Student Sections encourage Society membership among students and foster their professional development and growth. These student groups are sponsored by an established local Section. An officer or specially designated Executive Committee member acts in the capacity of advisor to and liaison between the local and student Sections. In addition, the Student Chair of the Student Steering Committee sits on the Executive Committee of the senior group.
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2013 Student Steering Committee
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Individual Student Sections are established by Sections and overseen by faculty advisors. The Student Steering Committee (SSC) governs all Student Section activity. Officers are elected during the Student Congress and Elections at the Annual Meeting & Expo each Fall.
The SSC
The
Student Steering Committee (SSC) has been given a unique opportunity by
SNAME to help guide the Society and make it responsive to its younger
members. The SSC is comprised of volunteer students (undergraduate and
graduate) and recent college graduates who are committed to ensuring
active student participation within SNAME.
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History
Facing the threat of declining student membership and participation, SNAME realized that students are the essential resource with regard to meeting the Society’s goal of developing future industry leaders. In 2000, SNAME created the Student Steering Committee in an effort to recognize students, identify their contributions and encourage their continued participation within the organization. Recently, the Society acknowledged the need for the “student voice” to be heard, and responded by changing the SNAME bylaws to endorse student representation on policy making committees. More specifically, the SSC Chairman was added as a voting member of the Executive Committee. A similar position was created on the Education Committee that is to be filled by an SSC officer. These recognized positions empower the SSC to represent student interests at the highest levels within SNAME. Our accomplishments further reinforce the importance of the SSC and all student members as vital participants in SNAME.
Purpose and Goals
When it was first created, the SSC was tasked with organizing and running the Student Congress, held during SNAME Maritime Technology Conference and Expo (a.k.a. SMTC&E or the SNAME Annual Meeting). The Student Congress quickly became a great success, and caused the SSC to expand the student activities offered at the SMTC&E. The SSC now oversees an entire SNAME Annual Meeting Student Program. The SSC realizes that an annual Student Program is not enough to foster active student participation. As such, we have expanded our present and future plans to include:
- Creating an open means of communications with Student Sections and student members
- Keeping students informed of SNAME news and events – both locally and nationally
- Giving full support to current Student Sections, and encouraging the creation of new Student Sections
- Organizing new student programs and services to enhance student membership
- Continuing to represent student interests at all levels of SNAME
Other institutions noteworthy for offering marine engineering and/or naval architecture programs include: