The Quarterdeck Society

This past month, students from the University of Michigan had the incredible opportunity to travel to Toledo, Ohio to attend the SNAME Great Lakes/Great Rivers Winter Meeting! The event kicked off with a warm welcome reception at the National Museum of the Great Lakes, where students had the chance to connect with professionals, alumni, and fellow students while exploring the rich maritime history of the region. The following day was filled with insightful technical sessions covering the latest in naval architecture and marine engineering. A special highlight was a presentation by Logan Cox, a current Master’s student, who shared his work on the Michigan Maritime Strategy—a forward-looking vision for the future of maritime infrastructure and industry in our state. A huge thank you to SNAME for organizing such a valuable event and to everyone who made the trip so engaging and memorable. These experiences continue to inspire and empower the next generation of marine professionals!

Last night, Quarterdeck hosted its second annual Spelling Bee, and the results were f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c! Our students had a blast with words ranging from “boat” all the way up to “destroyer.” Congratulations to Parker Newell, William Engemann, and Asher Kone for taking home the title of Spelling Bee Champions and earning a snack cabinet coupon! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and participated, the Quarterdeck community wouldn’t be the same without you!

Quarterdeck had a fantastic time hosting LCdr Matt Robbins from the Royal Canadian Navy! Matt, currently serving at NSWC Carderock as part of a naval engineering intelligence exchange with Canada, led an engaging open-floor discussion covering his journey through the Navy, memorable sea stories, internship advice, and highlights from the 40+ countries he’s visited. A huge thank you to Matt for sharing his experiences and to everyone who joined the conversation—we hope you walked away with valuable insights!

Quarterdeck had a fantastic time this past week playing Jeopardy, hosted by our very own Professor Jonathan Page! Topics ranged from “Name That Ship” to “Get to Know Your Exec Board,” keeping everyone engaged and eager to compete. Team Wageningen (Scout T. Townsend, William Engemann, Aden Schmidt, Jackson Lewis) claimed first place with an impressive 9,600 points, earning a coveted $2 snack cabinet voucher! A huge thank you to Professor Page for hosting and to everyone who joined us—we loved having you there!

Quarterdeck Society took to the ice at Yost Ice Arena for an evening of skating, fun, and bonding with fellow NA&ME students! ⛸️❄️ A big thank you to everyone who joined us! Looking forward to more events like this to keep fostering community and camaraderie.