August 19, 2024

Dear Friends,

We have much to be grateful for at the close of the 2024 fiscal year. In a time marked with successes and some notable changes at the Academy, we are pleased to report that the philanthropic support of MMA remains strong. Our community has demonstrated their belief in what we offer students, and that support has ensured our success. We have partnered with private industries to deliver innovative programs, proving Maine Maritime to be a strategic asset to the State of Maine and the Nation.

MMA is known for its extensive professional networks; in 2024, our Advancement Office pursued new relationships and deeper engagements with the corporations that support our graduates as they enter that workforce. We instituted new programs, such as our first annual Admiral’s Dinner, to serve as a connecting platform for corporations in the broader maritime industry and welcome participation in keeping our students current within the industry.

We enjoyed record attendance at our summer reunions, welcoming over 150 alumni and their guests to campus, the largest grouping of alumni to participate in reunions since 2018. In May, the schooner Bowdoin embarked on its first trip to the Arctic in 16 years, crossing the 70th parallel and arriving safely in Castine. This history-making trip offers our students a unique hands-on experience and is the perfect example of experiential learning at MMA. Our athletic teams clinched three conference titles, and our sailing team placed first in the national Los Angeles Harbor Cup. Most notably this year, with your help, we raised $974,400 for annual scholarships to be awarded in the 2024/25 academic school year and $700,000 towards our endowed scholarships. These scholarship dollars will ensure that students who want and deserve to be at MMA will find a place at MMA.

We hope you will consider joining us on September 27^th-29^th for a reengineered Homecoming, which will further integrate our students and alumni. This fall we will also announce new and revitalized giving societies to show our gratitude for your support. We will also introduce an annual fund campaign that is more strategically aligned with the needs of the Academy, with a focus on growing our constituent base. As always, thank you for the significant role you played in our 2024 successes. We hope you will continue as a partner in 2025.

Sincerely,

Craig Johnson
Interim President
Maine Maritime Academy