News Release

NEW LONDON, Conn. - For the third year in a row, the United States Coast Guard Academy was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Launched in 2006, the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll annually recognizes institutions of higher education for their commitment to and achievement in community service. The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education.

This year, more than 600 colleges and universities were recognized for exemplary, innovative, and effective community service programs. CNCS Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.

As Coast Guard Academy cadets prepare to serve their country, they also serve the local community. The Corps of Cadets Community Service Program provides cadets with an opportunity to interact with people outside of the academy community. Each cadet is required to complete a total of 8 service hours per semester, but many exceed that requirement.

In the 2010 Fall and 2011 Spring semester, the corps completed more than 18,176 hours of community service. Coast Guard Academy cadets volunteered 5,697 hours in local schools during the 2011 Spring semester, of which 62% of those hours were spent in New London Schools mentoring, tutoring in the classroom and volunteering in physical education classes.

Key CGA community service projects include: Partnership in Education; Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentor program; CGA Boxing Club's Gloves not Guns program; CGA Wrestling Team “Off the streets and on the mats” program; Breakfast for the Needy; and various park and beach cleanups throughout the year. 

The organizations the cadet community service program supported include: New London School System; Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Southeastern CT; First Congregational Church; New London Main Street; New London Recreation Department; New London Salvation Army; New London Homeless Hospitality Center; Whaling City Boxing/Heavy Hitters; Hospice of Southeastern CT; Special Olympics; Southeastern CT Youth Hockey; and Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts of America.