San Diego Winter Work Students Enjoy an Evening at the Malones
On February 4th, Amy and John Malone '71 continued their annual tradition of inviting the Webb winter work students in the San Diego area to their home for an evening of good food, fellowship and relaxation. The students were Michael Cariello '10, Justin Van Emmerik '13 and Dave Donatelli '11 (all at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego), and Dave Gross '10 (at Morrelli & Melvin in Huntington Beach).
At the start of the evening the students described their work term assignments. Michael and Dave are in NASSCO's Initial Design & Naval Architecture (IDNA) group, while Justin and his classmate Mike LaRose (who was unable to attend) are in NASSCO's Repair Department. Dave Gross is involved in the design and analysis of multi-hull yachts, including this year's America's Cup winner, USA.
The students were eager to see John's copy of the recently released 2009 Binnacle ... so much so that John brought out his collection of Binnacles and the students enjoyed comparing the look and feel of the Institute and its students over the course of the last 50+ years.
The hot tub was a favorite before and after dinner, when the conversation focused on the popular oxymoron "life at Webb." The students shared very positive opinions regarding the job being done by the trustees, administration, faculty, facilities and maintenance staff, and food service team. The only areas of concern pertain to as-yet-unknowns, such as the changes that might be required if current goals to secure Webb's financial sustainability are not met, the impacts of admitting foreign students, and the expected retirement of key faculty members over the next few years. John and Amy were both duly impressed by the students' maturity and insightful thoughts in addressing these and other multi-faceted issues.
John, being the Webb Alumni Fund (WAF) Chairman, asked the students if they could suggest some gift ideas for individuals or groups, e.g., anniversary classes, looking to make a special donation to Webb. They brainstormed a variety of suggestions, leading John to request that the Student Organization develop a comprehensive list and submit it for administration approval to be included in the Margin of Excellence, which is a list of improvements for which special donations are sought.
Toward the end of the evening, the students asked if it was typical for alumni in other areas of the country to host get-togethers for Webb winter work term students. The answer is that there's no record of such events, but they are certainly encouraged. Amy summed it up, "It's really a win-win situation. The students enjoy a home-cooked meal and an opportunity to get to know a member of the Webb family on an ‘up close and personal' basis, and we get an understanding of what's happening at Webb from the students' perspective.
"It's also gratifying to receive emails from the students after the event, like this one: ‘The home-cooked food was both heartening and comforting, and the dessert pie was nothing short of spectacular.' That one made my day!"
To get contact information on Webb winter work term students in your area, call Josie Wilson at 516-671-2213 ext. 108 or send email to jwilson@webb-institute.edu
