ALCOAST 078/24 - FEB 2024 ECLIPSE49 - SOLICITATION FOR AWARDS AND ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

R 131407Z FEB 24   MID600117183814U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 078/24
SSIC 5050
SUBJ: ECLIPSE49 - SOLICITATION FOR AWARDS AND ATTENDANCE
INFORMATION
1. This year's Eclipse49 will take place from 04-06 APR 24 at the
Coast Guard Academy.
2. Eclipse49 is a cadet-driven event established by the Coast Guard
Academy Genesis Council in the 1970s, with a strong focus on
diversity, inclusion, and mentorship. The Coast Guard Academy
invites the greater Coast Guard community, local community members,
and partners in belonging from across the nation to participate in
the mentoring and motivation of cadets to prepare them for lasting
careers as inclusive Coast Guard officers.
3. This year's theme is IMPROVEMENT: At the Core + For the Corps.
The opening keynote will be Dr. Maria Sirois, a positive
psychologist who will explore how inner respect is built,
how we reduce habits of unconscious bias, perfectionism and
social comparison, and how we might become our better selves
for others, irrespective of difference. Friday afternoon's
keynote will feature Col. DeDe Halfhill, USAF (ret) who will
discuss how teams who lean into empathy and vulnerability gain a
competitive edge toward mission excellence. Other events include
the MyCGA Story storytelling series, cadet-developed workshops,
the Eclipse Talent Show, mentoring, an awards luncheon, and more.
4. The greater Coast Guard community is encouraged to submit
nominations for the annual Eclipse Awards. Nominations should be
written as a narrative no longer than one page and clearly state
the award for which the person is being nominated. The following
criteria should be used to evaluate potential nominees. Please
submit nominations to oid@uscga.edu by Friday, 01 March 2024.
     a. The Manson Brown Genesis Award is given to a Coast Guard
Academy cadet or alumnus whose forethought and commitment has
fostered a community of inclusion by establishing traditions and
practices which promote comprehension of and appreciation for
diversity. Steadfast in the pursuit to create an inclusive space
for underrepresented minority cadets while also enlightening their
peers, this motivated leader has made sustainable contributions
to the Corps of Cadets in an effort to promote an environment free
from bias and discrimination.
     b. The Merle Smith Pioneer Award is given to a member of the
Coast Guard Academy community who has accomplished groundbreaking
firsts at the Academy. This person has served as a beacon of
inspiration among their peers to strive for the unimaginable and
forge new paths of greatness through an exceptional determination
to succeed. This award is a marker of the honor and courage required
to lead, chart unfamiliar territory, and reach heightened levels of
achievement in the face of adversity and uncertainty.
     c. The JoAnn Miller Community Award is given to a member of the
Academy or greater New London community who has worked as an active
liaison between the Academy and the City of New London, building a
bridge between the two entities. The efforts of this recipient
have made significant, lasting contributions to the Academy,
the cadets, and the New London community.
     d. The Frances Neal Humanitarian Award is bestowed upon a cadet,
alumni, staff, or faculty member who goes above and beyond to
provide support for cadets and the entire Academy through
facilitation of an environment rich in community and comfort.
This pivotal figure demonstrates an incessant passion for the well-
being of cadets and instinctively strives to empower cadets
mentally, emotionally, and academically. The actions of this award
recipient transform the Academy into an inclusive community where
all cadets can grow and be nurtured, supported, mentored, and
challenged to be dynamic leaders of character.
     e. The Joseph Vojvodich Award is given to a Coast Guard member
who has fostered a community of inclusion by providing mentorship
from the fleet to historically underrepresented cadets at USCGA.
This inspirational leader shows evidence of sustained commitment
to mentoring that resulted in the development of three or more
mentees and has supported the growth of each mentee's academic
career as well as providing opportunities to experience the
operational Coast Guard, moving mentees toward independence in
their Coast Guard careers. This recipient helps mentees develop and
sustain a network of professional colleagues who can offer advice,
training, and support. The mentoring efforts of this individual led
directly to attracting and retaining a diverse Coast Guard
workforce, dedication of service to the Academy, and helping foster
an inclusive environment for all to appreciate.
     f. The Dr. Hallie Gregory Award is given to any member of the
greater Coast Guard community who has excelled in actively
demonstrating and promoting the unifying Core Value of Respect.
They are identified as a distinguished, unifying catalyst who best
exemplifies the Coast Guard tenets of teambuilding, teamwork,
honesty, fairness, dignity, civility, and respect. Exceeding what is
expected, this individual creates a thriving environment of
compassion, value, and opportunity for all that is clearly based on
mutual respect.
5. The Coast Guard Academy Office of Inclusion & Diversity (OID) is
the coordinator for the event and is responsible for reporting
all attendance and overall costs to DHS. In-person attendance by
participants can be unit funded via official travel or via
permissive orders. DHS requires a post-conference report to be
submitted 30 days after the event. To comply, all travelers on
official orders must submit a copy of their travel settlement to OID
via email to oid@uscga.edu no later than 19 April 2024. More
information can be found at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

www.uscga.edu/eclipse

6. Commanding officers are highly encouraged to promote award
submissions and in-person or virtual attendance at Eclipse49.
7. Questions regarding Eclipse49 should be referred to the Office of
Inclusion and Diversity via email at oid@uscga.edu.
8. This message will be cancelled on 04 APR 2024.
9. POC: Mr. Gerard Viola at Gerard.T.Viola@uscga.edu
10. Dr. Donna M. Navarro, Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion
(CG-SADI), sends.
11. Internet release is authorized.