Serving as Chaplain aboard the State University of New York Maritime College’s training ship, Empire State VII, left me deeply encouraged about the future of the maritime profession.

For years, conversations about mariner shortages have raised real concerns: Where will new mariners come from? Can today’s young sailors meet the demands of the job? My time aboard answered those questions with a resounding “Yes.” SUNY Maritime has developed a strong and effective approach to preparing cadets—addressing both the evolving needs of the industry and the timeless demands of life at sea.

I met cadets from both long maritime lineages and first-generation backgrounds. What they shared was a genuine passion for the sea—an essential quality for becoming a Merchant Marine. I also saw officers, crew, and staff invest significant time, energy, and expertise in these students. Many even came out of retirement or took leave from their own voyages to train the next generation of mariners.

The Summer Sea Term is far more than a graduation requirement—it’s an essential stage in a young officer’s professional and personal growth. Cadets live the rhythms of shipboard life, stand watch, take on responsibilities, and often experience being out of cell range for the first time. The challenges can be as personal as they are professional, especially in those early years at sea. That’s where the SCI Chaplaincy comes in: offering presence, care, and encouragement.

The Seamen’s Church Institute has provided chaplains for SUNY Maritime’s Summer Sea Term since 2021, and I was honored to serve this summer as we sailed from New Orleans across the Atlantic toward the Azores. Through meaningful conversations, Sunday worship, weekday Bible studies, and regular rounds around the ship, I connected with cadets in both struggles and triumphs. Whether meeting them at morning formations, cleaning stations, the library, or on the bridge, each encounter was an opportunity to listen, encourage, and help them process the challenges they faced.

Life as a cadet is demanding. Alongside academic projects and assessments, they must maintain cleaning stations, perform maintenance, and stand their watches.

Serving aboard the Empire State VII wove together many threads of my own life—teaching maritime subjects, sailing as a deck officer, pastoring, campus ministry, and now maritime chaplaincy. Nineteen years ago, as a freshman cadet at Texas A&M Maritime Academy, I never imagined I’d return to sea in this way. Back then, the structure and discipline of the academy were exactly what I needed; today, I see those same transformative forces shaping the lives of these cadets.

I left the ship confident that seamanship is alive and well in the next generation. The future of the maritime industry is bright, fueled by passionate, well-trained, and resilient young mariners. Employers, take note: SUNY Maritime is doing something remarkable. The sea’s next generation is ready.