Students from the Ballard Maritime Academy class of 2008 are preparing to embark on the next leg of their journey into the maritime world.

One senior, Ian Andrewes, is planning to attend the Pacific Maritime Institute in Seattle, as an intern with Dunlap Towing. Earlier this year, Ian took part in a two-week training cruise to Alaska aboard one of the Dunlap Towing tugboats. After completing the two-year program, Ian will have the certifications to serve as a crew member on one of the tugboats.

Another Ballard Maritime senior, Michael Diaz, has been accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He will be part of the 2009 pledge class at the academy, and hopes to become a U.S. Marine Corps officer upon graduation. Mike had the opportunity to visit the school last spring as part of a group of students from the Ballard Maritime Academy and met with representatives from the school.

Two Ballard Maritime Academy seniors are headed to the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA to join the six BMA students already attending. Nevin Garcia and Matt Barrett have been accepted at Cal Maritime, the only four-year maritime academy on the West Coast. Students at Cal Maritime combine classroom instruction with professional development and experiential learning, including a two-month cruise aboard the school’s training vessel, The Golden Bear. Upon completion, students receive a four-year degree as well as an internationally-recognized Coast Guard license from Cal Maritime.