The motivated and energetic alumni base around our nation’s capital gathered for a tailgate party at the Maine Maritime Academy vs. Catholic University Cardinals football game on Saturday, November 10. Josh Collamer and Jason Grabelle, both class of 1998, hosted some 30 alumni, family, friends and academy officials, welcoming our football team on its initial visit to DC. Larry Burrill ’77 was honorary team captain during pregame coin flip, along with his business partner Joe Carlini (Catholic University alumnus). The previous evening, Burrill hosted a reception for area alumni at the Army Navy Club, a private, Five-Star Platinum Club on Washington, DC’s historic Farragut Square. It was a great event.

A group from the Puget Sound area gathered on Saturday, October 20 at the home of Minh ’90 and Emily Harriman in Mukilteo, Washington.

In attendance was (shown above, front) Everett Cooper ’58, Sharyn Pohlman, MMA Major Gift Officer, Lauren Sakahara ’11, Minh Harriman ’90, Andrew Carr ’84, Eric King ’90, and David Hopkins ’84.

Joe Curtis ’97, MMA Director of Career Services, attended the Pacific Marine Expo on November 18-20. Along with securing great field experience and employment leads, Curtis met with MMA alumni Chris Fay ’76 and Eric King ’90 at an informal gathering at the Elysian. This may become an annual event to incorporate a more formal reception, similar to the International WorkBoat Show.

“Many thanks to Minh and Emily for the warm welcome for the alumni get together,” says Polman. “The conversation flowed from what’s new at MMA to what’s new with everyone.”

Maine Maritime and Massachusetts Maritime co-hosted an annual alumni reception at the Westin Hotel, New Orleans on November 29 during the 2018 International WorkBoat Show. Jeff Wright, Alumni Relations Director, gave a briefing on the state maritime academy National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV)program, a MARAD initiative to replace our aging training ships. Special thanks to Richard “Dicky” Balzano ’89, Deputy Director of MARAD, for providing Jeff the key talking points regarding NSMV specifications, funding status and proposed timeline.

The southern Maine and New Hampshire area chapter held its annual Alumni Scholarship Scramble on September 27. More than 100 golfers raised almost $20,000 to support deserving students attending MMA.

The Seacoast Chapter has two endowed awards. The first is the Capt. Thomas Smith Award, given annually to the Cadet Captain of the TS State of Maine. Smith graduated in 1967 and sailed the world for Lykes Lines. He was a founding member of the Seacoast Chapter and served for many years as its treasurer.

The second is the Paul Mercer Award, which goes each year to the Cadet Chief Engineer. Paul Mercer ’73 served as Director of Alumni Relations for many years, and just recently retired as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Mercer has been a good friend to the chapter and a mentor and teacher to many alumni.

The winning team was comprised of alumni from the class of 1986 (shown above): John “JP” Paulsen, Mark Eisenhaur, Shawn Longfellow, and Craig Burpee. The Seacoast Scholarship Scramble is held the Thursday before Homecoming in the Southern Maine/New Hampshire area.

Each year the chapter also awards four additional scholarships to deserving students. This year’s recipients were: Chloe Smedley, junior, International Business & Logistics student, Wells, Maine; Nicholas Parker, senior, Marine Transportation Operations student, Newmarket, New Hampshire; Sheldon Parent, sophomore, Marine Engineering Technology student, Dayton, Maine; and Christopher Brassard, senior, International Business & Logistics student, Wells, Maine.