The Academic Center for Excellence Director
 Commander Paul D. Acquaro, United States Maritime Services and Commander United States Navy (retired).

Hello and welcome to the ACE. The Director of the Academic Center for Excellence is Commander Paul D. Acquaro.  CDR Acquaro’s focus is providing academic leadership, communication, planning, and forward thinking skills to the midshipmen at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. He is a graduate from the State University of New York Maritime College. He earned his Master's Degree in Education and holds two New York State Public School Teacher Certifications in Education to include childhood education and working with students with special needs. In 2012 he joined the staff at the United States Merchant Marine Academy to help develop future merchant marine officer through identifying meaningful modes of assessment, evaluating the delivery of educational materials, and securing appropriate support services for all.

CDR Acquaro holds a Coast Guard Endorsed Unlimited Tonnage Third Mates License and Engineering credentials with professional experience sailing on both commercially and on active duty. The bulk of CDR Acquaro’s sailing experience stems from his time on Active Duty in the United States Navy where he served in the engineering department in positions from electrical officer through Main Propulsion Officer and Chief Engineer on the USS Arleigh Burke DDG 51.  His duty stations included time at Commander Naval Surfaces Atlantic as the Assistant to the Inspector General and Afloat Training Group, Atlantic as an Engineering Readiness Assessment officer. While on active duty he was designated a shipboard Legal Officer.  
CDR Acquaro has a strong understanding of the educational and developmental process, with experience in employing Bloom's Taxonomy to promote comprehension in the learning environment. Professionally he taught, mentored, counseled, and coached college level students at the State University of New York Maritime College. His responsibilities as instructor for the Coast Guard endorsed Licensing program called for a development of training portfolios to highlight student progress over their four years in the program. More recently CDR Acquaro was member of the Herricks Union Free School District, where he developed interactive lesson plans across the curriculum that promoted multiculturalism, differentiated instruction and technology use in the classroom.

CDR Acquaro is here to help provide our midshipmen a safe and comfortable environment where they may develop their academic abilities and social skills. If you need to reach him, he is available at 516-726-5961 or acquarop@usmma.edu