by Joseph Giresi ’28
From meeting established graduates in more unique areas of maritime specialities than I can count on my fingers to being sent a long way across America to the icy-cold state of Wisconsin, my experience as a freshman at Webb Institute over the past year can be described as nothing less than a lifechanging expedition.
The most exciting parts of my freshman year were the cruise, shipyard, and SNAME-related experiences that Professor Bradley Golden organized. Onboard Carnival Venezia Cruise with Hampton Dixon, I saw the ins and outs of a cruise ship’s operation in the guided tour of the ship’s public accommodations and backends of the crew’s operation. Our visit to Philly Shipyard prepared me for my interests and goals in my own upcoming shipyard internship.
Joseph utilizing the student kitchen and baking an apple pie.
Although the winter weather in Wisconsin was harsh, the people were loving and kind, with shipyard workers ready to help and share stories about their life and their profession. At Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), Wesli Rivera, an experienced painter, welder, electrician, and more for over a decade, advised me to ask many questions and learn as much as possible. Taking this advice to heart, our dinner with Webb Institute alumni Sean Smith ’02 led me to explore my curiosity about his life, asking him about stories throughout his career and as a Webbie. He shared with us duties he held at FMM, including being the Chief Naval Architect and corrosion specialist, helping me understand the relevance of corrosion learned with Professor Matthew McMahon in Chemistry. Because of this advice, I look forward to pursuing future roles in project management, stability calculations, or more work in using Navisworks to review accuracy of ship construction. Lastly, the opportunity to travel to a faraway place from the northeast provided me with the experience to see remarkable places such as the beautiful Lake Michigan, a lake so frozen in the winter that people drove cars on it like it was dry land.
What I can say having completed freshman year is that Webb Institute changes lives, and that Webb Institute changed my life. From trips including countless class and schoolwide SNAME events, Norfolk boat show, trips to maritime academies, and exciting events outside school, the closeness of the Webb Institute community has enriched these experiences and my endeavors. Despite the academic difficulties at some points, these are also accompanied with laughter, joy, and jokes in conference rooms as our class prepares for upcoming exams. These great memories experienced with my classmates despite occasional rough waves on the way have truly made me glad to be called a Webbie and part of this community.
No matter how hard the work gets or how painful climbing upside down in a dusty, narrow space on a ship can be, the obstacles are always overcome with support from my friends, classmates, professors, and the exciting journeys that come my way.
Joseph and Webbies attending a first Communion and Confirmation.