U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft will be the keynote speaker highlighting the achievements of graduates of the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) program. Capt. Robert Smith, the highest-ranking officer to graduate from this program, also will provide perspective on the evolution of the program since he joined 25 years ago.
The College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative program was created in 1989 as an effort to diversify the officer corps within the Coast Guard and to increase participation of historically black colleges and universities in federally-sponsored programs. Since then, the program has expanded to include students attending minority-serving institutions, including Hispanic-serving institutions and tribal colleges and universities.
The CSPI offers young college students an opportunity for up to two years paid tuition, about $3,600 in monthly salary while going to school, a guaranteed job after graduation and a starting annual salary of approximately $60,000 as a commissioned Coast Guard officer.
The event, to be held June 18 in Washington D.C., marks the 25th anniversary of the CSPI program, formerly known as the Minority Officer Recruitment Effort (MORE), recognizing the impact this program has had on diversity of the officer corps.
uscgnews.com