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policy, literature of the sea, and either oceanography or marine ecology. Courses are taught in both classroom and collections space on the Mystic Seaport campus and in the 8,000-square-foot James T. Carlton Marine Science Center, which offers facilities for teaching and research of estuarine/ coastal biology and geology. Students have access to the museum’s collections to conduct independent research. Instruction in traditional maritime skills complements the academic program and offers hands-on opportunities to interact with maritime artisans, sailors, and musicians and includes boat handling, shipsmithing, sailmaking, boat building, and chantey singing. As participants in the museum’s demonstration squad, students learn to handle sails, work aloft, set and furl sails, and embrace the culture of seafaring life past and present. Students row and sail the museum’s thirty-foot whaleboats, tong for oysters, and cook over a nineteenth-century fireplace, all while educating muWilliams-Mystic students conducting field studies in the intertidal zone. seum visitors about maritime history and seafaring heritage. Williams-Mystic students also get a taste of primary research through travels to the Pacific, Gulf, and Atlantic coasts to conduct fieldwork and sail on the open ocean. The spring 2019 term will take students to Puerto Rico and St. Croix in the Caribbean; Monterey Bay, San Francisco, and Bodega Bay Marine Lab on the West Coast; and the Louisiana Consortium Marine Lab and Grand Isle, Louisiana. They will explore a variety of topics including, but not limited to, digging into the complexities of ecosystems, commerce and industry, urban and rural cultures, local history, indigenous cultures, and the impacts of climate change. In the fall semester, students will travel to Alaska to Gustavus Bay and Glacier Bay National Park. Executive Director Tom Van Winkle explains, “This is what the William-Mystic experience is about: Our students are presented with different issues from multiple lenses. We present ideas from a wide spectrum and don’t preach outcomes.” Williams-Mystic continues to prepare students with an academically rigorous curriculum and gives them the experiences and perspectives to become leaders who will take on some of the world’s most pressing issues. Founded in 1977, the Williams-Mystic program boasts over 1,700 alumni, representing successful professionals in a variety of fields. Lifelong friendships are made during this transformative semester. Through its strong alumni network, current students and recent graduates of the program connect with alumni, staff, and faculty past and present. Dr. Tom Van Winkle, executive director, and Benjamin W. Labaree, director emeritus and program founder, will accept the award. Thomas B. Crowley, chairman and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation will present the award. Crowley received the Silver Bell Humanitarian Award from the Seamen’s Church Institute in 2018. The NMHS Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education honors individuals and organizations whose outstanding achievements in maritime education bring history alive for young people, providing real-life results and getting young people involved in the continuous process of learning that will have a fundamental impact on their lives. The award recognizes work that teaches maritime history in a way that conveys the challenge, excitement and leading role of our seafaring past in creating today’s world. NMHS Chairman Ronald Oswald and NCGMA Chair Susan Curtin invite you to join us for this incredible evening. Sailor, commentator, author and America’s Cup champion Gary Jobson will serve as master of ceremonies. NMHS Vice Chairman Richardo Lopes and Digital Video Media will present video introductions on awardees. Guests will enjoy a special performance by the United States Coast Guard Academy Cadet Chorale, directed by Dr. Robert G. Newton. The Combined Sea Services Color Guard will present colors. Hotel Block: We have booked a block of rooms at the Hilton Attire is business/cocktail. Ticket prices start at $275 and range Garden Inn Downtown Washington at 815 14th Street NW, to $5,000, $10,000 to $50,000 for much-appreciated support. two blocks from the National Press Club, from 1–4 May at We are particularly grateful to Admiral Jay L. Johnson, USN $269 per night plus an occupancy fee of 14.95%. This block (Ret.), and Howard Slotnick for becoming Underwriters. is available until 1 April or until it is sold out, whichever comes Please check our website at www.seahistory.org/washing- first. You can find the link for hotel reservations on the NMHS ton2019 for more information or to make your reservations. website. If you are making your hotel reservation by phone, Or call 914 737-7878, extension 0. be sure to use the Group Code “NMH.” Ph. 202 783-7800.
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