime.edu/zpt/z02/z0200.makka?z=571

Maritime colleges in the United States | SUNY technology colleges

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "State University of New York Maritime College".

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