Scholarship News

Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – The Coast Guard has chosen a woman to take the helm at its academy in Connecticut. Rear Adm. Sandra Stosz will be the first female superintendent of the United States Coast Guard Academy.

Stosz will take over from retiring Rear Adm. J. Scott Burhoe when classes open next summer. Currently director of reserve and leadership, she develops policies affecting the recruitment and training of 8,000 reservists.

A 1982 graduate of the academy with an MBA from Northwestern University, Stosz will be the first woman to lead any of the nation’s five military academies.

Adm. Bob Papp, commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement “We are extremely proud to be the first service with a woman at the helm of our academy. “

The Coast Guard Academy was also the first among the service academies to admit women, in 1976. The smallest of all the service academies, it requires no tuition and provides one faculty member for every eight students.

Stosz will be facing the challenging task of continuing the work of Burhoe. The outgoing superintendent doubled the school’s minority admissions to 24 percent this year, and celebrated the academy’s top ranking from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

The Chronicle of Higher Education this year also named the academy one of the best colleges to work for.

“I am humbled by the prospect of taking over such an important position in our service and honored to be following Rear Adm. Burhoe,” said Stosz, a surface operations officer with 12 years at sea. “The school and officer corps have benefited in so many ways from Scott’s outstanding leadership and vision.”

Burhoe, who officially retires July 1, called Stosz “an excellent choice” for superintendent.

“She has a distinguished record of service, and as a member of the board of trustees understands the importance of continuing to move the academy forward on its current track,” he added.

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