CHARLEVOIX, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Living in Michigan has its perks, and one of them is living within close distance of the Great Lakes.

For those who have dreamed of navigating the Great Lakes as a merchant marine officer, there are only seven schools in the entire United States which offer that program, and Michigan boasts one of them.

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The Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City has been in operation since 1969.

The Academy accepts 60 new students per year for the four-year program – 36 for the deck program and 24 for the engineering program.