SVC Marine Technology Center to host open house featuring Around the Americas project
Skagit Valley College (SVC) will hold an open house event at the Marine Technology Center on Friday, Oct. 25, from 3-5 p.m. The event will feature the marine maintenance technology program and a collaboration project, Around the Americas, which focuses on marine technology and environmental initiatives.
The open house will provide an opportunity for attendees to tour the Marine Technology Center and learn about SVC's programs related to marine maintenance technology, including projects and educational activities under the Around the Americas project. The event is free and open to the public.
Skagit Valley College is serving as a lead partner in the Around the Americas project through various program partners including SVC’s marine maintenance technology program. The program serves more than 50 students studying for their associate’s degree or certificates in marine maintenance technology, marine electrical technician, and marine mechanical technician.
Throughout the fall and winter, these students are refitting the 48-foot Ketch, One Ocean, in preparation for the expedition. Currently, One Ocean is dry docked at the center and students are working on the boat to replace the engine, electronics, and other onboard systems while learning about rigging.
“This project will have a significant educational impact on SVC students,” said Mike Beemer, SVC marine technology instructor. “Over the next six months, our students will complete necessary projects and follow along virtually once the boat sets sail.”
While on a much larger scale, Beemer said the project is similar to others that students in the marine technology program have worked on over the years.
The Skagit Valley College Foundation is collaborating to provide fiduciary support for the funding of the project. Currently, $475,000 has been donated with a goal of $970,000 to help with necessary refits, equipment, pre-voyage planning, post voyage summaries, and the boat acquisition.
About Skagit Valley College Marine Technology Center
The marine maintenance technology program at Skagit Valley College provides the skills and training needed for careers in the recreational boat, ship repair, and maintenance industries. Students learn from a faculty of industry experts and train in a purpose-built professional facility, gaining hands-on experience to prepare for technician roles on recreational and commercial vessels in this high-demand field.
About the Around the Americas Project
The Around the Americas project is a 14-month sailing expedition, set to circumnavigate North and South America aboard the 48-foot vessel ONE OCEAN. This journey will follow the route first completed by Captain Mark Schrader in 2009-2010, who will once again lead the mission alongside Project Director Jennifer Dalton. The primary goal of this expedition is to promote the concept of the Americas as "One Island" and the surrounding oceans as "One Ocean," emphasizing the interconnectedness of the land and seas through scientific research and collaborative outreach.
The voyage will transit through the Northwest Passage en route to Brazil for the COP30 Climate Change Conference, scheduled for November 2025. The diverse crew, comprising educators, scientists, and sailors from Skagit Valley, will then continue around Cape Horn, navigating the west coast of South America before returning to Anacortes to complete the circumnavigation. Key partners in this mission include SVC and the Marine Technology Center, along with collaborations from institutions such as the University of Victoria, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the University of California, and the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Lab.
Throughout the voyage, the crew will collect critical scientific data aimed at enhancing humanity’s understanding of our oceans and the challenges they face. In addition, an open-education curriculum will be shared with school districts in Skagit Valley. The expedition's outreach efforts, which will be conducted in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, are expected to reach over 50 ports of call across the Americas.
This journey not only fosters collaboration among scientific and educational communities but also aims to engage the public in the conversation about our vital relationship with the ocean, highlighting the shared responsibility of nations across the Americas.
For more information about the SVC marine maintenance technology program, visit skagit.edu/marine-maintenance-technology.
To support the expedition, contact foundation@skagit.edu or call 360.416.3229. For inquiries regarding the Around the Americas project, please contact atamericasjd@gmail.com, visit oneislandoneocean.com, or follow them on Facebook at oneislandoneocean, Instagram at oneisland.oneocean, or YouTube at oneislandoneocean.
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Skagit Valley College is making a difference throughout Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties by providing access to higher education for all who seek a better future. Part of what makes our college special is that we are deeply committed to equity in access, achievement, and community. Whether you are training for a new job, beginning your college experience, finishing the degree you started, adding English language skills, or pursuing a high school credential, Skagit Valley College welcomes you.