After facing and conquering numerous hurdles to complete their degrees, almost 60 students were awarded diplomas at a special recognition ceremony held on September 24.

Among the trials many of the graduates overcame included a global pandemic that affected their Summer Sea Terms and internships, remote and hybrid learning, technology issues, mask wearing, social distancing, loss of sports and other campus extracurricular activities, and for some, participating in two consecutive 67-day sea terms this past summer. RADM Alfultis acknowledged these obstacles in his congratulatory remarks to the graduates saying, “You met all of the challenges over the past year and now you are here to celebrate! My hope for you is that you will meet the challenges that come your way with the same grit and determination you demonstrated over the past year.”

The event was held at the Maritime Academic Center where graduates, their families and friends gathered for a champagne toast and celebrated on a picture-perfect day. During the ceremony, CAPT Earnest Fink '75, Dean of the School of Maritime Education and Training, issued the U.S. Coast Guard Oath to those in the license programs.

Congratulations to all of the graduates!

View all the photos on Flickr.