THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 24, 1995 TAG: 9505240492
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
The State University of New York offers a course of study that places about 95 percent of its graduates in jobs within weeks of graduation.
Of course, it's not for everybody.
Summer school, for example, is rigorous: two straight months, at sea, for three years.
Those who do finish have more to show for their efforts than many college graduates: a degree, yes, but also a commission in the Reserves and a Coast Guard license to operate marine vessels.
The program is SUNY's Maritime College. For the first time since the school was founded more than 100 years ago, its cadets will visit Norfolk as part of their at-sea study. Five hundred of them, in uniforms similar to the Navy's, arrive Friday to visit military and civilian shipping installations.
In return, the college is offering public tours of its floating classroom, the Empire State VI, Friday through Wednesday.
The college is one of five maritime schools associated with state universities. The others are in Maine, Massachusetts, Texas and California. They offer courses comparable to the better-known U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y., one of the five military academies operated by the federal government.
One graduate, retired Navy Capt. Dick Trimble of Suffolk, says courses also are similar to those taken by officers he has worked with who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy.
``People say, `Oh, you're in the merchant marines, you're a Marine,' but that just isn't so. It just means you're allied with the maritime industry,'' he said. Trimble, a 1952 graduate of the SUNY Maritime College, served for 25 years in the Navy before going to work for an oil company.
``The school doesn't just turn out merchant marines,'' he said. ``It does much more than grind out mates and engineers. It has an eminent reputation in the maritime field.''
Located at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx, the college was established in 1874 and is the oldest maritime academy in the United States. It offers a dozen degrees in such areas as engineering, marine transportation, meteorology and naval architecture.
About 15 percent of its graduates go into active- duty military service; Naval ROTC is offered there. It has an enrollment of 700, about 10 percent of whom are women.
Graduates go on to careers in private industry, including import/export businesses, brokerage, port management and ship design.
``Newport News Shipbuilding employs many graduates,'' said Trimble, 65. ``By having the cadets visit here, they can broaden their knowledge of the areas in which they can be employed, visit the companies and have some personal one-on-one experience with the agencies.''
Norfolk is the first port of call during this year's summer tour. Next, the ship visits Naples, Italy, and Toulon, France.
It is scheduled to return to the college's New York pier on July 18. MEMO: EMPIRE STATE VI VISITS
Where: Nauticus pier, downtown Norfolk
When: Saturday Noon to 6 p.m.
Sunday Noon to 6 p.m.
Monday 2 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday 2 to 6 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: SUNY MARITIME COLLEGE photo
A floating classroom of the Maritime College at the State University
of New York. Graduates earn a degree - and a commission in the
Reserves and a Coast Guard license to operate marine vessels.
by CNB