Coast Guard and Lincoln University Begin New Partnership

CG-2 Visits Lincoln University
Originally uploaded by icommandant

Guest Post by RADM Cynthia Coogan, Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and Criminal Investigations (CG-2).

This past week, I had the privilege to meet with the President of the Lincoln University, Dr. Carolyn Mahoney. In support of Coast Guard's diversity outreach, the Intelligence and Criminal Investigations Directorate has partnered with Lincoln University, located in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Lincoln University, led by its President Dr. Carolyn Mahoney and her dedicated staff and faculty, enthusiastically greeted and hosted us on a campus visit August 27, 2009. After introductions, we had a roundtable discussion of the endless possibilities and outcomes for our school-service partnership. Partnership activities discussed included internships, e-mentoring, and academic assistance through staff visits. Later this fall, we will return to provide a "Coast Guard Day" showcasing Coast Guard missions and to communicate the diverse uniform and civilian employment and career opportunities available.

We were provided a campus tour by an All-American track athlete - a native of St Lucia in the Caribbean - who recently graduated with a Civil Engineering Degree and currently pursuing an MBA. We visited the University's library that houses more than 100 thousand books and a multi-media center designed to foster the use of video, music, and technology within the classroom and academic works. Additionally, we toured several technologically advanced classrooms teaching Criminal Justice and Geographic Information Systems. Completing the tour, we visited the Soldier?s Memorial. While the picture alone cannot summarize the symbolism of this monument dedicated to the founders of Lincoln, the 133 years of history embedded within the campus energized each one of us. Its history began at the close of the Civil War when members of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantry took steps to establish an educational institution. Today, Lincoln University, accredited as one of the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), remains committed to serving a diverse student body by providing an array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

Our visit to the Lincoln University was a great success. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership between CG-2 and Lincoln University. More about CG-2 school-service partnership activities to follow...