Empower Academy Cadets

Serving the future leaders of the Coast Guard is a key initiative for the Coast Guard Foundation. That's why we help the Coast Guard Academy annually in support of academic enrichment, leadership development programs, and athletics.

The Coast Guard Academy is a top-tier education institution, and the Foundation's robust support allows it to maintain its competitive edge when recruiting students. This support funds academic and athletic programs at the Academy.

Waterfront Program

Our support for the Coast Guard Academy's Waterfront Program provides donated sail and powerboats for use in the Academy's on-the-water training activities, college sailing competitions, and long-distance ocean racing programs. Through this program, we help to prepare cadets as professional mariners and provide a platform for hands-on leadership training and professional development.

Hedrick Fellowship

Our Hedrick Fellowship is a longstanding tradition of bringing world-renowned political, military, and industry leaders to the Academy to share their wisdom with cadets. Past Hedrick Fellows include former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter; former Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia, Sandra Day O'Connor, and Warren Burger; former Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper; and former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

Diversity and Retention Initiatives

The Robert J. Flynn Pathway to Achievement Fund annually supports the Academy's Office of Inclusion and Diversity Initiatives. The fund, named after former Coast Guard Foundation chairman and 1974 Academy graduate, was established in 2015 following his passing to continue his work in helping the Academy recruit and retain a diverse cadet corp.

Classroom Initiatives

In the classroom, our support enhances learning opportunities for cadets across all disciplines. In particular, the Coast Guard Foundation is supporting the Academy’s development of a new Cyber Systems major that will establish the Academy as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and build core competencies in cyber issues for all cadets.

Each year, first-class cadets complete their capstone projects, which are a culmination of their four-year undergraduate academic experience. These projects are Coast Guard-focused and require hands-on research components, often requiring travel to complete. With our support, the quality and benefit of the projects, and the overall learning experiences are stronger and more valuable to cadets and the Coast Guard as a whole.

Margin of Excellence and Cadet Experiences

We are committed to providing margin of excellence programs that enhance the Academy’s offerings of extra-curricular and athletic programs for cadets. Support for cadet programs includes the Academy’s Glee Club, cadet-led drama and musical performances, Model UN programs, cyber team competitions, and support for athletic teams, both on the club sport and varsity levels.

The goal of supporting margin of excellence programs is to provide increased student engagement and performance as the Academy establishes a solid foundation for well-rounded cadets and future officers and to serve as an outlet for community outreach, diversity affairs, and admissions and recruiting partnerships.