President’s Watch

AS A KID, I used to take my father’s 1943 MMA yearbook off the shelf now and then, and flip through its pages. Each time, the images became more familiar. I would look for people I knew and compare the images of old times to my 1960s life in Castine and on campus.

William J. Brennan

MMA President
Dr. William J. Brennan

Maine Maritime Academy yearbooks capture the spirit of campus life, and they’re a window into the passage of time. Familiar faces bring back memories of favorite people and moments; photos from classrooms and labs remind us of changes in technology and facilities. Some changes are obvious; others are more subtle.

Throughout the years, notable events, such as the annual training cruises, might sum up the MMA experience: a focused, hands-on educational journey within a tight community, where you make friends for life and become prepared for a career of consequence.

The 8,000-plus alumni who called MMA home through their college career, and the nearly 1,000 current students, have varied experiences, but also common ideas, knowledge, training, struggles, friends, and connections that live on, both then and now.

It’s only after some time that we can more easily see and appreciate the impact that MMA has had on us.

Yearbook picture collage

Raising the main mast on Leavitt Hall lawn in 1943.

This issue of Mariner highlights memorable images from Trick’s End yearbooks over the years and brings moments of Maine Maritime Academy history into the present. You will also see the 2019 donor honor roll, Impact, featuring the many alumni and friends who have volunteered their time, shared their talents, and given monetary contributions to support the student experience.

Impact demonstrates how alumni are taking an interest in giving back to the college in all sorts of ways. The data is in, and it’s undeniable: this last year was the most successful fundraising year in MMA history. As a community, we should be very proud of that accomplishment.

Alumni have been generous in supporting the student experience.

I hope you enjoy the memories included in this Mariner. I also hope you take a moment to feel some MMA pride and remember that you are one of many who have made a difference here.

As always, please keep in touch.█