08/24/2026
๐ ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง
August 24, 2026
Maritime College Family,
Welcome to the 2026โ2027 Academic Year! There is nothing quite like the beginning of a new academic year. As students return from Summer Sea Term and internships, faculty and staff prepare for another year of teaching and service, and our newest Cadets and students begin their Maritime journey, our campus is once again filled with excitement, purpose, and endless possibility.
The start of a new academic year reminds us that every day at Maritime is an opportunity to learn, lead, serve, and grow. It is also a time to celebrate, give gratitude, and reflect on how far we have come and to look ahead with confidence.
When I arrived two years ago, our immediate responsibility was to stabilize the institution. Today, Maritime College is no longer defined by the challenges we inherited but by the opportunities we are creating. Together, we have restored confidence, strengthened our institution, and positioned Maritime College for continued success and growth. Our priorities remain clear and our resolve is strong. We are now entering the next phase of our journey not simply to sustain our progress, but to accelerate it.
Our Strategic Voyage Plan gives us a clear course, and we will continue to build on that strong foundation with discipline, urgency, and ambition. We have strengthened enrollment, restored our financial position, expanded student success initiatives, modernized our campus, and deepened partnerships with industry and government. These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters and demonstrate what is possible when an entire community works toward a common purpose.
As we begin this year together, I ask each of you to embrace our core values of ๐๐จ๐ฒ๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ. Challenge yourself academically, seek opportunities beyond your comfort zone, and become actively involved across campus. Leadership is developed not only in the classroom and labs, but also aboard the ship, on the athletic field, through student organizations, and by serving others. Support your classmates and colleagues, lead with integrity, treat every member of our community with dignity and respect, and take advantage of every opportunity our Peninsula of Opportunity has to offer.
Success at Maritime is never achieved alone. We are ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, a community built on trust, accountability, and a commitment to looking out for one another. If you need help, ask for it. If you see someone who may be struggling, reach out or connect them with support. Every member of our community shares the responsibility to be an active bystander and help foster a campus where dignity, respect, and inclusion are the standard. Our Mental Health counselors, Title IX Office, faculty, staff, coaches, and fellow students are here to support you. Seeking help is a sign of strength, and offering help is a hallmark of leadership.
This year, you will continue to see improvements across campus as we modernize residence halls, enhance academic spaces, strengthen campus safety, and invest in the technology and facilities that support a world-class maritime education and leadership development that define Maritime College.
The months ahead will be filled with traditions, spirited competition, meaningful service, and lifelong memories. I encourage you to engage fully in campus life, support one another, and take pride in being part of Maritime Nation. I also hope you will join us throughout the semester as we celebrate the many events that bring our community together, including:
โช๏ธ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ โ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐
โช๏ธ ๐
๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ โ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐
โช๏ธ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฅ'๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ โ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐
โช๏ธ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐๐ฌ โ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐
โช๏ธ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ซ ๐
๐๐ข๐ซ โ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ซ ๐
โช๏ธ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐
๐๐ฆ๐ โ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐
โช๏ธ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ โ ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐โ๐๐
As your President, and as a proud alumnus, it is an honor to welcome you back to the Fort. I have never been more optimistic about the future of SUNY Maritime College. Together, we are building an institution that honors its proud heritage while preparing the next generation of maritime leaders. Maritime College has always been a place where ordinary people prepare to do extraordinary things, and each of you now has the opportunity and the responsibility to become one of the leaders our nation and our industry cannot do without.
I look forward to seeing you around campus.
๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐. ๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐
๐จ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ.
With Utmost Respect and Admiration,
John
"๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ด ๐๐ช๐ณ๐ด๐ต โ ๐๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐๐ญ๐ธ๐ข๐บ๐ด"
