Webb Institute facts for kids
 |
|
| Type | Private college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1889 |
| Endowment | $62.6 million (2020) |
| President | Mark Martecchini |
|
Academic staff
|
10 |
| Undergraduates | 98 |
| Location |
,
,
United States
|
| Campus | Suburban, 26 acres (11 ha) |
| Nickname | Webbies |
Webb Institute is a unique private college located in Glen Cove, New York. It's a special engineering school where students learn all about ships! Every student who graduates from Webb gets a degree in naval architecture (which is about designing ships) and marine engineering (which is about how ships work).
This school is famous in the shipping world because it focuses a lot on how to design ships, how their systems work, and getting real-world experience. Plus, a big bonus for students from the United States is that tuition is completely free!
Contents
History of Webb Institute
Webb Institute was started in 1889 by a very important shipbuilder and generous person named William Henry Webb. In the 1800s, William Henry Webb was one of the best shipbuilders around. He saw that science and engineering were becoming super important for designing ships, which used to be more like an art.
Webb believed that future ship designers would need to be experts in engineering and other science subjects. The first students graduated from the institute in 1893. Since then, Webb has continued to teach students how to design and engineer ships.
How Webb Institute Started
On April 2, 1889, Webb's Academy and Home for Shipbuilders officially became a non-profit school in New York. Mr. Webb gave the academy enough money to make sure it could always support itself. His idea was for it to be a school for future ship designers and also a retirement home for older shipbuilders.
Webb hired an architect named Arthur P. Jennings to design the school building. It was built on about 14 acres of land in the Bronx, overlooking the Harlem and Hudson rivers. Construction began in 1890 and finished in 1893. The building looked like a "romantic medieval castle" with towers and fancy carvings. This building was used for 50 years.
During World War II, the institute worked closely with the U.S. Navy. It became a training center for naval officers.
Moving to a New Campus
By 1945, the school's leaders decided the Bronx campus wasn't good enough anymore. It didn't have the right labs. So, they sold it for a lot of money. That land is now an apartment complex.
In November 1945, the institute bought its current home in Glen Cove, New York. This new place was once a large country estate called The Braes, owned by Herbert L. Pratt. The main house was built between 1912 and 1914. It had a unique H-shape and looked like a mix of old English and European styles. It was the biggest of the six Pratt family estates in Glen Cove. Work to change it into a school began in 1946.
In April 1947, classes started at the new campus in Glen Cove. The main building was updated to have classrooms, student rooms, and offices. A special pool for testing ship models and a gym were built nearby. The main building was renamed Stevenson Taylor Hall. This was to honor Stevenson Taylor, who was a very important leader of the school's board for many years. The first floor of Stevenson Taylor Hall still looks a lot like it did in 1915.
A modern library and an auditorium were added to the campus in 1971. In 1974, Webb Institute started allowing women to become students.
You might have seen Webb Institute on screen! The outside of Stevenson Taylor Hall was used as Wayne Manor in the 1995 movie Batman Forever and again in the 1997 movie Batman & Robin. It was also used for both inside and outside shots in the 2014 TV show Gotham and the 2019 Joker movie. It even appeared in the 1998 film Great Expectations and the 2015 TV series Limitless.
Leaders of Webb Institute
Webb Institute has had many leaders over the years. Here are some of the people who have guided the school:
| Administrator | Years |
|---|---|
| Andrew Reed | 1894 – 1919 |
| George F. Crouch | 1920 – 1923 |
| Frank L. Odell | 1923 – 1926 |
| Gilbert P. Taylor | 1926 – 1932 |
| George H. Rock | 1932 – 1945 |
| Samuel M. Robinson | 1946 – 1951 |
| Frederick E. Haeberle | 1951 – 1961 |
| William T. Alexander | 1961 – 1966 |
| William A. Brockett | 1966 – 1974 |
| Charles N. Payne | 1974 – 1980 |
| C. Russell Bryan | 1980 – 1986 |
| Benedict L. Stabile | 1986 – 1990 |
| James J. Conti | 1990 – 1999 |
| Ronald K. Kiss | 1999 – 2005 |
| Robert C. Olsen Jr. | 2005 – 2013 |
| R. Keith Michel | 2013 – 2022 |
| Mark Martecchini | 2022 – present |
Learning at Webb Institute
Webb Institute usually has about 90 students, and about 20% of them are female. The school has 12 full-time teachers and no teaching assistants. This means students can easily talk to their professors, who are often available to help. Some humanities classes, like Political Philosophy, are taught by teachers from other local colleges.
