Merchant Marine Academy is a service Academy in Kings Point, New York of both the Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard. Its main purpose is to train officers and midshipmen in proper techniques to operate large ships as well as how to properly administer naval laws. It is only one of five Merchant Marine Academies in the United States. The four year program offers majors in Marine Transport, Maritime Logistics, Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering Systems, and Shipyard Management.
Kings Port is an extremely small town and it population is a little over 5,000. Because of its location in New York, it often faces cold winters, but typically gets only about two feet of snow each year. On average, the summer weather reaches 80°F to 90°F.
Two airports are in close proximity to the Merchant Marine Academy. LaGuardia Airport is about thirty minutes away from the Academy and John F Kennedy International Airport is about an hour away.
Quick Facts
| Coordinates | 40° 49' 11.36" N 73° 44' 06.48" W |
|---|---|
| City | Kings Point, NY 11024 |
| Phone | — |
| DSN | — |
History
The Academy started in 1874 under the Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant and began to train men in proper seamanship through internships which continued consistently until 1936. In 1934, a fire broke out aboard a vessel which killed 134 and convinced the Federal government to improve their training methods. This event is widely believed to have influenced the creation of the U.S. Merchant Marine Cadet Corps in 1936. The current site was established in 1942. Prior to this, the Academy was located in several temporary nearby locations.
During World War II, instruction time was cut in half for the war effort and over 6,600 officers graduated through the Academy. Afterwards, its dedication and resilience during the war proved that it was a well-deserved institution for naval training and in 1945, a four-year college level institution was set up. Today it remains one of the most notable locations in the world for maritime training. In 1974, the Academy officially allowed women to enroll, two years before other military branches considered this move. During the Gulf War, Academy members were involved heavily in operations which ended the war using humanitarian efforts.
Academy Life
Much like colleges and universities, student organizations and activities are available for those you are enrolled in the Academy.
Varsity Sports such as soccer, baseball, football, basketball, wrestling, volleyball, and tennis as well as club sports are available.
The Academy prides themselves in their ethics and character building classes, organizations, and activities and a daily schedule of can be found here.
An updated cost of attendance can be found here. Scholarships and other financial aid are available similar to any other educational institutions.
Schools
For those with children looking for public schools, information about the areas local public schools, all rated very highly, can be found below.
Elementary Schools
Elizabeth Mellick Baker Elementary School
John F. Kennedy Elementary School
Middle Schools
Great Neck North Middle School
High Schools
College
A variety of Maritime and Naval college degrees can be obtained at Maritime College through the State University of New York.
Things to do
With the exception of the American Merchant Marine Museum, Kings Point has few notable sites to visit, however, it is located about 45 minutes away from New York City which boasts some world famous sights such as theCentral ParkStatue of Liberty, Times Square, and the September 11th Memorial and MuseumSands Point Preserve Conservatory and Hempstead House.