Maine Maritime Academy Welcomes the Class of 2015

Maine Maritime Academy faculty, staff, and students began welcoming new students in the Class of 2015 to campus last week for a series of annual orientation sessions. According to Jeff Loustaunau, vice president for enrollment management, 310 students are expected to participate in the program.

“Maine Maritime Academy’s popularity has propelled entering class numbers forward in recent years, “said Loustaunau. “While the incoming Class of 2015 represents an increase of 15 students from last year’s entering class, our total undergraduate enrollment will remain steady at just slightly under 940 students,” he said. With a continued trend in growth of new student applications, he added that college president, Dr. William J. Brennan, has initiated a comprehensive enrollment management study that is actively underway at this time. “Our strong enrollment is a terrific indicator of the solid return on investment parents and students are seeing in us. Our primary goal is to continue to offer a quality experience and outcome while exploring the idea of an optimum number for overall student body enrollment.”

The orientation programs, scheduled for Aug. 15-17, Aug. 19-21, and Aug. 24-26 utilize workshops, lectures, recreational activities, and team-building events to help introduce many aspects of the college, including academic policies, the judicial system, student services, and co-curricular activities. Particular sessions have been timed to coordinate with the start of fall athletic team practices to enable new student-athletes to report to the start of their season. In recent years the college revised its orientation programming from a single program to offerings of three separate orientation sessions with a goal of enabling orientation staff and student leaders to provide smaller group discussions and activities and a more welcoming environment for new students.

Regimental Preparatory Training (RPT), a series of training and team-building exercises designed to introduce incoming students to membership in the college’s Regiment of Midshipmen, is coordinated with the three orientation sessions. The program, a requirement for those incoming students intending to become a third mate or third assistant engineer upon graduation, is open to all students on a voluntary basis. It emphasizes traditions of the MMA Regiment of Midshipmen, military drill, and aquatic training. The program includes an extensive introduction to the training ship State of Maine, and students live aboard ship, participate in tours and familiarization exercises, and complete safety-related drills. RPT will be conducted from the evening of Sun., Aug. 21, to the afternoon of Sun., Aug. 28, 2011.

According to organizers, particular RPT activities may be noticeable to the public. Student marching units will utilize public routes linking the waterfront and main college campuses. Daily tours of the Town of Castine will be conducted each evening from 4-5 p.m., and will focus on familiarizing students with community resources, municipal offices and services, and local businesses.

RPT includes an athletic field day, encouraging friendly competition between the 4 student companies. Activities include relay races, tug of war, and strength competitions. The field day, scheduled for Sat., Aug. 27, from 1-3:30 p.m., will take place on Ritchie Field, the college’s all-weather in-filled synthetic turf field. In the event of rain, the field day will be held in the college’s fieldhouse. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Continuing an MMA seafaring tradition, new students will join together in a confidence jump from the side of the training ship, State of Maine. The jump, born out of practical training needs for students entering seagoing careers, also serves as a class unification activity and is symbolic of a willingness to embrace the numerous adventures and challenges typical of a Maine Maritime Academy education. This year's jump is scheduled to take place on Sun., Aug. 28, at 8 a.m. Community spectators are encouraged to attend and offer their support to new students.

Returning students are expected to arrive on campus on Sun., Aug. 28, with classes beginning Mon., Aug. 29. The college will hold its second annual Convocation on Weds., Aug 31, at 10:10 a.m. in Alexander Fieldhouse. The event serves as community-based welcome to all new and returning students. All members of the extended MMA community are invited to join the college in welcoming new students at this special ceremony. Other fall semester highlights will include Homecoming Weekend, Sept. 23-25, and Family & Friends Weekend, Oct 7-9.

CALENDAR ITEMS:

Maine Maritime Academy Regimental Preparatory Training Field Day, Sat., Aug. 27, 1-3:30 p.m., Ritchie Field (MMA Fieldhouse if rain), Maine Maritime Academy, Castine. Spectators are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

Maine Maritime Academy New Student Orientation Ship Jump, Sun., Aug. 28, 8 a.m., T/S State of Maine, Waterfront Campus, Maine Maritime Academy, Castine. Spectators are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

Convocation, Alexander Fieldhouse, Weds., Aug. 31, 10:10 a.m. The community is welcomed and encouraged to attend.

Maine Maritime Academy Homecoming Weekend, Sept. 23-25.

Maine Maritime Academy Family & Friends Weekend, Oct. 7-9.