BUZZARDS BAY, MA : Dr. Noe Ortega, the Commonwealth’s new Higher Education Commissioner, recently visited Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA; www.maritime.edu), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, where he spent time with cadets, toured the campus, and met with senior staff and the Board of Trustees.

Prior to his appointment as Massachusetts Higher Education Commissioner in August of 2022, Dr. Ortega served as Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Previously, he spent eight years at the University of Michigan where he held several academic and administrative posts, including Assistant Director and Senior Research Associate at the National Center for Institutional Diversity, and as the Managing Director for the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good.

During his recent tour of the MMA campus, Commissioner Ortega visited the Mӕrsk Mc-Kinney Møller Ship’s Bridge Simulation Center where several cadets demonstrated the technology; the  Clean Harbors Emergency Operations Training Center; and the Academy’s Engineering Labs.

“It was an honor to welcome Commissioner Ortega to our campus and introduce him to our staff, students, and the many innovative programs we offer in our mission to provide the highest quality of education and opportunities to our cadets,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of Massachusetts Maritime Academy.