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Government Senior Projects

Senior Projects

Government

During 1st Class (senior) year, Government majors apply the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired over four years of study to comprehensive capstone projects. Majors undertake one of five different capstone experience options:

Advanced Research Project (ARP)

These year-long, original research projects for the Coast Guard and interagency sponsors involve team-based field and/or applied research. Past ARP teams have studied illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in Africa; governance challenges in the Arctic; and the importation of precursor chemicals (to illicit drugs) from China through South America.

Presidential Fellows

Cadets compete to serve as Presidential Fellows with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress. In this prestigious program, cadets undertake independent research on a policy topic of their choosing, which is supported through internal and external advisors; travel to two leadership conferences; and gain access to some of the most active, current scholars in the Presidency, Executive Branch and Congress.

Hartford Capstone

Each spring semester, two to three first class cadets intern with the Connecticut state legislature or other state agencies and offices, including the Governor’s office and the Attorney General’s office. The cadets spend one day a week in Hartford and attend legislative sessions and committee hearings, prepare briefs for courtroom arguments, visit prisons and other state facilities, and interact with policymakers.

Senior Seminar Capstone

Cadets may craft their own capstone as part of one of the many Senior Seminar offerings. Recent projects include: an oral history of the EAGLE’s journey to America, a display for the Academy’s Otto Graham Hall of Athletic Excellence, and a tour guide for the city of New London based around the historical relationship between the Coast Guard and the city.

Senior Thesis

Interested cadets may also undertake semester-long individual research projects in close coordination with a two-person faculty advising team. Recent examples include: an empirical analysis of the relationship between trade and diplomacy regarding India, China and the U.S.; an investigation on how women’s empowerment in all countries throughout the world impacts hunger and food security; and the Coast Guard role in the U.S. Rebalance to Asia.

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

  1. If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  2. If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  3. If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  4. If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  5. All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.

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