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Home / Cadet Life / Eclipse
Eclipse 2024

Eclipse49

SAVE THE DATE FOR Eclipse 50: 10-12 April 2025

Eclipse is a near fifty year old tradition of great significance to the Coast Guard and to the Academy. The purpose of Eclipse is to foster an inclusive environment by stimulating a community dialog that promotes a culture of respect. Eclipse is designed to equip leaders with tools to lead in a diverse workforce. Sessions embrace identity related topics encompassing race, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation.

The Manson K. Brown Genesis Award, established in 2012, is given to a Coast Guard Academy cadet or Alumnus whose forethought and commitment has fostered a community of inclusion by establishing traditions and practices which promote comprehension of and appreciation for diversity. Steadfast in the pursuit to create an inclusive space for underrepresented minority cadets while also enlightening their peers, this motivated leader has made sustainable contributions to the Corps of Cadets in an effort to promote an environment free from bias and discrimination.

Past Recipients:

  • 2024: 1/c Alyssa Parker
  • 2023: ENS Juan Acevedo-Perez
  • 2022: LCDR Akaninyene Inyang
  • 2021: LTJG Jacob Brown
  • 2020: 1/C Edward Walker
  • 2019: Equity Task Force Co-Chairs (Professor Jillian McLeod, Ms. Richelle L. Johnson, Ms. Ellyn Metcalf)
  • 2018: 1/c Alyse Westbrooks
  • 2017: LT Dan Han
  • 2016: LCDR Hoon Park
  • 2015: LCDR Marcus Canady
  • 2014: 1/c Andre Jones-Butler
  • 2013: Dr. Hallie Gregory
  • 2012: VADM Manson K. Brown

The Merle Smith Pioneer Award, established in 2012, is given to a member of the Coast Guard Academy community who has accomplished groundbreaking firsts at the Academy. This person has served as a beacon of inspiration among their peers to strive for the unimaginable and forge new paths of greatness through an exceptional determination to succeed.

This award is a marker of the honor and courage required to lead, chart unfamiliar territory and reach heightened levels of achievement in the face of adversity and uncertainty.

Past recipients:

  • 2024: CAPT Trey Wirth
  • 2023: CAPT Art Ray
  • 2022: LCDR La’Shanda Holmes
  • 2021: 2021: LTJG Karida Harris
  • 2020: CDR Carrie Wolfe
  • 2019: Dr. Sharon Zelmanowitz
  • 2018: ADM Paul Zukunft
  • 2017: Dr. Janet McLeavy
  • 2016: LT Kimberly Young-McLear
  • 2015: RADM Sandra Stosz
  • 2014: CDR Darell Singleterry
  • 2013: CAPT Steve Baynes
  • 2012: Mr. Merle Smith

The JoAnn Miller Community Award, established in 2012,  is given to a member of the Academy or greater New London community who has worked as an active liaison between the Academy and the City of New London, building a bridge between the two entities. The efforts of this recipient have made significant, lasting contributions to the Academy, the cadets, and the New London community.

Past recipients:

  • 2024: Dr. José González
  • 2023: Ms. Maggie Favretti
  • 2022: Connecticut Rep. Anthony Nolan
  • 2021: Mrs. Yolanda Jarmon-Williams
  • 2020: Ms. Jean Jordan
  • 2019: HON Mayor Michael Passero
  • 2018: Chef Michael Cummings
  • 2017: State Representative Chris Soto
  • 2016: LT Takana Skelton
  • 2015: Dr. Robert Newton
  • 2014: CDR Erica Mohr
  • 2013: Mr. Louis Allen
  • 2012: Ms. JoAnn Miller

The Frances Neal Humanitarian Award, established in 2012, is bestowed upon a cadet, alumni, staff, or faculty member who goes above and beyond to provide support for cadets and the entire Academy through facilitation of an environment rich in community and comfort.

This pivotal figure demonstrates an incessant passion for the well-being of cadets and instinctively strives to empower cadets mentally, emotionally, and/or academically.

The actions of this award recipient transform the Academy into an inclusive community where all cadets can grow, be nurtured, supported, mentored and challenged to be dynamic leaders of character.

