Press Releases
Westlawn Receives Largest Scholarship Grant in its 80 Year History
The Kathy & Jerry Wood Foundation Provide Generous Scholarship Support
June 18, 2010, Annapolis, MD and Eastport, ME: The Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is pleased to announce the most substantial grant and scholarship program in its 80 year history. According to the Westlawn’s Director, Dave Gerr, for qualifying students, the Kathy and Jerry Wood Scholarship Fund could reduce tuition rates for qualifying students to levels not seen since the early1980s.
This program has been made possible through the generous support of the Kathy & Jerry Wood Foundation, which has awarded an extended grant of $90,000, at $30,000 per year over a three year period (2010, 2011 and 2012), to provide tuition assistance for eligible Westlawn students. Scholarships will be awarded on an ongoing basis until the grant funds are expended for each of the three years.
Jerry Wood dedicated much of his life to the support of boating and education. In fact, he established the Annapolis Sailing School in 1959, which soon became the largest commercial sailing school in the United States. With the able assistance of his wife Kathy, they went on to create the first in-the-water all-sailboat show, which revolutionized boat shows and lead Kathy and Jerry to create the United States Powerboat Show—also in Annapolis—two years later. Over the years, the Wood’s businesses have employed over 3,000 young people and young adults helping to train and mentor them to prepare to move out into the world to become well-rounded mature individuals.
Westlawn’s parent company is The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) based in Annapolis, MD. ABYC headquarters is within walking distance of the Annapolis Boat Show and is even closer to Kathy and Jerry’s former Annapolis home.
“The connections between Westlawn Institute and ABYC and the history and goals of Kathy and Jerry Wood, are remarkable,” said Sallie Hamrick, President of the Kathy and Jerry Wood Foundation. “Not only are both
organizations dedicated to boating and education, but also to enhancing boating safety and to encouraging our nation’s youth to pursue the enjoyment of boating and careers in the boating industry. We are particularly touched that Jerry and Kathy will continue to serve the boating community by helping students learn to design boats and yachts that will be joyfully used for generations to come.”
“Westlawn is extremely grateful to the Kathy and Jerry Wood Foundation,” noted Westlawn’s Director, Dave Gerr. “The scholarships awarded through the Wood Foundation grant will serve as a tremendous help to our students, and we are thrilled knowing that we’ll be continuing the tradition that Kathy and Jerry Wood established both assisting in education, while supporting recreational boating.”
“ABYC was instrumental in making the connections that resulted in the award of this grant,” continued Gerr. “It’s a perfect example of how important it is to be part of ABYC, and of the deep commitment that ABYC has to boating education and standards.”
Founded in 1930, the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is the only nationally accredited distance-learning school of small-craft design in the United States. Westlawn is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), in Washington DC, and is listed as an accredited school by the U.S. Department of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As the not-for-profit educational affiliate of the American Boat and Yacht Council, the mission of the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology is threefold:
- To provide our students with the skills and knowledge required to build a rewarding career in the profession of yacht and small-craft naval architecture.
- To support continued growth of the recreational and small-craft marine community through the development of well-trained, safety-oriented, boat designers developing better products for the benefit of the boating public.
- To provide continuing education to marine-industry professionals.