CRANE, Ind. –
A Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) employee increased workforce development opportunities while cutting significant costs. Bryce Bolton, the Academic Program Manager at NSWC Crane, increased access to the Master of Science in Defense and Security (MSDS) program at Purdue University, accelerating the number of graduates and saving command’s Naval Innovative Science and Engineering (NISE) budget around $200,000 annually.
“We changed the program from being in-person to online with Purdue University,” said Bolton. “Students in the cohort can take any course that’s offered in the Spring, Summer, or Fall semester offered through the Purdue Engineering Online course catalog. Since making this transition, there were 12 new participants that joined the program in 2024 and seven new participants that have joined the program this year so far.”
Bolton was recognized with NAVSEA’s Human Resources Rising Star Award for his efforts to economize the master’s degree program.
“I am very, very honored to receive this award,” said Bolton. “I feel fortunate to have been nominated. I take a lot of pride being in this role and managing the program as well as the participants pursuing their academic goals.”
Bolton oversees command cohorts and the academic tuition assistance program, identifies educational gaps within the workforce, and collaborates with partner universities to develop and enhance academic programs. Restructuring the Defense and Security master’s degree as an online program decreased tuition costs, removed instructor travel costs and classroom fees, and allowed for more flexibility in student participation. Since participants are full-time NSWC Crane employees, flexibility and access are important factors for those considering enrolling.
The initial program, launched in 2018 and continued through 2024, had six total graduates. With the changes to the program, the number of employees who have completed the program has increased significantly.
“NSWC Crane had seven participants graduate from the program in 2024 and is expecting an additional five graduates in 2025. These graduates started in the previous program anywhere from 2019 to 2022 before transitioning into the MSDS program in the Spring of 2024.”
The NISE-funded master’s program focuses on technologies, concepts, and information specifically relevant to the Department of Defense mission and needs. Taking the program to an online format not only reduced costs by $250,000 in the first year while increasing convenience for students, but it also maintained academic rigor taught by Purdue West Lafayette faculty.
Participants can tailor their studies by choosing from eight in-demand concentrations, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Hypersonics, Electronic Warfare, and other strategically important technical areas. Graduates have included NSWC Crane employees across each of its mission areas: Expeditionary Warfare, Electromagnetic Warfare, and Strategic Missions.
“The program is extremely tailored towards NSWC Crane with its eight different concentrations,” said Bolton. “Anyone from each mission area can benefit from this program and earn their Interdisciplinary Engineering master’s degree. The MSDS program is available to others who work in the Department of Defense. Purdue is actively engaging with other commands, so those organizations are aware of this program as well.”
Bolton said it is a priority for NSWC Crane to provide programs like the MSDS to its workforce.
“NSWC Crane offers a variety of different academic opportunities through academic degree cohort programs or the Academic Tuition Assistance (ATA) program. NSWC Crane is very dedicated to improving their workforce by providing those academic opportunities. NSWC Crane’s Workforce Development is very dedicated to offering any and all necessary trainings to help an individual either advance with their academic degrees or advance their individual goals or tasking.”
NSWC Crane employees can enroll in the program by applying to the annual call for applications released by Workforce Development. Other DOD and NAVSEA employees will need to work directly with Purdue University to enroll in the program.
About NSWC Crane | NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electromagnetic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.