New Energy at ISC Port Newark: Student Volunteers and a New Chaplain Associate
Above: William Mercer, ISC Operations Associate/Driver (far left) and Matthew Morse, Esq., SCI’s Director of the International Seafarer’s Center (second from right) are joined by students from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Spring has arrived at the International Seafarers’ Center (ISC) in Port Newark, bringing with it new partnerships and fresh faces. Over the past month, the ISC team successfully collaborated with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) through their “Alternative Spring Break” program. As part of this initiative, NJIT students visited the Port of Newark and gave several areas of the facility a literal fresh coat of paint.
The partnership proved to be a great success—so much so that one NJIT student has already expressed interest in returning independently to continue supporting the center’s mission. The ISC extends heartfelt thanks to Debby Sims of NJIT for making this inaugural collaboration possible.
In addition to welcoming student volunteers, the ISC has begun training its newest volunteer Chaplain Associate, the Rev. Paul Makar of St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church. The Rev. Makar brings a strong maritime background, having graduated from SUNY Maritime and served in the U.S. Navy before being called to the priesthood. He joins the ISC with a deep compassion for all seafarers—particularly Ukrainian mariners—and offers the added gifts of Ukrainian language fluency, a warm sense of humor, and a servant’s heart.
