This article takes a closer front at minority scholar recruitment and commencement at the Coast Guard Academy and the state maritime academies. All of the country academies were contacted – ampere well as the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, in Kings Point, N.Y. – but not all responded. This report seeks to present a big-picture look within university-level nautical education, particularly among Black students, so specifically referenced within the CG ’ s graduation announcement. We asked colleges : How have holocene recruitment efforts changed ? Are future classes trending to reflect America ’ s mosaic of people and races ? importantly, state school systems will largely reflect the demographics of the department of state. Black Americans, for model, make up 13.4 % of the U.S. population ( 2019 U.S. Census estimates ). State and regional statistics, however, deviate. In Maine, for example, Black people make up 1.7 % —about 22,000 individuals— of the state ’ s population of 1.34 million. With diverseness and inclusion, numbers are not the whole story, but still critical for a bad video. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Capt. Michael Fredie is the CGA ’ s Director of Admissions. Fredie said that 11 years ago the Academy ’ s “ under-represented minority population ” was 11 %. “ immediately we ’ re at 36 %, ” he said. CGA minority statistics reference four sub-groups : asian, Black or african-american, hispanic and a more general group of students with varied racial backgrounds. The Academy presently has 1,072 students among all classes, Fredie said. Sub-groups are as follows :
| CGA Minority Students, fall 2021, out of 1072 students. | # of students |
|---|---|
| Asian | 79 |
| Black | 43 |
| Hispanic | 124 |
| Mixed-race | 115 |
| Total | 361 (34%) |
Fredie said the sum number of minority students increased because of consider and consistent outreach. Admissions and recruitment staff have vastly improved their ability to reach underserved populations. Electronic message, in-person meetings and social media are vital. extra defend comes from volunteers known as the Academy Minority Outreach Team, a group of active duty minority officers, by and large CGA graduates, serving in operational specialties. The AMOT team draw upon personal examples and experiences to help recruit prospective cadets and the team works as mentors for stream cadets. Fredie, who graduated from the Academy in 1996, was similarly influenced by the presence of Black officers. “ My story is not much unlike from most. so, I can confidently say it ’ s a big influence when you see person who looks like you doing the deputation and carrying out the speculate ; it ’ sulfur influential and helps you better understand a level of belonging. ” For CGA, recruitment starts with freshmen and sophomores. “ That plants a seed, ” Fredie said, keeping the Academy in a student ’ randomness mind and allowing enough preparatory time to qualify for entree. The CGA admits 250-290 students/year, in line to around 1,500 cadets at the other U.S. military academies. In addition, CGA ’ randomness academic program is limited to nine majors, from STEM and engineering to business and government. These factors result in a relatively small candidate pool and proportionately fewer minority applicants. On memory, Fredie referenced the current new classify of 285 students—40 % women and 37 % underrepresented minorities—as an exemplar. Just six students left after the intense “ Swab Summer ” seance. “ That ’ s the smallest number ever to drop out during the initial Academy indoctrination time period, ” Fredie said. “ Every single student that ’ sulfur been appointed has been seen as being adequate to of making it academically, militarily and physically, ” Fredie emphasized. “ It hurts when that doesn ’ thyroxine happen, but our finish is to provide as a lot documentation as possible to get every single student to graduate. We need them in the fleet ! ” Fredie noted that discussions about recruitment and race must be kept in larger context. “ Diversity is a critical component in ensuring we are properly prepared to efficaciously carry out the Coast Guard ’ s missions. ” Nevertheless, a student must demonstrate academic readiness and leadership electric potential. If not, “ then we ’ rhenium not able to make an appointee, ” Fredie said. 
Capt. Michael Fredie is the CGA ’ s Director of Admissions. Fredie said that 11 years ago the Academy ’ s “ under-represented minority population ” was 11 %. “ now we ’ re at 36 %, ” he said. ( photograph : U.S. Coast Guard Academy ) California State University Maritime Academy
Cal Maritime is in Vallejo, on the northern end of San Francisco Bay, the only one of the U.S. maritime academies on the West Coast. This year Cal Maritime has 907 students, a moment lower than the average, around 1,000. The school offers a stove of undergraduate degrees, from business government to mastermind to oceanography ; it offers a maestro ’ s degree in transportation and mastermind. In 2020-2021, for summer, fall and give, Cal Maritime awarded 138 undergraduate degrees. ( See compendious table below. ) Women made up 17 % of undergraduates. Most students come from California .
| 2020-2021 Cal Maritime graduates, all majors, total = 138: | |
|---|---|
| White | 54 |
| Black | 2 |
| American Indian | 1 |
| Asian | 15 |
| Pacific Islands | 3 |
| Two or more races | 22 |
| Hispanic | 32 |
| Unkown | 9 |
This course, for all groups of students, was little due to COVID ; in three of the four prior years, for example, there were five Black graduates.
