INDIAN HEAD, Md. - Representatives from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD) and the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) signed an Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) Jan. 30.
The five-year partnership will enable both CSM students and faculty to tap into the warfare center's expertise, unique facilities and equipment. Meanwhile, NSWC IHEODTD will benefit from CSM's training and educational resources.
"The College of Southern Maryland has had a long relationship with NSWC Indian Head EOD Technology Division. We value this agreement because it will allow us to work even closer with the command. Discussions are already underway to dramatically increase the scope of our relationship," said CSM President, Dr. Bradley Gottfried.
These partnerships are part of the continuing effort to build relationships that will ensure the future strength of the Navy's workforce by facilitating the training and recruitment of potential future NSWC IHEODTD employees.
"This new partnership with the College of Southern Maryland is aligned with the vision of our Strategic Plan to grow 400 work-years stronger by 2025," said NSWC IHEODTD Technical Director, Ashley Johnson. "Specifically, one of the five goals outlined in our Strategic Plan is to 'establish public-private partnerships to enhance energetic materials and systems support to the Fleet.' Today's agreement is critical in the execution of that plan."
The partnership with CSM will also encourage and facilitate early interest in all aspects of energetics, energetics systems, and government business practices by young people at all stages of their academic careers and help to advance the regional innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
"I have no doubt that both parties will enjoy tremendous success from this venture and it will be exciting to explore how we can expand opportunities," said NSWC IHEODTD Commanding Officer, Capt. Scott Kraft. "This program will inspire young men and women by allowing them to come here, work with our experts in unique Navy facilities with highly-specialized equipment, and help solve real Navy problems. It also allows our command to leverage new views, perspectives and problem solving approaches to our decision-making processes. Ultimately, it benefits the warfighter by developing the next generation of problem solvers."
NSWC IHEODTD - a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command and part of the Navy's Science and Engineering Enterprise - is the leader in ordnance, energetics and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on energetics research, development, testing, evaluation, in-service support and disposal; and provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render safe, recover, exploit and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.
The College of Southern Maryland is a regional community college serving more than 24,000 credit and continuing education students at its campuses in Leonardtown, La Plata and Prince Frederick, and other facilities including the Waldorf Center for Higher Education and Center for Transportation Training in La Plata. The new Regional Hughesville Campus will open with its initial facility, the Center for Trades and Energy Training, this spring. With its tuition and fees about half the cost of that of a state four-year public university, CSM offers a range of associate degrees, certificate programs and continuing education courses for professional and career development. One of the largest veteran-serving colleges within Maryland, CSM is designated as a Military FriendlyR School for the third consecutive year and the college is recognized by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance.