FMSAA
News From Fort Schuyler
September 15, 2008 - Volume 8, No. 32
ONWARD AND UPWARD - The Maritime Administration's new Associate Administrator for National Security is KEVIN TOKARSKI '84. Kevin, who joined MARAD in 1985, will be primarily involved with MARAD's role in emergency preparedness, sealift support, ship disposal, ship operations, and its three divisions Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts. Since graduating from Fort Schuyler, Kevin has earned master's degrees from the University of Maryland and the Naval War College. Read more about it at the Marine Log website www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMVII/2008sep00090.html [Thanks to JIM YAHNER '86 for the heads up.]56 YEARS ON - Twenty-nine members of the Class of 1952 held a three day reunion in Alexandria, Virginia from 28-31 August. According to Class Secretary, JOHN INGRAHAM, "Reunion chairman CHRIS ZIRPS and his staff arranged a full schedule of day trips about the Washington, D.C. area as well as a dinner at the Fort McNair Officers' Club.... ED HEROLD was re-elected class president for another two year term and John Ingraham was re-elected as class secretary." The class, which has biennial reunions, will celebrate their 58th in the Virginia Tidewater in 2010. John also writes, "The years since my time at the Fort grow longer, however, I and my classmates have fond memories of our stay there when we grew from boys to men."
THOSE RANKINGS - Several alumni responded to BOB SCHWIEGER's '64 comments on the item about college ratings in the last issue of NFFS. One alumnus wrote: "I think schools should concern themselves with doing a good job & let the chips fall where they may." Another NFFS reader wrote: "Interesting to read Bob Schwieger's take on what was a surprising story!" PAUL WILSON '69 wonders "...if the ranking has anything to do with the fact that other schools' alumni associations are an active part of the daily life of the students? It seems that our administration's attitude is 'don't go near these kids until we're done with them.'" He also notes that the other maritime schools provide links to their alumni association on their websites. And Bob Schwieger himself writes: "By the way, no one has ever accused me of sugar-coating anything. I have been accused of being too blunt, however, I know that you will find that hard to believe. What's wrong we me to be the only one bothered by a last place? Fort Schuyler always took pride in graduating industry leaders....."
The final word, however, goes to JOE HOFFMAN '75 who shared an e-mail response he sent to an alumnus. Joe is the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fort Schuyler. "Thank you for your offer of support and for your concern about the rankings. There are many factors that go into the rankings, one being peer review or how well members of other institutions think of us. From what we have been able to determine that is a factor in our ranking. I'm told this may take some time to turn around because of institutional memory. We are working hard on this, as well as those things that WE can control."
"The great news in all this is that we are listed as one of the best in many areas where we were not even listed at all prior to the last few years. And there are literally hundreds of colleges not listed. Interestingly, the Princeton Review, another college ranking publication which is generated primarily by student opinion surveys, does not list the other colleges, while we are prominently reviewed. To me, this is extraordinarily important as it is our students that we are serving and their opinions mean a great deal."
"Some colleges do not like these rankings at all, but we have found that being listed helps with inquiries and more students applying."
OPEN HOUSE - Those college-bound high school students who are interested in visiting Fort Schuyler to see what SUNY Maritime College is all about, will have four opportunities for an overnight visit in the coming months, beginning on 26 October. Prospective students see the campus, tour some of its facilities, and get the lowdown on academic programs, scholarship and financial aid. If you have family members or neighbors who are high achieving high school juniors tell them about Fort Schuyler - it could change their lives. For more information about the visits check the college website or contact admissions@sunymaritime.edu
OOPS - Cherish that season opening gridiron win against Massachusetts Maritime. This past Saturday, at Newport, RI, the Privateers lost 46 to 14 to the Salve Regina University Seahawks. [Defense, defense!]
LEARNING EXPERIENCE - A September 8th Daily News article featured the four Chinese earthquake survivors, ranging in age from 19 to 21, who are now enrolled at Fort Schuyler, where they will be taking six courses that complement their majors in international economics and trade. "The plan is for them to return to China in May 2009 to help rebuild the local economy and infrastructure. Each has already committed to a period of national service in Sichuan....The students [three male, one female] are already being immersed in American culture. They have American roommates, have taken part in Maritime's annual pizza-tasting contest and attended university football games." Dean of Students, ERIK KNEUBUEHL, notes that: "They'll learn about American culture and get to improve their English. And we will learn more about Chinese culture and way of thinking. And maybe we'll discover that we're not as different as we sometimes think we are."
EBB TIDE - The alumni website recently added two obituaries, an extensive one for RON STELTER '86, who died on July 6 2007 following complications from surgery, and an incomplete notice for JOEL PIERSON '60, which only noted that he died in 2008. (www.fsmaa.org/Classes/EbbTide.cfm) Old press accounts, however, indicate that Joel Pierson was a Lieutenant in the NYC Police Department in the 1990's and commanded the 46th Detective Squad in the Bronx prior to his retirement. He was involved in a number of high profile cases during those years. [Since NFFS was unable to confirm Joel Pierson's death date from other sources, anyone with additional information should send it to NFFS.]
According to the alumni association posting about Ron Stelter, he emigrated from the Netherlands with his family when he was two. "In a misguided attempt to straighten out his rebellious ways, Ron decided to attend the New York Maritime College .... The stories from his college days are legendary.." including high jinks during cruise. Although graduating with an engineering degree, Ron went into commercial insurance and lived in Ohio, upstate New York, Virginia and finally New Jersey. There are various tributes to Ron from fans of Splintered Sunlight, a Grateful Dead tribute band formed in 1992. These can be found in the "forum" section at www.splinteredsunlight.com He was laid to rest at a tie-dye funeral service at the Blake Doyle Funeral Home in Collingwood, NJ. It can be safely said the Ron marched to a different drummer throughout his life.