There are four classrooms, one for each year group. What's unusual is that the professors move between classrooms, not the students! The front of each classroom is for lectures. The back has drafting tables for each student, plus bookshelves and couches. This gives students their own study space available 24/7.
A very important part of Webb's learning facilities is its 90-foot (27 m)-long pool for testing ship models. Students and teachers use it often for experiments and research. Webb Institute also has its own physics and chemistry labs, a large library, an engineering lab, a carpentry shop, and a machine shop. Students can use these facilities almost any time. Webb's programs really focus on hands-on experience. Many classes require students to do experiments or build and test models.
The schoolwork at Webb Institute is challenging. Students spend up to 5 hours a day in classes. They also spend several hours each day working on their own.
Winter Work Internships
Webb Institute has a special program called "Winter Work." This is when students get real-world experience through internships. Webb students must work in the marine industry for 8 weeks during January and February each year.
First-year students work as helpers or mechanics in shipyards. Second-year students work as observers on ships at sea. Older students (juniors and seniors) do internships at engineering and design offices. By the time students graduate, they have 8 months of work experience! Recently, students have even traveled overseas to countries like China, the Netherlands, and Greece for their Winter Work.
Graduation and Careers
About 85% of students who start at Webb end up graduating. Many graduates go on to work in the maritime industry, and 100% of them find jobs right after graduation. Graduates also find success in other engineering fields, or even in finance or law. About one-third of each graduating class goes on to get an advanced degree.
Webb has a very active group of former students (alumni) who support graduates and help create a strong network. These alumni also donate a lot of money to the school. Over 70% of alumni donate, which is one of the highest rates in the United States!
Because of the money given by the founder and the generous donations from alumni, students who are U.S. citizens do not have to pay tuition at Webb. Students only pay for their room, food, books, and some fees. The Bachelor of Science degree takes four years of "total immersion" study, which includes many months of job experience through internships.
Webb Institute also works closely with nearby schools like the United States Merchant Marine Academy and State University of New York Maritime College.
Campus Life at Webb
Living on Campus
Most students live on campus for all four years. Webb Institute does not have fraternities or sororities. There is a student-run Social Committee that plans parties and trips off campus throughout the year.
Honor Code
The students at Webb follow an Honor Code. This means they promise not to lie, cheat, or steal. The Student Organization helps manage the Honor Code. It also handles student money, plans social events, and helps students talk with the school administration.
Fun Activities
Webb has many ways for students to have fun and stay active. The school has its own yacht club, a workshop for cars, and even an English-style pub. Students can play intercollegiate sports like sailing, tennis, soccer, volleyball, ultimate, and basketball.
New York City is only about an hour away by train, so students can easily visit the city. There are also many student-led clubs on campus, both for sports and for learning. In 2018, Webb won its first championship in recent history for men's tennis!
Webb Institute Sports
The sports teams at Webb are called the Webbies. The institute is part of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). They mostly compete in the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) for most sports. Their sailing team competes in the Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (MAISA).
Webb has five varsity sports teams:
- Men's basketball
- Sailing (for both men and women)
- Men's soccer
- Men's tennis
- Men's volleyball
Famous Graduates
Many talented people have graduated from Webb Institute, including:
- Bill Langan, a famous yacht designer
- Norman B. Hall, a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard
- Halsey Chase Herreshoff, another well-known yacht designer
- David M. Young Jr., a mathematician
- Lloyd M. Trefethen, an inventor and researcher in how fluids move
- Alfred Zeien, who was the CEO of Gillette
