Events & Networking Opportunities

Propeller club events associated with supporting maritime education and networking opportunities. All of our events are open to our student port volunteers at no cost to them.

National Maritime Day – In May this event is aboard the Margaritaville at Sea ship, a portion of the proceeds are used for education grants, field trips and/or expenses for education support at Jefferson HS.
Annual Maritime Expo - Annual event held to support pathways for students, local to the Tampa Bay area, within the maritime industry regarding careers and college education. Local companies’ shoreside and shipping, colleges/universities and the Maritime Academies attend to connect with students on the opportunities available to build a career path within the maritime industry and/or pursue a further education path. This expo aims to educate and inspire the next generation by showcasing the wide range of career opportunities within the port and maritime industry including many high-demand roles that don’t require a college degree. Attendees will have the chance to explore careers, speak directly with industry professionals, and learn about pathways to success.

Additional Opportunities to be Involved

Mentorship Program - We are working on building a mentorship program which was initially promoted at the Maritime Expo. If you are a school or company interested, or have students from your school interested, please contact Propeller Club for more information. This program is being designed to connect schools with local companies to place further emphasis on the different pathways within the maritime industry.

Individual Port Tours – Working with the Port Tampa Bay Operations Team, we host tours on a as need basis, limited to certain numbers at a time, to act as individual field trips to provide an in-person emphasis on what it takes to run a ship and port. Contact Propeller Club for more information.

Summer Shadow Program – Working with Port Tampa Bay and its tenants, and local companies, we connect them with local schools who have individual students interested in shadowing a wide range of companies to gain a better perspective in person what each company does to keep the Port moving.

Education Guide & Links

Below are additional links and details associated within the Education Guide which further elaborate on the details and information provided.

Scholarship Opportunities

Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation: www.tbmsf.org
Government Funded
1. SSMP (Strategic Sealift Midshipman Program). Government funded scholarships‍
  1. Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps - SSMP: https://www.maritime.dot.gov/education/maritime-academies/student-incentive-payment-sip-program
State Maritime Academies - These schools have their own various scholarships. Contact each school for information
1. SUNY Maritime College: https://www.sunymaritime.edu/admissions/scholarships
2. Maine Maritime Academy: https://mainemaritime.edu/admissions/general-admissions/financial-aid/scholarships/
3. Massachusetts Maritime Academy: https://www.maritime.edu/financial-aid/undergraduate-aid/awards
4. Great Lakes Maritime Academy: https://www.nmc.edu/maritime/admissions/financial-aid/
5. Texas A&M Maritime College (Galveston): https://www.tamug.edu/scholarships/corps/index.html
6. Cal Poly Maritime Academy: https://maritime-archive.calpoly.edu/financial-aid/types-of-aid-available/scholarships/cal-maritime-scholarships.html AND https://maritime-archive.calpoly.edu/financial-aid/types-of-aid-available/scholarships/maritime-scholarships.html
7. US Merchant Marine Academy: https://www.usmma.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships
Local Company Funded
1. Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) Jacob Peabody Scholarship – Contact Scholarships@osg.com
  1. Annual Tug Valour Memorial Golf Tournament - On the early morning of January 18th, 2006, ocean tugboat, Tug Valour, sank in open sea about 40 miles off the coast of Wilmington, NC after a torrential storm threw 15–20-foot waves and winds exceeding 70 knots at the vessel. Chief Mate, Fred Brenner, AB, Ron Emory and Chief Engineer, Richard Smoot. were taken down with the ship and lost their lives during the descent of the 125-foot tugboat into the depths of the sea. The Tug Valour Memorial Fund is a non-profit organization that is looking to turn tragedy into opportunity, one golf tournament at a time. The Tug Valour Memorial Fund provides scholarship grants to high school graduates seeking an education as merchant seaman.

College Shadowing

The Maritime Academies listed below have their own associated Alumni Association local Chapter. Each school offers support to local high schoolers who plan to attend or currently attend a Maritime Academy.

College Shadowing is offered dependent on the maritime academy alumni chapter. To further help in guiding the next generation of the maritime industry, a local Tampa Bay area high schooler who plans to attend a maritime academy, or who is currently enrolled in one of the academies, can inquire to be connected to a recent maritime academy graduate according to their interests and career pursuits. This professional relationship helps to provide the student with a real-world perspective of the industry in the next step of his/her educational pursuit.
Contact each local chapter via the links below:
1. SUNY Maritime College: https://www.maritimecollegeaa.org/tampa-bay-chapter/
2. Maine Maritime Academy: https://mainemaritime.edu/alumni/alumni-association/
3. Massachusetts Maritime Academy: https://www.massmaritimealum.com/Chapters&clubs
4. Great Lakes Maritime Academy: https://greatlakesmaritimealumni.org/
5. Texas A&M Maritime College (Galveston): TAMUG Former Students - Texas A&M Galveston, TX
6. Cal Poly Maritime Academy: About Cal Maritime Alumni
7. US Merchant Marine Academy: https://www.usmmaalumni.com/s/1860/18/interior.aspx?sid=1860&gid=2&pgid=1570

Career and Technical Programs & Other Local Programs/Organizations

Hillsborough: https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/page/career-and-technical-education/
Pinellas: https://www.pcsb.org/Page/839 AND STEM AND Career Technical Education Application Programs
Pasco: https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/cte_course_catalog/middle_school_categories
AMIkids Tampa Maritime Academy: https://amikids.org/location/amikids-maritime-academy/
SailFuture Academy: https://www.sailfutureacademy.org/

Lower and Middle School Opportunities

STEM Camps and Programs
1. University of South Florida Camps: https://www.usf.edu/innovative-education/yxp/summer-camps/usf-middle-school-camps.aspx
2. Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center
  1. Programs: https://www.tbwdiscoverycenter.org/daily-programs

High School Opportunities

Tampa Bay Magnet Programs encompass Maritime qualities and career paths as they pertain to pursuing a Maritime career – Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco Counties
1. Hillsborough: Magnet | Hillsborough County Public Schools
2. Pinellas: Magnet & Fundamental Programs
3. Pasco: Pasco County Schools

Post-High School Opportunities

Eckerd College Search and Rescue Team – only college maritime rescue team in country: https://www.eckerd.edu/waterfront/ecsar/
University of South Florida (Tampa and St. Petersburg Campuses)
1. Center for Maritime and Port Studies: https://www.usf.edu/marine-science/research/partners-and-groups/usf-center-for-maritime-and-port-studies/our-mission.aspx
2. College of Business “Blue Economy” MBA Program: https://www.usf.edu/business/news/2024/07-15-mba.aspx
  1. Focuses on individuals who plan to lead in maritime trade, coastal tourism and fisheries management
University of Tampa Marine Science: https://www.usf.edu/business/documents/graduate/mba-online/flyer-mba-online-concentration-blue-economy.pdf
Stetson University
1. Maritime Law Society: Maritime Law Society - Stetson Law
2. Institute for Biodiversity Law and Policy: https://www.stetson.edu/law/environmental/institute-for-biodiversity/

National Maritime Academies

SUNY Maritime College: https://www.sunymaritime.edu/
Maine Maritime Academy: https://mainemaritime.edu/
Massachusetts Maritime Academy: https://www.maritime.edu/
Great Lakes Maritime Academy: https://www.nmc.edu/maritime/
Texas A&M Maritime College (Galveston): https://www.tamug.edu/corps/index.html
Cal Poly Maritime Academy: https://maritime.calpoly.edu/
US Merchant Marine Academy: https://www.usmma.edu/

Propeller Club Student Port

Our Student Port is made up of high school and college students from the Tampa Bay area who are interested in learning more about the maritime industry. Student membership is $20 per year, and all Student Port events are free for students to attend.

The Student Port plays an important role in supporting the maritime community. Members have opportunities to:
1. Volunteer at industry events and community activities
2. Network with maritime professionals
3. Learn about careers in ports, shipping, logistics, and marine services
4. Help promote awareness of the maritime industry as a career path
Through these experiences, students gain valuable exposure to the industry while helping the club strengthen connections between the maritime sector and the next generation of professionals.

Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation

Tampa Bay Maritime Scholarship Foundation: www.tbmsf.org
1. Annual scholarships awarded to qualified students to pursue a maritime education
Port Tampa Bay & Port Partners, Tampa Port Ministries, & Scholarship Foundation host and sponsor events annually to benefit the Tampa Seafarers Center and Scholarship Foundation. These proceeds are contributed to the Scholarship Foundation to benefit students local to the Tampa Bay area, in supporting their post high school’s education associated to the maritime industry.