BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – Our first award of Senior Awards week is the Buccaneer Appreciation Award, an award established to recognize institutional staff members, past and present, for their efforts in advancing the services and programs of the institution. For the first time since 2016 we have two winners of this award. These gentlemen are invaluable to the Department of Athletics and are more than deserving of this honor. They go above and beyond for not only every student-athlete at the Academy but for every single Cadet at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

The winners of this year's Buccaneer Appreciation Award are Jim Callan and Mark Gonsalves.

Jim Callan, affectionately known as "Bookstore Jim", is the Uniform Manager and Assistant Front End Manager of the Follett Campus Book Store. His duties as uniform manager are endless but he is responsible for each and every piece of each and every uniform worn by our cadets and staff. When not making the regiment look the best they can Jim can be found at every home football game and the majority of every other home game on campus. He also serves as the advisor for the club rugby team. When not working or helping and watching Buccaneer athletics Jim is volunteering in the community and is a lifelong advocate for veterans.

"Jim Callan is one of the most generous people I've ever met. He helps with fundraising, golf tournaments, ticket booths, and even joined our chain gang crew last fall with the football officials. If I called him a super fan, that would be an understatement. He is an inspiration to all of us and continuously opens his heart to the Maritime Community. Thank you for everything you do. You have and will continue to make a huge impact in athletics and on campus." Mike Kelley, Director of Athletics.

Mark Gonsalves is the Director of Dormitory Maintenance at the Academy. He and his team are responsible for keeping each dorm room on campus in tip-top shape. Mark is a familiar face to the student-athletes in the dorms and often someone they turn to when they need advice or someone to talk to. Mark spends most of his time, when he isn't working, volunteering for a number of teams, including baseball and football, donating his time to the student-athletes and programs as a whole. Mark always goes the extra step, including travelling to all away games with the Buccaneer football team as part of their support staff, making sure that everyone from players, to coaches and the athletic trainers have everything they need where and when they need it. He is always connecting with cadets to see how he can help them on and off the field.

"Mark Gonsalves has been volunteering with athletics for over 20 years. He's an instrumental and pivotal part of our game day operations in the fall. He has helped with everything from sideline setup to running concessions to supporting our golf tournaments and so much more. Quite frankly, I don't know what we'd do without him. It's rare to find someone that has the commitment, generosity and dedication that Mark has. We are truly lucky to have him on our team. Thank you for all you do for the Bucs." Mike Kelley, Director of Athletics.

Congratulations to the 2020 recipients of the Buccaneer Appreciation Award, Jim Callan and Mark Gonsalves!