Media Advisory

BALTIMORE – The U.S. Coast Guard will establish a memorandum of agreement with Morgan State University that provides students the opportunity to participate in Coast Guard sponsored mentorship, internship, and scholarship programs, during a signing ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m., Tuesday, here at Fell’s Point Broadway pier, aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Stratton.

Students will also be eligible for the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative program and can receive full tuition for up to two years, as well as active-duty Coast Guard benefits during their junior and senior years.  The CSPI program provides students with leadership, management, law enforcement, navigation and marine science skills and training.

Rear Adm. Karl Schultz, Coast Guard director of government and public affairs and Dr. David Wilson, Morgan State University president, will be the signees. U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland will preside over the signing.

This is the latest initiative since the creation of a Coast Guard liaison position in 2009 which supports historically black colleges and universities and works with the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. 

“We recognize that diversity is vital to mission readiness and excellence,” said Schultz. “Diversity sparks innovations by incorporating new approaches and fresh perspectives to problem solving.”

For more on the Coast Guard’s HBCU and other diversity initiatives, visit www.uscg.mil/diversity/ 

The Stratton is the service’s newest National Security Cutter and is making a week long port call in Baltimore. The NSC Legend-class cutters are replacing 11 aging, Secretary-class, high endurance cutters. NCSs are faster, better equipped, more durable, safer and more efficient than their predecessor.

###

Media interested in attending the ceremony should contact Petty Officer Jonathon Lindberg at Jonathon.B.Lindberg@uscg.mil