On October 28, Maritime College inducted John Valvo, Class of 1983, Dr. Karen Markoe, Professor Emeritus of History, and John Mathieson, Class of 1959 into Heritage Hall.
Established by the Class of October 1946 as a 50th reunion gift to the College, Heritage Hall exists to preserve the unique history of Maritime College, recognize outstanding alumni, and honor those whose contributions laid the foundation for the College to become a world-class institution.
John Valvo
Valvo graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Marine Engineering and a U.S. Coast Guard engine license. He began his career as field service engineer with Combustion Engineering; worked in the Power Generation sector, and advanced to a Consulting Engineer position before managing the Technical Services Department’s Philadelphia District in 1996. He joined Fresh Meadow Power NE as Vice President in 2010, managing construction activities in the Northeast. He has grown the companies of Fresh Meadow Power NE, Fresh Meadow Power, and FMP Piping to a regionally recognized premier powerhouse repair organization. Projects include Utility Power Plants, Hospital and University Cogeneration Facilities, and the upgrades to Olivet Pier. He serves as Trustee on many industry associations and organizations and his personal affiliations include the Maritime College Alumni Association where he served as a Board member, Treasurer, and President.
Karen Markoe
Karen Markoe graduated from Hunter College, CUNY with a Bachelor of Arts in History, earned a Master's Degree in Modern European History, and a Ph.D. in American History from Columbia University. In 1974, Maritime College admitted its first female cadets and hired Dr. Markoe as an Assistant Professor of Humanities where she served as one of the first female faculty members. She taught students from every major and remains in touch with many alumni after graduation. She was elected president of the SUNY University Faculty Senate, where she worked to improve governance across the State University system from 1987 to 1991. In 1992, she was appointed chairperson of Humanities, serving as the College’s first female department chair until her retirement in 2022. Dr. Markoe was instrumental in establishing, and served as Editor-in-Chief, of The Fort Schuyler Press. In 2022 she wrote and published “Eddie Grant, Baseball and the Great War.” Additionally, she was active with the Williams-Mystic Program; served as Director of the Haiti Project, and helped develop the Master of Science in Maritime and Naval Studies program at the College.
Jon Mathieson
Bronx native John Mathieson graduated from Maritime College with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. He joined the U.S. Navy and served as the engineering officer of an ammunition ship, but the College had other intentions for him. The administration arranged for him to leave the Navy early, and he began teaching in 1961. He earned a Master of Mechanical Engineering from New York University in 1964 and was a maverick in the development of predictive models for machinery maintenance. A founder of Ocean Engineering Systems, he reviewed and assessed systems in U.S. Navy submarines to determine how monitoring of the equipment can be used, and how and when to replace or repair parts before they failed. This allowed the Navy to extend the operating time between shipyard repair periods, and reduce costs for unnecessary repairs and replacements. A valued member of the Marine Engineering Department for over 61 years, he served as curriculum coordinator for the ABET-accredited Marine Engineering Program and Chair of the Committee for Appointments and Promotions for over 20 years. He retired in January 2023 as one of the longest-serving professors in the College’s history. He is greatly admired as a colleague and a teacher for the level of academic rigor he maintained, and the expectation of performance he instilled in his students. His impact on generations of Fort Schuyler engineers cannot be underestimated.
Congratulations to the newest Heritage Hall inductees! (Photo l-r: John Mathieson, Karen Markoe, John Valvo)
