Fort Schuyler_2023_Fall_web

LETTER FROM ROBERT JOHNSTON ’69 Chairman, SUNY Maritime Foundation

One hundred and fifty years ago, the school ship St. Mary’s was launched to provide career training for “wayward boys”, we all recognize that the College has come a long way since then. At its core, Maritime College has always been an institution that changes lives. Throughout our history, Maritime has provided a pathway to economic prosperity for countless graduates both at sea and ashore. As the articles about Art Sulzer ’74, and José Femenia ’64, within this issue illustrates, a Maritime College degree is a springboard to a wide range of opportunities. In celebration of the College’s 150th anniversary, Admiral Alfultis and the Maritime College Foundation launched the Maritime College Sesquicentennial Campaign. Its purpose is to raise financial support for students, faculty, and facilities. These efforts will allow Maritime to continue to provide a rigorous, well-rounded academic education, a strong technical foundation, applied learning opportunities, and an emphasis on leadership development second to none so graduates can compete and succeed in the industries we serve. . Initiatives include the recruitment of accomplished, visionary educators to fill positions of retiring faculty, increasing student enrollment, and providing enhanced academic programs that will prepare students to solve problems, adapt to changing shipboard and shoreside technologies, and equip them with the skills necessary to rise to the highest levels of corporate leadership. One of the greatest challenges the College faces today is keeping the cost of education affordable so that aspiring students from every economic background can attend Maritime. To do this, we must increase scholarship support. The success of the 2023 Admiral’s Dinner, which grossed over one million dollars, was an impressive first step in increasing scholarship support and highlighted the commitment of alumni and industry partners to extend “one hand” to students in need. But we need to do more. We must increase regimental and non-regimental student enrollment to ensure the financial stability of the College and continuously advocate for increased state and federal funding to offset the high cost of Summer Sea Term. With your help, the Sesquicentennial Campaign will provide the financial resources needed for the College to continue its trajectory as a global leader in maritime education. I hope you will join me in making a three-year pledge of support to build on the College’s success under the leadership of Admiral Alfultis and to successfully launch our next president.

SUNY MARITIME FOUNDATION Board of Directors

Robert Johnston ’69, Chair John Bree ’78,Vice Chair Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons William F. Austen ’80 Michael Chalos ’70 William C. Gallo ’70 John Krousouloudis ’76 Joe Maurelli ’63

A.J. McAllister ’80 Bruce S. Rosenblatt

Ex-Officio Michael A.Alfultis Douglas Hasbrouck Roxanne Thompson

Best regards,

Capt. Robert Johnston ‘69 Chairman, SUNY Maritime Foundation

26 | Fort Schuyler Fall 2023