MPT Launches Maritime Scholarship
Annual Maritime Professional Training scholarship program to provide local Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County youth with opportunity to explore career in the professional maritime sector; grant to cover all necessary funding and associated costs for recipients to pursue their studies, training and certification at MPT’s Fort Lauderdale campus
Private maritime training school Maritime Professional Training (MPT) announced the launch of a new annual scholarship, the Morley Family Professional Mariner (MFPM) Founders Grant, in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (BGCBC).
Named in honor of Elmer and Beverly Morley, founder and CEO of MPT, respectively, the MFPM Founders Grant will offer a unique opportunity for BGCBC high school-aged youth interested in a possible career in the professional maritime sector to apply for free tuition to attend MPT’s Fort Lauderdale campus to pursue their studies, training and certification. The launch of the scholarship program was officially announced during a formal presentation by MPT COO Captain Ted Morley to more than 800 BGCBC donors, friends and supporters at the 48th Annual Dinner Auction fundraiser on April 25, 2015 benefiting the non-profit organization.
“My parents, Elmer and Beverly Morley, are the most important voices, mentors and leaders that the maritime professional training sector has known,” said Morley. “They created this school more than 30 years ago from the ground up, and made MPT what it is today. We are so pleased to partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County to launch this scholarship program in their namesake and honor. Through this grant, we aim to continue to further their mission to educate and train aspiring mariners, and to provide professional career opportunities to local youth in our community who may not otherwise afford them.”
In 1981, Elmer and Beverly Morley founded MPT in Fort Lauderdale with a mission to provide the highest-quality, most comprehensive professional training and certification programs to aspiring mariners. Their original vision, tireless efforts and dedication to educating and cultivating tomorrow’s professional mariners is, quite literally, the foundation for MPT. It is also the reason why, after more than 30 years since its inception, the Fort Lauderdale-based campus has grown to be the largest, most respected private maritime training school in the nation.
Now, in 2015, MPT is led by two generations of the Morley family, including Elmer and Beverly; their son, Ted; and daughters, Amy Morley Beavers, academic principal and VP of regulatory compliance, and Lisa Morley, vice president of sales and marketing (pictured, above right). Under their collective leadership and direction, MPT serves more than 10,000 students from all over the world annually, providing training for mariners pursuing careers in both the commercial and yachting segments of the maritime industry.
Through the launch of the MFPM Founders Grant, MPT aims to honor its founders and their original mission by providing local BGCBC youth applicants with all of the tools, resources and funding necessary to achieve their training and certification for a lifelong career in the professional maritime sector. The scholarships awarded will be all-encompassing and inclusive, and will cover all regulatory needs of the recipient, from books and supplies, tuition fees and mandatory course work, to drug tests, physical exams, application and license fees, and more. All required, related costs leading up to and through the attainment of the first certification or license will be fully covered and funded by MPT, providing deserving BGCBC youth applicants with a full ride and unique opportunity to train at one of the leading, private maritime professional training schools in the nation.
The first MFPM Founders Grants will be awarded to two deserving BGCBC recipients. One scholarship per program period will be awarded for Engineering studies and certification, and one for Deck training and certification. Prices for licensing and certification programs through MPT, many of which are designed for continuing education, range from $5,000 up to over $25,000 for entry to mid-level certification. The average cost of each scholarship awarded will vary based on the specific program, certification and license level for which each individual recipient wishes to pursue—after which, MPT intends to assist scholarship recipients with the process of securing entry-level interviews and getting hired.
As continuing education is many times a critical or necessary component of pursuing a long-term career in the professional maritime sector, grant recipients who thrive at their first job placement and receive adequate hours of sea time will be able to reapply for a secondary MFPM Founders Grant scholarship should they wish to obtain a higher license/certification through MPT. Renewal of scholarship beyond first certification or license obtained will be reviewed on a case by case basis, with an overall goal of providing all deserving, original recipients the opportunity to further their training and enable them to achieve next-level hiring and a brighter future career path.
“We are thrilled to partner with MPT on this unique opportunity,” said Brian Quail, president/CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. “We are always looking for new ways to provide members with the necessary tools and resources to hone their skills and pave the way for their continued education and long-term career path. We look forward to working with MPT in the coming weeks to educate and promote this new grant opportunity amongst our members, and to ensure its continued development and success in the coming years.”
The Morley Family Professional Mariner (MFPM) Founders Grant is open to BGCBC high school juniors and seniors who are interested in or wish to pursue a possible career in the professional maritime sector. Award criteria include academic credentials, recommendations and leadership experience, in addition to community service and applicant’s overall passion for the maritime industry, as exhibited by the required student essays. A formal review committee comprised of key members of the MPT Board of Directors and BGCBC Executive Committee will be established to collectively review all applicants and agree upon finalists and winners for each program period.
The first MFPM Founders Grants will tentatively be awarded in fall 2015.