Past recipients:

  • 2024 CAPT Michael Fredie
  • 2023: CDR Kamille Williams, Chaplain, USN
  • 2022: Prof. Alex Waid, Ph.D.
  • 2021: Mr. Alex Eames
  • 2020: Ms. Catherine Griffin
  • 2019: Dr. Katherine Krystinik
  • 2018: The CGA Library Staff (Ms. Lucy Maziar -Director, and Rebecca Harris-Pierce, Joan Clark, Pamela Graham, Elisa Graydon, Janet Whitty, Pauline Lamarre, Roxanne Korpal-Grosvenor, and Katherine Mellark)
  • 2017: CDR Mark Harris (ret)
  • 2016: Mr. Dan Pinch
  • 2015: LT Claire Davenport
  • 2014: LCDR Royce James
  • 2013: Ms. Erin Mitchell
  • 2012: Ms. Frances Neal

The Joseph M. Vojvodich Award, established in 2017, is given to a Coast Guard member who has fostered a community of inclusion by providing mentorship from the Coast Guard field to historically underrepresented cadets at USCGA. This inspirational leader shows evidence of sustained commitment to mentoring that resulted in career development of three or more mentees and has supported the growth of each mentee’s academic career as well as providing opportunities to experience operational Coast Guard events that move mentees toward establishing independence in their Coast Guard career. This recipient helps mentees to develop and sustain a network of professional colleagues who can offer advice, training, and help. The mentoring efforts of this individual led directly to attracting and retaining a diverse Coast Guard workforce, dedication of service to the Academy, and have helped foster an inclusive environment for all to appreciate.

Past recipients:

  • 2024: LCDR Stephanie Jocis
  • 2023: LCDR Mark Braxton
  • 2022: LTJG Yuexing (John) Hu
  • 2021: CDR Hoon Park
  • 2020: CGAS Leadership Team (Mr. Chris McMunn, LT Tim Kessell, LT Marvi Rivera, YNC Jennifer Rosen, YNC Deborah Hamilton)
  • 2019: LCDR Celina H. Ladyga
  • 2018: LT Christine Igisomar
  • 2017: RADM Joseph M. Vojvodich

The Dr. Hallie Gregory Award, established in 2018,  is given to any member of the greater Coast Guard community who has excelled in actively demonstrating and promoting the unifying Core Value of Respect. They are identified as a distinguished, unifying catalyst who best exemplifies the Coast Guard tenets of teambuilding, teamwork, honesty, fairness, dignity, civility, and respect. Exceeding what is expected, she or he creates a thriving environment of compassion, value, and opportunity for all that is clearly based on mutual respect.

Past recipients:

  • 2024: Coach C.C. Grant
  • 2023: CMC Maria D’Angelo
  • 2022: MUC Megan Sesma
  • 2021: LCDR Michelle Foster
  • 2020: Ms. Shannon Norenberg
  • 2019: Mathematics Learning Center Team (Mr. Timothy Fill, Ms. Susan Fuller, Mr. John Lehet, Ms. Julie Shetterly)
  • 2018: Dr. Gregory’s family

Past Eclipse Themes

  • 2024: Eclipse 49: Improvement: At the Core + For the Corps
  • 2023: RISE TOGETHER: Embracing Differences to Lead the Teams of Tomorrow
  • 2022: Forward Together: Valuing Truth and Identity in Service
  • 2021: Stronger Together: Building Bridges through a Culture of Respect
  • 2020: Foundation for a More Inclusive CG: Developing Equity-Minded Leaders of Character
  • 2019: Thrive to Excel, Foster Unity, and Instill Respect
  • 2018: Embracing a Community of Respect
  • 2017: Character: Who You Are When No One is Looking
  • 2016: Mirroring Positive, Change, Starting from Within
  • 2015: Strength in Diversity…Empowerment Through Inclusion
  • 2014: Understanding the Past, Reinventing the Future
  • 2013: Check the Compass…Chart the Course

Contact Information

Eclipse
Mr. Gerard Viola
(860) 701-6624
occ@uscga.edu

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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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