Stories from Students
JAMES NEWMAN, Citadel, 2020
Currently, I am working for the City of Charleston (SC) government and will be starting graduate school soon to pursue a M.A. in emergency management. My goal is to eventually work for FEMA or other emergency management agencies at the local or state level. The AUP has meant a lot to me over the past four years. The program has given me many skills and experiences that have helped me develop as a young adult, as a leader, and as a public servant. I would not be where I am today in public service without the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the AUP.
ROBERT COLLIE, William and Mary 2020
AUP has meant Community. It’s been an organization where I cultivated my strengths, solidified my passions, and realized my profound respect for the USCG and its missions. I have participated in practical experiences, learned helpful skills from auxiliary and active duty personnel, and built a great network of support. Ultimately this is what a community does, and AUP is among the best communities a student can join. In addition, my experiences in team mentorship and collaboration, while also living the Coast Guard core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty have provided the foundation for me to practice and live servant leadership. I will forever be grateful for all the things AUP has taught me, and I will never forget the people that were a part of it for all the 4 years I was in
JOSH SMITH, California Maritime, 2015
Being a member of AUP benefited me in numerous ways. I credit AUP with helping me get selected for the Coast Guard’s Maritime Academy Graduate Direct Commission Program (MARGRAD). It helped me gain exposure with Coast Guard operations and allowed me to prove to the MARGRAD Selection Panel that I was the person they wanted. AUP provided me with a fun way to serve the community by conducting vessel safety checks. I learned a lot, gained insight on the Coast Guard, and gained valuable experience which has helped me as a new Officer. If you are interested in a career in the Coast Guard, or if you are looking to serve your community and gain valuable leadership experience, I highly recommend AUP.
JONATHAN ROTH, William and Mary, 2015
I assisted in filming that same Public Service Announcement (PSA) at Coast Guard Station Chicago with a local NFL player and crew members from Station Calumet Harbor. Shortly after, I put together the PSA in post-production and was responsible for distributing it to military and civilian media sources, including the uscg.mil homepage.
STEPHANIE HUTTON, Penn State, 2014
I enrolled in the Auxiliary University Programs (AUP) and was instantly given a vast amount of opportunity to train and learn what the program has to offer students. I started off my summer with a fast paced week of operations training at small boat Station Milford Haven, Hudgins, Virginia. The week consisted of training in open water survival, search and rescue procedures, underway patrols, and so much more.
JAMES CARD, William and Mary, 2020
I will be moving to San Francisco to start a new position as a global business associate for a start up company. I hope to continue my service to the Auxiliary at a local flotilla as I start this new chapter. AUP is a test of personal values and their integrity in the face of adversity and ambiguity. Like many at William & Mary, I was drawn to the idea of making service a core component of my undergraduate experience. For me and my fellow classmates at least, we found that the program was not as intensive as our first impressions had us believe. We later discovered that the pursuit of service had to be a commitment, not just a leisurely pastime. We had to inspire, initiate, organize and execute. In our frustrations we found opportunities for growth and in our success we found reward. One lesson from it all, which I certainly share with my fellow members, is that becoming a leader in service requires integrity – to mission, values, and people. Some join the military to provide structure. AUP sits at the intersection of military and civilian life, where members learn to excel when that structure is inconsistent and/or lacking. It creates a tolerance for ambiguity that will produce the next generation of leaders the world so desperately needs.
AUSTIN SAWICKI, Massachusetts Maritime, 2020
I am currently stationed at Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi, TX, in the Enforcement shop as an Enforcement Management Officer and am scheduled to report to the Academy for Direct Commission Officer school on August 6. AUP has provided me with the opportunity to get real Coast Guard experience as a student and as a result will make the transition to active duty easier because I know some of what to expect. I would recommend the program to anyone interested in the Coast Guard as long as they strive for internships and as much active duty exposure as possible!
SASHA LARIVIERE, Citadel, 2014
I learned a wide variety of information ranging from crisis and incident management to leadership management. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit many places that are important to the country and the Coast Guard. FEMA Headquarters, the National Response Coordination Center, the Coast Guard National Response Center, the National Command Center, and the DC Fire Department in Columbia Heights were a few places that I visited.
LAUREN CRAWFORD, UNC Chapel Hill, 2014
From my first moments aboard, the crew was welcoming and immediately toured me around the vessel. It was fascinating to look down into the engine room and to experience what it was like to man a watch at the quarterdeck. Everything that I had learned about in the classroom setting became real.