About Us

Our Mission

Blue Water Scholarship Fund was founded in 2017 by long-time friends and colleagues Jaime Cleveland, John Curtin, and Jim Hoy. All of our founders came from blue collar families (thus the blue in our name…) and found success beyond their wildest expectations in the maritime industry. Blue Water was born out of their desire to help others have the same opportunities they were fortunate enough to have. However, our commitment goes well beyond writing checks. All our recipients get our personal contact details when they are awarded and have access to us for whatever may arise.

As part of this effort, we make regular visits to the schools to maintain our relationships with both our cadets and the faculty and staff at the academies. We check in with many of our cadets throughout the year and encourage them to do the same. We specialize in with cadets in extreme circumstances so in addition to the traditional scholarship assistance we have also covered a number of non-traditional costs for recipients such as meal plans and medical insurance. The unique challenges some of our cadets face is also why we do not have a minimum GPA requirement. Grades are only one data point in our applicant review process, we take the time to consider the entire situation an applicant is facing. Our recipients also get the benefit of our team’s shipping industry network built up over decades of experience ashore and afloat. Through our friends in the business we have arranged internships, mentoring, and helped our graduates with job placement assistance.

Committed Partnerships and Transparent Giving

We are also proud to partner with organizations like The Organization of Black Maritime Graduates, Women Offshore, The Nautical Institute, and The Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, to offer a range of additional benefits to our recipients.

Finally, we pride ourselves on efficiency and transparency. We have no paid employees and the founders cover all overhead expenses for running BWSF while also funding a large portion of the scholarships. Most of our donors are our friends and ex-colleagues in the maritime industry who believe in what we are doing.

As a result of our founders commitments, we are able to guarantee any donations we receive go 100% to funding cadet scholarships with no losses to overhead.

Careers in

Maritime

A few of the career choices available to maritime graduates include:

 

  • Ship’s Officer (deck or engine)
  • Chartering
  • Ship Operations
  • Brokerage
  • Shipping Finance
  • Ship Agency
  • Trading
  • Multiple Engineering Disciplines
  • Naval Architecture
  • Military Service

Blue Water is grateful for the generous support of the companies and individuals below who have seen fit to donate to help us give more young professionals a start in the maritime industry.

Corporate/Group

Sponsors

Bluepoint Maritime LLC
​Fort Schuyler Shipmates
gCaptain
MCA Associates
McQuilling Partners
True North Chartering
The Odin Marine Group
Platinum Maritime LLC
SSY Tankers NY
Stena Bulk Houston
Dietze and Associates LLC
Clarksons Shipping
L&R Midland
The Women Offshore Foundation

Individual

Sponsors

Toosin Adeyinka
Kevin Barrow
Ernesto Barbuto
Oliver Beckmann
Frances Bernal
John Bentley
Brendan Bouchard
Tim Boksa
Libby Bowles
Tim Brennan
KC Caldwell
Steve Cannon
Noel Capellini
KC Caldwell
John Curtin
Neil Curtin
Paul DeMaria
Albert Doerbecker
Andrew Donovan
Kimberly Fusco
Jaime Cleveland
Bud and Jeanne Cleveland
Bill Collins
Kevin Collins

Brian Colona 
Michael Costello
Fernando Cuartas
Doreen Gallagher
Christopher Gazzo
Joe Gaudiano
Hunter Gilliland
RoseAnn Grimaldi
Michael Grimaldi
Jim Hoy
Matt Johnson
Michael Kane
Stephanie Lang
Connor Lawrence
Joseph Lapponese
Luciamarie Lammers
Janet Christie
Erik Passanisi
Calum Phipps
Ken Putney
Jose Marquez
Roger Marco
Robert Milligan
Michelle and Michael McGrath

Capt Tuuli Messer-Bookman
Michael Murphy
Matthew Mozelak
Bill and Mary Myers
Michael Ogle
Gopi Omraju
Christine O’Toole
Erik Passanisi
Adam Van Etten
Jordan Taylor
Mary Terwedow
Thomas MacMahon
James Spear
John and Margaret Seymour
Corley Schaller
Kevin Sheehan
George Rozanovich
Timothy Smith
Timothy Smyth
Brian Vogdes
Robert Whelan
Mark Wiberg