CONTACT: Jarrod Gerhardt 
Director of Communications and Marketing 
Cal Poly Maritime Academy 
Jgerha01@calpoly.edu; 619-302-4416

VALLEJO, Calif. — Training Ship Golden Bear returns to Vallejo on July 6 following the completion of Summer Sea Term 2026, bringing home 283 Cal Poly Maritime Academy cadets after a 12,500-mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean. After 30 years of service as the academy's primary training vessel, the journey marks Golden Bear’s final training voyage and the end of an important chapter in the history of Cal Poly Maritime Academy.

For three decades, Golden Bear has served as a floating classroom where thousands of cadets transformed classroom knowledge into practical experience at sea. During that time, the ship became an enduring symbol of Cal Poly Maritime Academy's Learn by Doing philosophy, preparing graduates for careers in the maritime industry, military service and related fields.

“Golden Bear has helped prepare generations of maritime professionals through hands-on training at sea,” said Rear Adm. Eric C. Jones, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.), superintendent of Cal Poly Maritime Academy. “More than a training vessel, Golden Bear represented an ethos that has guided the education of maritime leaders at this academy for nearly a century. We are grateful for the ship’s service and the role it has played in shaping thousands of careers.”

This year's voyage took cadets across the Pacific Ocean with port calls in San Diego, Tahiti, Fiji and Honolulu. Along the way, students stood watch on the bridge and in the engine room, operated complex ship systems, participated in emergency drills and developed the skills required of future maritime officers.

“Training Ship Golden Bear has held a special place in my heart throughout my career. I first sailed aboard her as a cadet during her second Summer Sea Term voyage at the Academy,” said Capt. Samar B. Bannister, master of Training Ship Golden Bear and Cal Poly Maritime Academy’s director of marine programs. “To return years later as her captain for her final Summer Sea Term is a deeply meaningful full-circle moment. It has been the honor of a lifetime to lead the cadets and crew aboard this remarkable ship as she completes her final training voyage.”

Cal Poly Maritime Academy is preparing for the arrival of Golden State, a National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) that will become the academy’s next training ship. Expected to arrive in Vallejo in 2027, Golden State will provide expanded training capabilities, modern instructional spaces and new opportunities for hands-on learning at sea.

“It has been a privilege to be part of Golden Bear’s final Summer Sea Term,” said Cadet First Class Jenny Scott, Summer Sea Term corps commander. “At the same time, I am excited for the cadets who will build on this legacy aboard Training Ship Golden State. They will have opportunities that previous generations could only imagine as they usher in the next chapter of maritime education at Cal Poly Maritime Academy.”

About Cal Poly Maritime Academy

Located on the Cal Poly Solano Campus in Vallejo, California, Cal Poly Maritime Academy is part of Cal Poly and the West Coast’s only degree-granting maritime academy. It prepares students for leadership roles in maritime, engineering, logistics, business, global supply chains and national security. Through Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy, students gain real-world experience in classrooms, laboratories and aboard the Training Ship Golden Bear. Learn more: maritime.calpoly.edu

About Cal Poly

Founded in 1901 and part of the renowned California State University system since 1960, Cal Poly is a nationally ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year about 23,000 top-tier students come to Cal Poly to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in areas such as engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on approach, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates Ready Day One to impact their communities, California and the world. Visit: www.calpoly.edu.