SUNY Maritime College 2019-2020 Annual Report

As Austen reflected upon his career after retirement, he and his wife, Nancy decided to donate $1 million to Fort Schuyler. His gift, the largest given by an individual donor, is the first million dollars ever awarded to Maritime College by an alum. “The kernel, if you will, of my success as a leader was Fort Schuyler,” said Austen. “The opportunity to be a leader is one of the most unique aspects that every Fort Schuyler graduate learns and leaves with when they graduate. I knew it was time to give back substantially and Fort Schuyler was first and foremost.” Austen’s generous gift will be applied towards the construction of the College’s

innovative Seamanship Training Center. The cutting-edge Center will be set on the beautiful waterfront and feature a Marine Environmental Science wet lab on the first floor consisting of aquaria and touch tanks for

students will be completed in late 2021. Throughout Austen’s professional journey, his commitment to Fort Schuyler has been unparalleled.

A proud alumnus, Austen continues to solidify his legacy in leadership as one of six founding members of the SUNY Maritime Foundation Board of Directors of which he has served since 2017.

teaching and research. The second floor will support seamanship training for students and professional mariners. Sustainability design directives for the two- story structure include environmentally-friendly green technologies such as net-zero energy building (NZEB) and mass timber construction. The living, learning laboratory for Facilities Engineering

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