I write this on Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day. Whether you had the day off or not, like the revised name of the holiday, feel kids should be in school or not or if those Columbus statutes should stay in place, I believe we can agree that Christopher Columbus was a courageous mariner who made contributions to the earliest days of our country and global maritime industry. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Every ship that comes to America anyone got his chart from Columbus.” I’m also reminded of some of Christopher Columbus’s own words such as “Life has more imagination than we carry in our dreams.”
Providing maritime internships and financial stipends to students has always been a part of the Connecticut Maritime Association initiated and supported by its founding members. After more than 25 years, it was a dream to create the CMA Education Foundation, a 501 c 3 non-profit, in 2010 to imagine a vessel that can offer both a broader and self-sustaining outreach. The mission of the CMA EF is to promote and support maritime related education through financial assistance and activities. In 2024, the CMA EF distributed $82,500 in scholarships, provided approximately $11,400 in internship stipends to date, $5,000 in research paper prizes and hosted a maritime career day at a local high school and a student panel at the annual CMA Shipping conference. True to Columbus’s words, life has more imagination than we carry in our dreams, since its beginning, the CMA EF has awarded over $542,000 in scholarships, $209,000 in internship stipends and $55,500 in the research paper prizes as well as hosting career days and CMA Shipping conference student activities. The CMA EF is very grateful to the CMA, its members and Commodores for their continued support of this important educational mission. It truly takes a team to make the dream work.
Columbus is also noted for saying, “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” To help students who have the courage to explore a less traditional career or academic path and sea a future in the maritime industry, please help us continue our mission by hosting or funding an intern, donating to our scholarship fund or contributing your time by participating in our 2025 High School Career Day, serving on the Scholarship Committee or as a mentor to a student. As we approach the end of 2024, please consider the CMA EF in your planned end of year giving. We will publicly acknowledge and thank our donors in the December newsletter. On behalf of the Board and myself, we sincerely appreciate your support. Donations can be made at www.cma-edu.org, when renewing your CMA membership or accepted via check or wire transfer. Please reach out with any questions or if you would like to participate in the upcoming Career Day at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, CT. Happy Fall!
Sincerely,
Beth Wilson-Jordan
Executive Director
Beth@cma-edu.org
www.cma-edu.org
P.S. Students the call for papers for the 2025 Business of Shipping Research Competition is open! See the attached flyer.
