SUNY Maritime College Annual Report 2020-2021

Ahdiyah A. Robey 1/C Company F Commander / Marine Transportation, Deck License President, Black Student Union C adet Ahdiyah Robey a senior studying Marine Transportation knew from as far back as grade school that she would someday work on the water. In her hometown of Philadelphia, PA, she attended a maritime academy during her middle school and high school years, which greatly influenced her decision to attend Maritime College. After visiting the College in 9th grade, Robey was determined to pursue a Maritime College degree and gain a U.S. Coast Guard deck license.

classroom as a means of distancing herself from others as a precaution. “In license classes, you know others in your section or class, and you want to study with them as a group to make sure you’re covering everything you need to know. We weren’t able to study together during that semester and it was difficult.” Regimental activities were adjusted, and formations were, at times, held inside. She observed the implementation of stricter safety practices and often stayed in her room. By the Spring Semester, Robey remained cautious and was hesitant to participate in Summer Sea Term knowing that she was obligated to complete her senior cruise. For the first half of the Sea Term, she participated in the Cadet Shipping Program and sailed the second half of the Sea Term on the Training Ship Empire State IV as it took its first international journey in two years. “Cadet Shipping was a great experience and really helped prepare me for the second half of the Sea Term on the training ship. Visiting the international ports on the training ship was amazing and even though there were limitations due to the virus, it was nice to eat in another country and be a tourist.” One important aspect Robey learned about herself was that she was more extroverted than she originally thought. While she approached the school year with caution, she realized that she preferred being social during a time in which that was not always possible. She also learned the importance of leadership, “Being a cadet in leadership was challenging. I had to separate work from my social life and learned how to make hard decisions.” After she obtains her Third Mate license, Robey seeks to work on the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Dredge McFarland, a job, she says, would be her dream.

During her first few years at Maritime College (pre- pandemic) she sailed during Summer Sea Terms to gain the sea time necessary for licensure. After learning that the 2020 Summer Sea Term would be cancelled, Robey grew more concerned about not being able to be with members of her close-knit New York City family who she frequently stayed with when she was off campus. “I was on campus during the late summer, but I was nervous to have contact with students and didn’t participate in Pier- Side Training.” Having been accustomed to the hands-on experiential training and learning she knew for several years, Robey found the beginning of the Fall Semester to be a difficult adjustment. “It was difficult to take some courses online and not be able to be in the classroom with your teachers. There were no clubs, there were no sports. That transition to online learning was very hard and I didn’t know what to do.” She created a sense of “normalcy” by gathering with her closest friends once a week outside of the College. These weekly outings helped her build a sense of friendship, relationship and camaraderie with her classmates. Robey also found herself changing her classroom and studying practices, often sitting in the front of the

Visiting the international ports on the training ship was amazing . . . it was nice to eat in another country and be a tourist.

Annual Report 2020-2021 9