Dear Webb alumnus/alumna,

Almost two years ago I wrote a short piece describing Webb Institute as a National Asset. Many of you sent me comments some of which led to an enduring series of correspondence with several of our senior alumni. The comments also opened a dialogue with at least one alumnus, Bill Blanton, who has subsequently joined our Board of Trustees and with numerous others who have offered insightful comments and sometimes expressed concerns about the future of Webb.

In both correspondence and personal discussion I have heard some comments from older alumni wondering if the Webb of today is as relevant as the Webb of their days as students. Certainly the maritime industry is very different and one of the most obvious changes is the near extinction of United States commercial deep water shipbuilding and the private American Flag international merchant marine. Both of these sectors were thriving forty or fifty or even sixty years ago and with their precipitous decline it is understandable that some might question Webb’s relevance in 2008.

After returning from last November’s SNAME Annual Meeting and seeing and hearing about the level of maritime activity in all aspects of the maritime industry and of the demand and even competition for qualified naval architects and marine engineers it seemed appropriate to up-date the National Asset paper, partially as a response to some of the concerns but also as a means to stimulate more comment and input from all of you who continue to help make the fulfillment of the Mission of Webb possible.

You should be well aware from the Webb News and elsewhere that Webb is in the process of a major up-date of our five-year Strategic Plan. There are numerous developments in the field of higher education, particularly engineering education, that need to be considered as we finalize that Plan. The flattening of the world, the expansion of international trade and commerce, the open exchange of information and technology all serve to raise the bar for the required standards of education to produce world class engineering graduates. Webb Institute caters to some of this Nation’s best and brightest young men and women and we have both a unique opportunity and obligation to meet the educational challenges of the Twenty-first century.

I hope you find the enclosure stimulating. Your comments and/or criticisms are welcomed. More than ever the easiest way to communicate with me is by email, though snail mail is also fine (213 Clinton Ave., Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522; my email address is jjc@genesysassociates.com). Best wishes for 2008, a year that promises to be an interesting political year at the minimum.

Sincerely,
Joe Cuneo ’57
Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Webb Institute, National Asset — Update