In the fall of 2020, there were 21 Black students ( 2.3 % of the entire scholar body ) among all classes. however, the sum act of “ Under-Represented Minority ” ( URM ) students was much higher : 343 ( 38 % ). retentiveness rates are similar for all Cal Maritime students meaning minority graduation is trending upwards, although lento. For 2022 to 2024 the school expects 40 URM graduates each year. If black students comprised 2.3 % of that entire ( 120 ) that means between 2-3 Black graduates each year. 
( reservoir : California State Maritime Academy ) Maria L. Martinez, PhD is Associate VP for Enrollment Management at Cal Maritime. She was asked to summarize the school ’ s recruitment efforts, finally to reach a scholar body that reflects overall racial and heathen demographics. Martinez said that California state universities, including Cal Maritime, use a systemwide inaugural focused on URM students. COVID interrupted the use of SAT and ACT examination scores. Cal Maritime, along with the other 22 department of state universities, adopted a “ Multi-Factor Admission Supplemental Criteria. ” This expands the review of students with GPAs below established thresholds, looking closely at engagement “ in educational programs heavily participated ( in ) by racially diverse students and students from assorted socio-economic backgrounds, ” Dr. Martinez said. She added that this reappraisal “ allows Cal Maritime to consider the likely for success of students in an environment that emphasizes hands-on learn and the development of leadership skills for maritime-related careers. ” COVID-19 made virtual campus visits more park. In some ways, virtual admissions marketing “ levels the playing plain, ” Martinez commented, because it gives under-represented applicants the ability to “ visit ” and learn about Cal Maritime. 
COVID-19 has made virtual campus visits more common. In some ways, virtual admissions marketing “ levels the play field ” because it gives under-represented applicants the ability to “ chew the fat ” and learn about the school, said Maria L. Martinez, PhD, Associate VP for Enrollment Management at Cal Maritime. Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA)
Massachusetts Maritime Academy ( MMA ) is in Buzzards Bay. Student registration is 1,451 for 2022-2025. ( See chart for a more complete break. ) In 2020, 13 % of students were female. Michael Ortiz M.Ed. is Dean of Enrollment Management, Equity & Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at Mass Maritime. Ortiz leads a new division established in June 2021 by MMA president Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald. Ortiz said that Mass Maritime has worked to gain a close understand of the emerging generation of high schoolers. He said that “ equality, inclusivity, stability and opportunities ” are valued by students today and “ therefore we have changed our initiatives and messaging to promote social mobility. ” Mass Maritime adopted the American Association of Colleges and University Inclusive Excellence framework which helps colleges and universities integrate diversity, equity, and educational quality efforts into their missions and institutional operations. As a department of state university, most of Mass Maritime ’ s registration comes from Massachusetts, Ortiz said. Overall, the state ’ south high school population is declining ; however, the percentage of Black and Latinx students is rising. “ Our strategy, ” Ortiz explained, is to “ promote access and opportunity particularly in the twenty-six Massachusetts Gateway cities ; ” those are mid-sized cities such as Barnstable and Lowell and Springfield, urban centers at the core of larger economic regions. outreach programs are important and include leadership training, college admissions workshops and campus visits. recently, for case, 12-to 16-year-old inner-city students spent a day on campus participating in team building activities, knot-tying, experiencing the ship simulator, and hearing from cadets. “ The goal, ” Ortiz explained, “ is to have fun, determine, and increase awareness of opportunities at Mass Maritime. ” black students arrant MMA ’ s four-year program at a rate close to all other students ( approximately 80 % retention vanadium 85 %, respectively ). 
( beginning : Massachusetts Maritime Academy ) Maine Maritime Academy
Maine Maritime is in Castine, about 85 miles north of Portland. Maine Maritime has close to 900 students, approximately 17 % are women .
| Total student enrollment 2020: | |
|---|---|
| White | 737 |
| Hispanic | 38 |
| Black | 14 |
| Asian | 14 |
| International | 5 |
| Unknown | 83 |
Read more: Maritime search and rescue – Documentary
Janet Acker is Chief of Staff and Executive Assistant to the President of Maine Maritime Academy. She explained that Maine Maritime is focused on encouraging young women to pursue maritime careers. extra recruitment efforts focus on Maine ’ s native American Tribes, and, nationally, Black students from across the nation. COVID changed recruitment practices. “ We look to place ourselves where the students go : that ’ s on-line ”, Acker said. Online access in rural areas is a challenge, Acker noted. Some students depend on school Wi-Fi ; some barely have a cell call. “ We have to be friendly and accessible on all platforms, ” Acker said. even with an on-line presence, campus visits are particularly significant. Acker noted that, “ we hope to be able to show matter to students from all backgrounds how our particular stigmatize of hands-on education can be sol honor. ” Maine Maritime presently does not require quiz scores. many students are first-generation college students who have had ambitious experiences during high school, peculiarly with balancing exploit and educate and preparing for college .
