KINGS POINT, N.Y., December 18, 2018 - On Monday December 10th, eleven United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) midshipmen received scholarships at the annual Connie Awards luncheon and awards ceremony in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The event drew an audience of over 400 distinguished attendees from a broad cross-section of the maritime and transportation industry.  CAPT Preston DeJean, of the Department of Marine Transportation accompanied the midshipmen.

The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII), which has promoted education in the international trade and transportation industry since 1960, organizes the affair. The Connie Award was established by CII to recognize individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of container shipping and intermodal transportation. This year’s Connie Award went to Michael Wilson, Senior Vice President at Hamburg Süd North America.

As part of the Connie Awards event, CII and its partner firms also present scholarships to students committed to a career in the field. 

Crowley Maritime Corporation presented awards to five USMMA midshipmen. First Classmen William Wood, Benjamin Starr (Maritime Logistics & Security majors), and Charles Hughes (Marine Engineering & Shipyard Management); and Second Classmen Michael Bell (Marine Engineering Systems) and William Quigley (Maritime Logistics & Security) received the Thomas B. Crowley, Sr. Memorial Scholarship, which honors the firm’s founder.

CII’s Richard A. Simpson Scholarship was awarded to Midshipman Benjamin White, a Maritime Logistics & Security major in the Class of 2019.  The scholarship was established in honor of Dick Simpson, a longtime Crowley executive and officer/member of the CII Board of Directors.

The Norton Lilly Scholarship was awarded to First Class Midshipman Samuel Ney (Maritime Logistics and Security).  Norton Lilly is one of the largest ship agency services in North America, providing port services and logistics for vessels in the oil, gas, breakbulk, dry bulk, container, and cruise industries.

Midshipman Matthew Lynch, Class of 2019 (Maritime Logistics and Security) received the Port of Long Beach Scholarship.  The Port of Long Beach, one of the largest ports in North America, is a strong supporter of maritime and transportation education.

The Portwide Scholarship was awarded to Midshipman Brian Patrick Harris, Class of 2019 (Maritime Logistics & Security). This scholarship was presented by USMMA Alumnus, Thomas J. Delaney, Class of ’86, President, Portwide Cargo Securing Company.

First10Forward Scholarships were presented to Plebes Alexa Lumpkin and Shelby Bowman.  First10Forward is a non-profit corporation, the mission of which is to advance professional goals of women and girls pursuing non-traditional careers.

Captain Jon Helmick of the Department of Marine Transportation has coordinated scholarships for CII and its partners at the Academy since 1996 and served for many years on the CII Board of Directors. He said: “There is no greater satisfaction in my job than seeing our talented, hard-working, and deserving midshipmen recognized by the CII and its partners at this prestigious event.”