From the High Seas to Higher Education: Asher Kone’s Journey
Growing up between Honolulu, Alaska, Washington, and Greece, Asher Kone always felt a connection to the water. Summers spent on a commercial fishing boat in Alaska during high school cemented this passion for the ocean. “I love surfing and being on the water,” Kone shared. “And I realized that’s really what I want to do with my life.”
When it came time to choose a college, Kone gravitated towards naval architecture, a path that led him to the University of Michigan’s (U-M) esteemed Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) program. Despite facing the challenges of moving from Hawaii to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the concerns of out-of-state tuition, financial aid and scholarships made it feasible for Kone to attend the program.
Adjusting to the new environment was no small feat. “I’ll be honest,” Kone admitted with a laugh, “it wasn’t easy.” Yet, he finds the experience rewarding. “U-M has been a great opportunity to expand my horizons, go somewhere new, be in a different flow of life, and see new perspectives,” he conveyed.
Throughout his time at U-M, Kone’s resume has been enriched by diverse internships and research experiences. His work has taken him from Pearl Harbor in Hawaii to the North Sea. He played a significant role in the Quarterdeck Society, organizing events to connect students with potential employers, and was a pivotal member of Wolverine Offshore Wind, a group competing in the Collegiate Wind Competition.
Kone also contributed as a research assistant in the Marine Structures Design Lab and engaged in a senior design project, an experience he described as the pinnacle of his undergraduate journey. This project involved designing a ship from the ground up and presenting it to industry experts.
His internships have been equally diverse. One position was with a defense contractor in Alabama, while another summer saw him returning to Hawaii to intern with Pacific Shipyards International at Pearl Harbor, getting hands-on experience with Navy ship maintenance and repair. An intriguing summer role in marine salvage took him from Louisiana to England, working on a challenging offshore wind turbine salvage project. “It was an interesting experience,” he noted, “and highly stressful!”
Beyond academia, Kone enjoys cooking, often hosting dinners that showcase his varied cultural experiences from Hawaii, Greece, and the Pacific Northwest.
Looking ahead, Kone intends to continue his studies at U-M, enrolling in a maritime industry-funded two-year graduate program in naval architecture. Reflecting on his undergraduate years, he appreciates the tight-knit community within the NAME department. “Despite being part of a large university, naval architecture feels more like a small, tight-knit community,” he remarked. “I could walk into a professor’s office, and they’d be happy to help me.”
