Blue Water Scholarship Fund helps youth enter maritime work

EDUCATION BP

Some of the career choices available to maritime graduates include:

PHOTO: iStockphoto.com/lindsay_imagery

Fund helps youth enter maritime work

Blue Water Scholarship Fund founded by friends who benefited from the maritime industry

Tony Moceri • Ship’s Officer (deck or engine) • Chartering • Ship Operations • Brokerage • Shipping Finance • Ship Agency • Trading • Multiple Engineering

Disciplines • Naval Architecture • Military Service

Graduating from high school and figuring out what to do next is a complex proposition these days. College tuition is through the roof, as is the cost of living across the board, leaving many teens wondering where to go and what to do. Attending college can leave people with debt they will be paying off for years, and entering the workforce means working their way through the ranks to reach a decent wage. The Blue Water Scholarship Fund tries to shed some light on a path that few are considering because they know nothing about it.

Founded in April 2017 by Jaime Cleveland, John Curtin and Jim Hoy, the Blue Water Scholarship Fund helps spotlight the great opportunities in the maritime industry while widening the path to good jobs for youth. The three founders all came from humble beginnings and happened into the maritime industry, which led to rewarding and lucrative careers that allowed them to travel the world.

“The maritime industry is like a very well-kept secret in the United States,” Cleveland said. He and his partners want to change that while helping people get into those careers with a financial boost.

Six colleges around the country offer four-year degrees focused on the maritime field. There are a variety of paths offered, including ship operations, brokerage, naval architecture, ship’s officer, trading, or military service. These degrees provide direct career paths in a high-demand arena while also teaching real-world skills that are transferable outside of the maritime industry. This combination allows

At a recent dinner with nine cadets (from Washington, Hawaii and California) after spending the day on California Maritime’s campus. Front left, John Curtin, BWSF founder and front right, Jaime Cleveland, BWSF president.

BWSF’s three founders with the one of the first recipients and their family at the annual NY Maritime College’s homecoming. The six state maritime Academies located throughout the USA:

graduates to find employment in high-paying jobs after college.

“People don’t know that all these maritime schools, at one time or another, show up regularly beating many of the Ivy League schools on return on investment,” Cleveland said.

Most are state schools that are cheaper than private schools and will cost approximately $100,000 for a degree. The high wages paid in the industry make this a much better investment than many other degrees, and for those who need financial assistance, the Blue Water Scholarship Fund is there to help.

The team of friends set up this nonprofit to operate with very little overhead so that all the money donated can go directly to helping those who need it. There are no paid positions, yet the founders spend a great deal of time ensuring that recipients of funds are deserving and mentoring those recipients to maximize success for the individual. Many of the youth they are helping get going in life come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The organization is not looking for students with the best grades or highest test scores but individuals with a desire to take a path that can change their and their families’ lives for the better.

“A couple of thousand dollars, which is not going to change most people’s lives, can make all the difference,” Cleveland said.

As of the fall of 2021, The Blue Water Scholarship Fund had awarded $285,000 to 81 recipients since the initial scholarships in 2019. The team is pleased with the lives they already have positively impacted and are looking to continue to grow.

Cleveland recently moved to Whatcom County and is looking for ways to be a part of the community and share the organization’s message locally. He and the rest of the team can be contacted through the website, https:// www.bluewaterscholarshipfund.org. On the site, visitors can learn more about the maritime industry, the colleges and ways to contribute to the organization.

• Texas A&M Galveston

Maritime Academy • State University of

New York (SUNY)

Maritime College • Massachusetts

Maritime Academy • Maine Maritime • California Maritime • Great Lakes Maritime