Every fall semester, on the North Shore of Long Island, freshmen attending Webb Institute climb into imperfect, home-grown vessels and set out on a course with hopes of winning the race without sinking. The onlookers, mostly upperclassmen, watch the voyages taking place in the harbor, immersed in their own memorable initiation as new undergraduate students studying at the private engineering college.
Junior Jacob Dillistin, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, recalled how he and his team had just a few materials to work with for that exercise.
“Plywood, zip ties, caulk, PVC pipe, and a couple of two-by-fours—that’s all we could use,” he said. “We had to design a boat using principles learned from naval architecture class like buoyancy and stability to make sure that once we were in the boat it wouldn’t flip over!”
With a design in hand, students headed to the campus woodshop, using power tools to assemble the vessel before giving it a test run the day before the race. The materials used are limited, Dillistin said, but the project is designed that way. He and his teammates did their best to find any leaks and then plug them.
“For the race, we had to sail one loop around two buoys, pick up a couple of water balloons on the beach, and then sail another lap around the buoys,” he said. “I’m sure it was quite entertaining watching everyone go around.”
More than mere entertainment, the exercise is just one of many where students get their feet wet early on in their studies. It’s the only program of its kind in the United States with only one degree offered—a Bachelor of Science in dual disciplines of naval architecture and marine engineering.
Assistant Professor of Naval Architecture Bradley Golden admits that there are many engineering schools to choose from, but none like Webb Institute. The highly specialized shipbuilding program, small nature of the school on 26 acres, and foreign exchange program with the University of Southampton are but a few of its exceptional qualities.
“We are a close-knit community of 100 students—104 students to be exact,” stated Golden. “Faculty doors are open all the time, so students have access whenever they have a question. Because we are highly specialized, students come here who are truly interested in this subject matter. You are in it for the long haul, or you switch schools.”
Golden was himself a graduate of the program in 1999. After working in the commercial sector, he returned to campus four years ago. The “Dream Move,” as he calls it, is evident in his enthusiasm for showing students every aspect of working in the commercial and military industry and assisting with internships and positions after graduating.
He believes the proof of success is that all graduates find jobs—and generously give back to the institution that educated them so well. “Seventy percent of our alumni donate every year. That’s the largest percentage of any school in the nation!”
Originally, the private institution was named Webb Academy in 1889 by its founder, William H. Webb, who was considered the “foremost shipbuilder of New York City.” Like the Naval architects who graduated before him, and after him, Golden benefited from the generosity of the founder, who was a true visionary of the times.
According to Golden, Webb started his career with wooden ships powered by sail. However, they became more complicated during his lifetime due to the launch of steam, propellers, and iron. Webb realized that working as an apprentice in the shipyard didn’t provide enough of a skill set because the industry needed better-trained ship designers. Using retired shipbuilders to teach the art of shipbuilding brought the vision to fruition at the academy’s original site in a Gothic-style mansion located in the Bronx. Later, in 1947, the academy relocated to its current location in Glen Cove, New York, on Long Island’s Gold Coast, and renamed Webb Institute in 1994.
One distinctive trait of the naval engineering school is its endowment. From its inception, Webb paid all operating expenses with further endowment assured after his death. Full-tuition scholarships to this day are offered to all undergraduate students.
“The tuition-free concept was born out of Webb’s generosity and his commitment to give back to the community,” Golden said. “Disadvantaged students were provided for since its inception. To maintain Webb’s standard, every student studies here on a full tuition scholarship with room and board offered as either free, partial, or paid depending on need.”
He said that although Webb Institute is a highly technical math and engineering program, college students want more than technical courses. Therefore, students enjoy a wide variety of electives in the arts and humanities to suit their interests. Ethics is an important component of the program. Students are accountable to each other thanks to an honor code that works.
“If I left my wallet out in the main space, it would still be there tomorrow. We trust that they will honestly carry out their work in exams and in major projects. Academic integrity is why we can trust each other.”
And Golden’s ardor is not lost on any student.
“It isn’t just what we teach,” Golden continued. “We teach them how to do this work and do it well. Work ethic goes a long way whether you stay in the industry or not. You are able to succeed.”
Success is instilled from the get-go. Freshman students design and build boats in the Introduction to Naval Architecture. Unlike other institutions, major experiential, hands-on coursework gives students a taste of structure, stability, resistance propulsion, and how to carry out an engineering project. Furthermore, the campus’s engineering labs exist to steep future naval architects in learning by doing: building, taking apart, and putting back together vessels.
To anchor students in extensive hands-on training, Webb Institute closes its doors for two months every January and February for what’s called the Winter Work Period. This is the time in which every student works. As laborers at shipyards, freshmen learn how to design a ship and what it is like to build a ship. Sophomores go to sea, sailing on ships as trainees for these two months. Juniors and seniors expand their knowledge by working in professional capacities.
For those who pursue excellence in naval architecture and marine engineering on the shores of Long Island, it appears what attracts students from all over the country is the love of the sea. What was true for Golden, who enjoyed boating and scuba diving in his youth, is true for most students. They want a profession that has to do with the sea, typically an opportunity to build boats, submarines, yachts, ferries, or cruise ships.
“We bring together brilliant minds who love the water and love engineering,” affirmed Lauren Carballo, director of admissions and student affairs. With cohort-style learning and limited enrollment of 28 students per class year, the admissions team seeks students who are detail-oriented and big-picture thinkers.
Branding the college as a “hidden gem,” she said approximately 200 potential students apply every year. 60 are finalists with 35 students making the cut—17 percent of students who apply get accepted.
Carballo notes that from the classroom, graduates have received a strong theoretical foundation. In the field, they have earned eight months of paid internships from the Winter Work Periods.
“Because there is a desperate need in the industry, there is so much a graduate can do with this degree. They are ready to hit the ground running,” Carballo added.
Even with a heavy academic workload, Dillistin manages to make the Dean’s List most semesters, volunteers in campus-initiated programs, and holds a leadership position as the Student Organization President. Being involved is vital, he said, because students are needed to run various aspects of the school, including the kitchen and the pub.
Yet he also plans to capitalize on internship opportunities with his remaining time at Webb. Last year, he worked overseas in Croatia for Metal Shark, a company that typically builds custom steel vessels for inland waterway operators. However, he worked on smaller aluminum boats meant for search and rescue operations. Tampa will be his next destination for the junior’s internship.
“It’s been amazing. I’ve been able to network through job shadows and internships,” he said. “They take great care of their students, laying out the academic program in a methodical way. Our honor code clearly defines the rules, which is essentially no lying, cheating, or stealing. Students, faculty, and staff put a lot of faith in the system.”
And so did founder William H. Webb.
