SDSU and the U.S. Coast Guard Establish Partnership Benefiting Students and the Military Agency
SDSU and the U.S. Coast Guard finalize a partnership to provide scholarship and research opportunities and recruit a diverse, highly-skilled workforce.
During a ceremony on campus on Tuesday, May 28, SDSU President Adela de la Torre signed a memorandum of agreement with Rear Adm. Peter Gautier, commander of the Coast Guard’s 11th District. This signing makes SDSU the second school in the state of California to partner with the Coast Guard for this initiative.
This partnership is part of the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) which began in 1989. The program began in an effort to increase the participation of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in federally sponsored programs and has expanded to all designated Minority Servicing Institutions. Central to this agreement and the CSPI are scholarships and loan forgiveness programs. These will provide selected students with full tuition for up to two academic years, loan forgiveness and Coast Guard active-duty benefits and pay.
"This agreement is the beginning of a highly-productive partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard and San Diego State," said Rear Adm. Gautier. "Together, we will increase opportunities for minority students in San Diego to pursue an education and to serve their country in the Coast Guard."
CSPI is a program designed for motivated individuals who demonstrate academic and leadership excellence and who are looking to serve their country. If accepted, students participate in a minimum of 16 hours a month of Coast Guard activities where they will be able to have hands-on experiences with Coast Guard operations. As part of the agreement, San Diego State University faculty will also have increased opportunities to work with the Coast Guard on projects that could be applied to larger governmental issues such as cybersecurity, marine biology, environmental science and aviation science and technology.
“We are very excited about this important partnership that demonstrates both SDSU and the Coast Guard's commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion,” said SDSU’s Chief Diversity Officer J. Luke Wood. “We are hopeful that our identity as a Hispanic Serving Institution that resides on Kumeyaay land will enable us to help support the development of the next generation of leaders.”
