Graduates of the NGS Masters program receive regular recognition both internally and in public forums for the accomplishments and results achieved through their Masters Business Projects.

NGS Grads Bring Home 2 of 6 National Coast Guard Innovation Awards

At the 2003 US Coast Guard Innovation Conference in Baltimore, the Commandant’s Innovation Council recognized the contributions of LCDR Lilian Maizer, then 1st District Office Boston, and LT Chris Kluckhuhn, Air Station Cape Cod, with 2 of 6 prestigious Innovation Awards. This award brings a $10,000 prize to each of their units,  as well as national recognition to the individual.

LCDR Lilian Maizer and Lt Chris Kluckhuhn receive Innovation Awards from Captain Abbott, USCG Headquarters and Vice Commandant Thomas Barrett of the U.S. Coast Guard

LCDR Maizer received her award as “Implementer”  in the category of Admin, Support and Training. While researching opportunities to further her own education she identified the Masters program offered by the National Graduate School. LCDR Maizer was so impressed with the results-driven education at NGS that she actively recruited other members of the Coast Guard into her class. When the 27 Coast Guard Masters candidates graduated, the savings to the Coast Guard from their graduate projects was $9 million in the first year alone, a return on investment of 56 to 1.

LT Kluckhuhn was a member of the March ’03 graduating class. He came to the National Graduate School Masters program with a project in hand. Through his own experience as a Coast Guard helicopter pilot, LT Kluckhuhn recognized the need to have improved navigational equipment on board. As the practicum for his graduate studies, he completed development of a handheld, portable navigational computer that is being evaluated for Coast Guard wide implementation. He received his award as an innovator in the category of Operations and Readiness.

“The United States Coast Guard has always afforded me many educational opportunities.  I was recently accepted into the Executive Leadership Program (ELP) through Graduate School, USDA.  I believe one of the key reasons I was accepted was the fact that I had completed my Master's Degree.  My masters degree has provided me the skill set necessary to excel in the ELP program. I just wanted to say thank you to the school for providing the masters program to the Personnel Service Center (PSC) in Topeka, KS”.

Lynnae Tyler, Class of Topeka’05
PSC USCG
Systems Development & Maintenance