On Saturday, June 16, 2018, Webb Institute awarded 21 Bachelor of Science degrees at its 122nd Commencement Ceremony. Each graduating student received a dual degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Webb’s commencement ceremony included inspirational remarks from Webb’s President R. Keith Michel and keynote speaker, Dr. Kirsi K. Tikka, Executive Vice President and Senior Maritime Advisor at American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and former Webb Institute Professor of Structural Engineering.
Dr. Tikka’s inspirational speech touched on how Webb graduates can take advantage of the technological advancements in the marine industry and use them to make major impacts in the field. “Combining your intuitive understanding of technology with your hard-earned engineering skills, you now have the opportunity to create, design, and build with more powerful tools that have ever been available,” said Dr. Tikka.
Additional remarks were made by the Class of 2018’s Student Speaker, Vincent Commisso, who reminisced about the memories he made at Webb and the challenges he and his class faced together while looking ahead to a bright future. “Because we struggled, hustled, and earned our way to today, we’ve got some fry some bigger fish,” said Commisso. “Now we get to go design and build new ships, foster new relationships, rekindle old hobbies, and seize new days. And while the time at Webb is temporary, the important things are permanent.”
In addition to the awarding of degrees, several students received additional awards and prizes for their outstanding academic achievements in a variety of areas, such as excellence in thesis and mathematics.
Following commencement, Webb’s Class of 2018 will spread out across the Country and the world to begin graduate work or start their professional careers in the marine industry. Notable employers include Metal Shark Boats, Resolve Marine Group, Stolt Tankers, General Dynamics NASSCCO, and Viking Systems.