AB Jeffrey Allan Lagana has added yet another “first” to his career as a Seafarer—that of “Adult Learner of the Year,” an award presented by the American Council on Education (ACE).The Adult Learner of the Year Award is presented annually to a student who uses ACE college credit recommendations to earn a college degree or advance his or her career. The recipient must show outstanding achievements to the community or workplace while successfully balancing a family, career and education.
Following his 1995 graduation from St. Mary’s Ryken High School in Leonardtown, Md., Lagana, enrolled at the University of Maryland, College Park, as an engineering major. After three semesters, he realized he did not wish to pursue engineering but wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted except to get away on his own and experience life as an adult.
So it was that in January 1997, at age 19, Lagana found himself at the Paul Hall Center in the first class of the revamped unlicensed apprentice program.
His leadership qualities were evident, and he was selected to be the chief bosun for Class 561. His first voyage during his training was aboard the Sea-Land Hawaii. He has been an active union member ever since, enjoying the chance to "see and experience a vast number of places and people that many never have the opportunity to do in a lifetime."
Lagana continued to upgrade both his vocational and academic skills while sailing. He was one of the first students from the unlicensed apprentice program to complete the Able Seaman course. He also received three college credits for successfully completing all the requirements for English 102: Composition and Literature, and later became the first Seafarer to earn his Nautical Science and Technology Certificate at the school.
This achievement, coupled with other credit courses recommended by ACE, provided him the incentive to apply for—and win—one of the yearly $20,000 scholarships for Seafarers sponsored by the Seafarers Health and Benefits Plan in 2001.
With scholarship in hand, the deep sea member continued his studies full time at the University of Maryland, where he maintained a 4.0 grade point average.
In August of this year, the 24-year-old completed his degree with a double major of environmental science and policy (with a concentration in mapping and data management) and geography (with a specialization in geographic information systems and computer cartography).
Lagana said that working in the maritime industry has afforded him the opportunity to travel to numerous countries throughout the world where he has witnessed many different cultures and landscapes. He found many of those views to be disturbing, particularly in developing countries where people are less fortunate.
He anticipates launching a career that will combat the degradation of the world’s three most important elements—land, water and air.
And now Lagana is the first Paul Hall Center student to win the annual Adult Learner of the Year award from the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service. As one of 15 national entrants, the judges unanimously picked him as the most deserving.
Thanks to generous assistance from Maersk Line, Ltd., Lagana, who has been working aboard the Maersk Texas on its South America run, was able to take part in the Sept. 19 ceremony at ACE headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he was presented with a plaque and an engraved silver bowl.
Joining Lagana at the award ceremony were his parents, Yvonne and Allan Lagana, his grandmother and his girlfriend as well as SIU President Michael Sacco, SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel and Bill Eglinton, director of education at the Paul Hall Center. Also in attendance were Jan Downing from Maersk Line, Ltd. and members of the ACE advisory board, state affiliate directors, ACE national coordinators, invited members of the local business community and local universities, and Dr. Nicholas Allen, provost and chief academic officer at the University of Maryland, College Park, where Lagana completed his studies.
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