2016-3_FINAL

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MMA President’s Watch

T

ime seems to race faster each year, and

August came more swiftly than ever as the

sounds of Regimental Preparatory Train-

ing, athletes practicing on Ritchie Field, and a

full dining hall signaled the excitement of the

transition from summer to a new academic year.

By now, you have received the special 75th

commemorative issue of Mariner. My hope is

that you enjoyed the publication, and perhaps

learned something about Maine Maritime Acad-

emy that you didn’t know before. We heard from

many of you that the articles prompted you to

reach into your memory bank. I consider myself

lucky to have been the recipient of many letters

and stories that you shared as you connected

back to your history with MMA.

Wonderful stories came to light during this

anniversary year, along with all sorts of connec-

tions that were re-kindled. At Homecoming, we

welcomed more alumni and guests than at any

other Homecoming in recent memory. Alumni

came to campus for all of the regular attractions

as well as a few that were planned just for the

75th. On Friday, we invited alumni to partici-

pate in morning muster, attend classes, and play

a round of golf at the Castine Golf Club. That

evening, we held a Welcome Reception, the Hall

of Fame Ceremony, and the Alumni Banquet,

followed by an entertaining show with comedian

Jimmy Dunn. On Saturday, the MMA vs. MIT

football game was very well attended, as was

the March On, with alumni representing every

honor year. The barbecue and street dance at

the town waterfront drew a crowd of nearly 300

people and culminated with cake and a fireworks

show out in the harbor.

The stories I heard from alumni echoed the

pride and genuine affinity they have for a place

that challenged them in more ways than one, but

that they also credit for helping to shape them

into the people they are today. As one exam-

ple, we share with you in this issue a few vivid

memories from Timothy D. Keefe, Class of 1966.

Tim was the band leader during his years as a

deck student at MMA. Of his visit to Castine for

the ’66 reunion last summer, Tim said, “Many

thanks again for my chance to turn back the

clock, to dream one more time, to hear my bugle

calls...”

Of course, I credit MMA for having a big

influence on me, having grown up on campus.

My connections to the college and to Castine

have been a constant in my life for more than 50

years. The 75th anniversary gave us all a chance

to reflect, to reach out to old friends, and to link

ourselves back to the MMA community.

With this third regular issue of the magazine,

we will close out what has been a very eventful

and celebratory 2016, but our memories endure.

Please keep in touch, or consider reaching out

to someone you may have been missing from

your years at MMA. We are all the richer for the

connections that MMA has helped us to create

in our lives.

MMA President

DR. WILLIAM J. BRENNAN