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MARINERS DEPEND ON SCI.
SCI DEPENDS ON YOU.
| | SCI Chaplain the Rev. James Kollin visits with a seafarer aboard a vessel docked in Port Newark. | | |
IN THIS ISSUE – October 2026
- 26th Annual River Bell Awards Luncheon—Registration is Now Open!
- “Yes, You Can”: SCI at the Women Offshore Conference
- Welcome Aboard: New Team Members at CME-Houston
- Center for Mariner Advocacy Joins the Conversation at Women Offshore
- Welcoming SCI Chaplain, the Rev. Charles Uhlik to Ministry on the River
- The Waterways Journal: "SCI Receives $500,000 Grant For Ministry on the River"
- The International Seafarers’ Center Welcomes Two New Team Members
- Save the Date: SCI's Third Annual Christmas Service and Celebration
- From the Archives—Roosevelt’s Praise for SCI, One Week Before Black Tuesday
| | THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS | |
Join us for the 26th Annual River Bell Awards Luncheon!
Thursday, December 10, 2026
Paducah-McCracken County Convention & Expo Center
415 Park Street, Paducah, KY 42001
11:00 a.m. Check-In & Reception
12:00 p.m. Luncheon & Awards
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Please join us in celebrating the
2026 River Bell Honorees
Distinguished Service Award
Deb Calhoun
Waterways Council, Inc.
River Bell Award
Lee Nelson
Upper River Services, LLC.
River Legend Award
Bruce McGinnis
McNational, Inc.
Lifesaving Award
The Crew of the M/V George King (Marquette Transportation Company) & The Crew of the M/V Donna York (Crounse Corporation)
The Crew of the Miss Amanda M (Strategic Towing Services)
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Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions about the event!
202.719.8057 - RiverBell@SeamensChurch.org
| | “Yes, You Can”: SCI at the Women Offshore Conference | | |
The ninth annual Women Offshore Conference brought maritime and offshore leaders, emerging professionals, students, and industry advocates together October 1–2 at San Jacinto College’s LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology in the Houston area.
Centered on the theme “Yes, You Can,” the two-day gathering combined personal stories, workshops, and interactive sessions to help attendees strengthen their skills, expand their networks, and pursue careers on the water with confidence.
SCI’s three mission areas—pastoral care, maritime education, and mariner advocacy—were represented by SCI Chaplain the Rev. Nancy Simpson, Center for Maritime Education E-Learning Specialist Lisa Nally, and Center for Mariner Advocacy Director Phil Schifflin, Esq., alongside Communications Coordinator Bridgit Patterson.
Phil joined the panel “Defining Your Identity in Work & Life,” exploring how professional experiences shape who we are while recognizing the relationships, interests, and values that give life meaning beyond work. Panelists offered personal perspectives and encouragement for attendees finding their own way—a message that resonates with SCI’s commitment to caring for mariners both aboard and ashore.
SCI thanks Women Offshore for creating an opportunity to connect, learn, and support maritime professionals at every stage of their careers.
| | From left to right: Lisa Nally, Center for Maritime Education E-Learning Specialist; Bridgit Patterson, Communications Coordinator; Phil Schifflin, Esq., Director of the Center for Mariner Advocacy; and SCI Chaplain, the Rev. Nancy Simpson. | | Welcome Aboard: New Team Members at CME-Houston | |
SCI’s Center for Maritime Education welcomed two new team members to its Houston, Texas, location in September.
We are pleased to introduce the newest members of our team, whose work will support SCI’s mission to equip mariners with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate safely and confidently. Meet them below and join us in giving them a warm welcome.
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Dr. Oleksandr “Alex” Pipchenko joins CME-Houston as Test Director and Simulator Instructor, bringing more than a decade at sea as a Master Mariner and over 15 years in maritime education.
Formerly Chair of the Safety of Navigation Department at the National University “Odesa Maritime Academy,” Alex holds a Ph.D. and Doctor of Engineering in Navigation and Traffic Control and has authored more than 50 publications on navigation and simulator training.
He will lead CME’s navigation feasibility studies, working with pilots, masters, ports, and engineering partners to evaluate proposed channels, terminals, and maneuvers on its full-mission ship bridge simulator.
Alex will also teach in CME’s simulator training programs, drawing on his operational experience and research expertise to help make waterways safer for working mariners.
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Capt. Joshua “Josh” Puckett joins CME-Houston as an Instructor, bringing more than 30 years on the water and over a decade of U.S. Army service, including maritime roles as a harbor master and captain of amphibious landing craft.
His civilian career includes captain positions with TxDOT’s Galveston Ferries and Kirby Inland Marine, and most recently, service as a relief captain with Blessey.
