Home / Academics / Academic Majors / Operations Research & Data Analytics / Operations Research & Data Analytics Featured Cadet: Rachel Kemmey

Rachel Kemmey

Fredericksburg, Virginia – Class of 2020
Major: Operations Research and Data Analytics

Rachel is originally from Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a member of Delta Company, in the Great Class of 2020, and of course an ORDA major. At the Academy, she participates in the CrossFit Club, Women’s Rugby, Compañeros Council, and Women’s Accountability Group. For “fun,” she enjoys calling any of her eight siblings and listening to them talk for literally hours on end.

On the decision to choose ORDA

“I chose the ORDA major because I have always loved math and solving puzzles, and I felt this major did a great job at combining the two. To summarize the ORDA program, the main focus is to find ways to maximize benefits and reduce costs. In high school, I was a “mathlete,” which was a club where we got together and competed to solve challenging word problems. Choosing ORDA was a pretty easy decision for me, especially since it is sometimes nicknamed “the math major.””

On how ORDA provides hands-on experience

“This major actually has no ORDA-specific labs, so the hands-on component is a little different than the other majors at the Coast Guard Academy. However, this major does a good job of getting real-world experience and exposure with computer software and programming languages that can aid in solving complex math problems. My favorite classes in this major have actually been Computer Modeling Languages during my 3/c year and then Algorithms 2/c year, which focused on learning to code in Python.”

On dedicated faculty

“A huge benefit of the ORDA major is the math help room, which is always open to anyone who needs assistance with homework and projects, and it is open to cadets from every major! There are always teachers in the room available to answer questions and help students gain the satisfaction of having that “a-ha!” moment after understanding something difficult. I guess the reason the math help room is so great is because it is just one example of how devoted everyone in the Math Department is to helping cadets succeed.”

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.