the fledgling academy awaited its own training vessel, some 50 A&M Cadets got underway aboard the Empire State IV with SUNY Maritime for their first official cruise. A&M President Rudder had promised TMA its own ship by the summer of 1965. In that year, the U.S. Maritime Administration announced it would donate the American Export Lines vessel Excalibur, but the vessel was sold, instead. In March, the academy acquired the luxury liner USS Queens, and in June she was refitted to become the USTS Texas Clipper, the academy's first training ship. May 26, 1966 marked the first license ceremony with 13 seniors and General Rudder gave the keynote address. Two days later, the graduating cadets were driven to College Station to attend the Aggie commencement and receive their diplomas. This back-to-back practice continued for 19 years until Galveston started holding its own ceremony. Currently, cadets/midshipmen do the entire program at the Galveston campus, but participate in two march-ins at Kyle Field per year with the College Station Corps of Cadets. The license ceremony and commencement take place at the Galveston Island Convention Center (2015). Superintendents Since the passage of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, the position of superintendent a maritime academy is commissioned as a rear admiral (upper half) in the United States Maritime Service, which is under the United States Maritime Administration per Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Programs Merchant Marine Licensing Program This program includes both "deck cadets" pursuing a major in marine transportation or a master of maritime administration and logistics and "engine cadets" pursuing a major in marine engineering technology. License option cadets make up the majority of the Texas A&M Maritime Academy. These cadets participate in all functions of the Corps of Midshipman, along with various training activities, three summer training cruises, weekly maintenance, and in-port watch-standing activities during the semesters. Strategic Sealift Officer Program This program is made up of license option cadets who are additionally striving for a commission in the United States Navy Reserve as a naval officer with a 166x designator (strategic sealift officer - SSO). As another option, SSO program midshipman are eligible for an active-duty commission. These midshipman make up the second-most popular program within the academy and participate in both license program training activities and NROTC training activities and take additional naval science courses. This program also offers the cadet a competitive-based student incentive payment of