The Life Experiences Forum (LEF) was introduced during the Spring 2000 semester and has been very well received by the Cadets. The LEF program is intended to demonstrate the value of the unique Maritime College (MC) education through alumni experiences and thereby motivate the Cadets, and others within the MC community, to stay with the traditional academic and license/leadership curriculum because, in the long run, it is well worth the extra effort.

The Forum consists of a series of informal meetings, usually at dinner, between alumni guest-speakers and Cadets. During a meeting the alumnus or alumna gives a presentation about the experiences he or she has had since leaving the Maritime College. Meetings are announced in advance and are usually attended by Cadets who have an interest in the speaker's background or area of expertise. Invariably, a speaker will express or reflect on some knowledge, some skill or even an attitude that he or she gained during his or her years at the Maritime College that gave them some advantage in their careers.

Since its inception in the Spring of 2000, the Forum has grown steadily. At the suggestion of Eileen Femenia and with the invaluable help of Capt. Smith (COC), we now have Cadet Rates managing Forum activities at the Fort. Last year, the third Forum series, we had 17 speakers address the Cadets. Speakers appeared as individuals or in groups depending upon the topics or other circumstance of that meeting. Most speakers have been volunteers but recently, with the active participation of the Cadets and Capt. Smith, we have had some speakers attend by invitation. The Cadets have reacted very favorably to the Forum. Attendance has steadily grown and so has the dialog during the meetings.