A licensed Master of Towing Vessels and USCG Designated Examiner, Josh also brings years of experience training and mentoring mariners.
In the classroom and on CME’s full-mission bridge simulators, he will draw on that experience to help mariners strengthen their navigation, boat handling, and decision-making skills.
| | As CME continues to expand its team and capabilities, Alex and Josh bring valuable experience to our work advancing maritime training and waterway safety. We look forward to the contributions they will make in Houston and the impact of their work on the mariners we serve. Please join us in welcoming them to the SCI family! | | Center for Mariner Advocacy Joins the Conversation at Women Offshore | | |
At maritime industry events, Phil Schifflin, Esq., Director of SCI’s Center for Mariner Advocacy, often hears concerns about mariner shortages across both the oceangoing and inland sectors. His response points to an opportunity: women make up roughly half of the U.S. population yet remain underrepresented in the maritime workforce. Making maritime careers more welcoming and attractive to women, he emphasizes, is essential to drawing from the nation’s full pool of talent.
That conviction made Phil especially pleased to participate in this year’s Women Offshore Conference in Houston, Texas. Under the theme “Yes, You Can,” the conference brought together maritime professionals for conversations focused on empowering women and supporting lasting careers in the industry.
Phil joined the panel “Defining Your Identity in Work & Life,” which explored transitions between sea and shoreside positions, challenging work environments, and major life changes. Drawing on his transition from military to civilian life and the experiences of former military colleagues, he reflected on factors that can shape a successful transition and how those lessons might apply to women navigating changes throughout their maritime careers.
Phil also emphasized the importance of caring for mental health during periods of change. Career transitions and personal upheaval can create stress, and seeking support early can help keep concerns from escalating. He encouraged attendees to establish a relationship with a mental health professional before an urgent need arises, building a source of support they can turn to when facing difficult times.
| | Welcoming SCI Chaplain the Rev. Charles Uhlik to Ministry on the River | | |
At the start of this month, the Rev. Charles Uhlik joined SCI’s Ministry on the River team as its newest Chaplain.
Based in St. Louis, Charles will serve mariners throughout the Upper Mississippi River region, from St. Louis north to Minneapolis, offering pastoral care, encouragement, and a listening ear. We’re delighted to welcome Charles to SCI! Watch the video below to meet him and hear more about his new role.
| | The Waterways Journal: "SCI Receives $500,000 Grant For Ministry on the River" | | |
SCI has received a $500,000 grant from the Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust to strengthen and expand Ministry on the River.
Featured in The Waterways Journal, the two-year initiative will support continuing education, professional development, and peer support for SCI’s Chaplains while expanding training and onboarding for Chaplain Associates.
The goal is to build a network that can provide support within a two-hour drive of any inland mariner in need.
SCI is grateful for this generous investment in the people who care for our maritime community—and the mariners and families they serve.
Read the full article in The Waterways Journal.
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| The International Seafarers’ Center Welcomes Two New Team Members | | |
SCI’s International Seafarers’ Center (ISC) welcomes Amelia Schonbek, our 2026–2027 Ordained Chaplain Intern, and Anwar Afifi, our new Daytime Operations Associate. Their experience in journalism, ministry, and maritime work will help us care for seafarers and support those visiting Port Newark.
Amelia joins ISC while studying at Union Theological Seminary. Her background in journalism includes reporting on trauma and assault experienced by women working at sea, giving her insight into the challenges these seafarers face. Her commitment to listening to others and understanding their experiences will inform her ministry as she supports the spiritual and emotional needs of seafarers and maritime workers.
Through her internship, Amelia will deepen her pastoral experience and bring her familiarity with the maritime community to her work alongside ISC’s chaplains.
Anwar brings firsthand knowledge of life at sea to his role in ISC’s daily operations. A former mariner, he understands the demands of living and working aboard a vessel. His experience also includes working for MSC Industrial Supply Co. aboard naval vessels, adding to his knowledge of shipboard environments and the needs of maritime personnel. Anwar’s experience will help ISC provide a welcoming, supportive presence for mariners visiting Port Newark.
We look forward to the perspectives and contributions Amelia and Anwar will bring to our work serving the people who keep the maritime industry moving. Please join us in welcoming them to SCI. Welcome aboard, Amelia and Anwar!
| | Amelia Shonbeck, Ordained Chaplain Intern | | Anwar Afifi, Daytime Operations Associate | | Roosevelt’s Praise for SCI, One Week Before Black Tuesday | | |
On October 22, 1929, New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt—then in his 22nd year on SCI’s board—praised the organization’s accomplishments in a letter to SCI's Superintendent A.R. Mansfield.
One week later came Black Tuesday. The Great Depression that followed would become one of the defining challenges of his presidency.
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