Best Colleges has ranked Webb Institute as the third Best College in New York in their 2017 assessment! Best Colleges, which ranked a total of 25 colleges in its assessment, gave Webb an overall score of 88.52, beating out Cornell University.

Vassar College came in second and Columbia University took first place.

Best Colleges Profile of Webb Institute:

Originally a shipbuilding academy, Webb Institute was established as a private engineering college in 1889 and has remained largely unchanged to this day. With a current enrollment of only 94 students, Webb is the smallest entry on our list of the best New York colleges. The institute’s 26-acre Long Island campus features only four classrooms; each room is divided to accommodate both formal lectures and hands-on project work.

All students who successfully complete the school’s rigorous undergraduate program are granted a dual Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in naval architecture and marine engineering. The 146-credit curriculum includes foundational coursework in fields like mathematics, lab science, materials science and thermodynamics. Third and fourth semester students learn complex methods and theories related to ship design and dynamics, electrical engineering and marine transportation, as well as laws and ethics that guide modern ship construction. Every year, students must supplement their coursework with an eight-week internship period. Most students complete their bachelor’s degree program after four years of full-time study.

Best Colleges in New York Article

Webb Europe meeting in The Netherlands

By Barr Turner ’17

Even thousands of miles from the familiar iron gates and brick edifices of Webb Institute, the sense of community among Webb students and alumni remains strong. Webb graduates and students experienced this at the annual Webb Europe Alumni meeting, graciously hosted this past February by Mark Martecchini (’79) and his wife Laurie at their home in Rotterdam. The event, organized by Leah Sosa (’08), brings together members of the Webb community currently living in Europe. This year, that group included students on winter work assignments, recent graduates completing master’s degrees, and alumni with established careers in various European countries.

Europe’s vibrant maritime industry and wealth of higher education institutions make it an attractive place for Webbies to settle after graduation. This year’s meeting was attended by Webb graduates currently living and working in the Netherlands, Denmark, the UK, and Italy. Additionally, two recent grads are currently completing graduate degrees at European institutions: Delft University in the Netherlands and ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

Three current Webb students were also able to attend the meeting, as they were fortunate enough to complete internships this winter in Europe. This year, students held internships at STX Shipyard in St. Nazaire, France; Lloyd’s Register in Trieste, Italy; and the ship management company Hammonia Reederei in Hamburg, Germany. In recent years, Webb students have held winter work positions at Maran Gas Maritime Inc. in Athens, Greece; Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) in Paris, France; ZF Marine Krimpen in Zaag, Netherlands; and Stolt Tankers in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Over drinks and dinner, the meeting’s attendees shared their experiences in Europe and reflected on the opportunities that Webb has made possible for them. A common theme was the unique and rewarding nature of living and working abroad. Cody Owen (’15) shared his experiences as a student in the Offshore Engineering track of the European Wind Energy Master program, which is comprised of a consortium of universities in northern Europe. As part of this program, Cody has studied at DTU (Denmark), TU Delft (Netherlands), NTNU (Norway), and is currently completing his master’s thesis at TU Delft. Gilberto Besena, who spent a semester at Webb in 2015 as part of an exchange program with the University of Southampton, remarked that he was impressed with the great sense of community and group culture among Webb graduates. Gilberto currently works in the sailing yacht industry in Genoa, Italy.

Overall, this event was a great opportunity for Webbies in Europe to reminisce on fond memories of Webb and discuss the rewards and challenges of working, living, and interning abroad. A wonderful time was had by all. In typical Webb fashion, the evening wrapped up with a few pints at a local bar.

After considering input from the many stakeholders that comprise the Webb community, the Board of Trustees selected the Bentel & Bentel design for our new Academic Center. Located on the second terrace in close proximity to Stevenson Taylor Hall and the Livingston Library, the Academic Center will be readily accessible by students and faculty. The Center will house classrooms and lecture halls, student team rooms and conference rooms, faculty offices, and the Couch Lab (our computer technology center). It will be a modern teaching facility which stylistically complements the Georgian architecture of Stevenson Taylor Hall. We are nearing the final stages of Schematic Design, roughly equivalent to the preliminary design phase in shipbuilding. Please check back here for updates!

At Homecoming, we look forward to updating alumni on the design status. We anticipate start of construction in early 2018 and opening of the Academic Center for the 2019 fall semester.

-President R. Keith Michel ’73

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On Monday, March 6, 2017, Founder and President of 4aBetterBusiness Paul Vragel ’72 is scheduled to speak to students as part of Webb’s Monday Lecture Series.  Vragel will address students on the topic, “Using Systems Engineering to Achieve Transformational Business Results.”

Based on transformational results achieved by 4aBetterBusiness in manufacturing, distribution and B2B services companies, the presentation will cover the core insights that enable transformational results, an example of systems engineering applied to a design and manufacturing company, implementation issues to ensure management and employee buy-in, tools that can be used immediately, and resources for further reference and investigation by the students.

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