President's Watch

Change as a Constant

As temperatures dip here in Castine and the days get shorter, another semester is coming to a close, and the new year is just around the corner. Fall has flown by.

William J. Brennan

MMA President
Dr. William J. Brennan

Finals are looming, and we are about to congratulate December graduates, so the weekday pace is not only fast, but sometimes frenetic, as we pack everything we can into each class or lab and each meeting. Amidst the fleeting days there are significant changes—sometimes imperceptible, sometimes undeniable— occurring across the campus.

On Veterans Day, we held our annual ceremony on Leavitt Lawn, followed by a lunch for veterans with the new Student Veterans Association (SVA). A ribbon-cutting for the new Maine Maritime Academy Veterans Center, located in Quick Hall, commemorated the opening of a space for all veterans on campus. The Veterans Center was a student-led initiative, and it goes beyond the new space to include resources to assist veterans in their transition to campus life.

At the bottom of the hill, the pier was empty this semester because the State of Maine is in dry dock at the GMD Shipyard in Brooklyn, New York, for planned maintenance. The ship is due back in Castine in January. Other renovations in progress include improvements to the Curtis Hall main lobby, and upgrades for accessibility at Wyman House.

There are significant changes—sometimes imperceptible, sometimes undeniable—occurring across the campus.

We have focused on other notable areas of progress in this issue of the magazine: the growth of opportunities for women in engineering; the progression of the sailing team over the years; and the return of MMA graduates who come back to campus as faculty and staff to give back, educate, and further the mission of the college.

Over Homecoming weekend, we connected with a few alumni who had not made the trip back to Castine since their graduation. For them, campus wasn’t how they remembered it, so it was ‘barely recognizable.’ We know that change is constant, and it’s also incremental. When many years have passed, small changes add up to big progress.

As you explore the magazine, you’ll see evidence of meaningful change: new people and programs at MMA, and new plans and careers in the lives of our alumni. With the digital version of the Mariner that launches with this issue, you can peruse the magazine anytime and anywhere you have an internet connection. The digital Mariner is one more step towards communicating with our alumni where you are, all around the world. We hope you will stay connected and let us know what changes are happening in your life and career.█