Although many of us are in touch through Facebook, Linkedin, and our listserver, it's helpful for class communications, as well as for looking up old friends, if we can keep everyone's information up to date in our Alumni Association database. Please take a quick look at all our classmates listed here. Although quite a few of them (including maybe you!) are in touch with us through social media / the listserver, we don't have a good contact e-mail in our database. The page gives instruction on how to get the information updated.
"Four years together by the Bay, where Severn joins the tide, Then by the Service called away, we’re scattered far and wide;"
Our service and careers scattered us; please help us stay together! Beat Army! Ingar
A message from Paul Dabbar, Co-Chair of the Class Project Committee:
Dear classmates:
As you know we started our next 10 year-increment class project process right after our 25 year reunion last year, and this week we are launching the solicitation
Our recent steps:
We completed our phone and Survey Monkey surveys during the summer, and then the committee and class officers worked with the Foundation to finalise the selection.
The class voted that their highest interest project areas were Cyber and Project Based Learning.
So after some work, we identified two specific projects that were high in USNA's top priorities for outside funds, that encompassed both of those top two areas of interest from our class surveys: International Cyber Outreach and Midshipmen Cyber Competitions
On the International Cyber Outreach project, the Cyber center (run by our classmate Paul Tortora) has started doing international trips during the summer for midshipmen to visit various other countries and get exposure to how they are "taking the fight" on this growing area for international security. Our funds would allow the this initial effort to be expanded and lengthened in terms of number of summer this can be funded.
The second project is Midshipmen Cyber Competitions. To support midshipmen participation in cross college cyber exercises (or as the Supe put it, “hackathons”). Before Paul and the current Supe took over this effort, USNA did not perform very well, but this last year after their re focus on that, USNA came in first in the Cyber Defense Exercise ("CDX") out of 28 schools, and met the President for the award. USNA participates in the NSA CDX, the NYU CTF Competition, and others that are proliferating across the military and undergraduate college realms. Additional funds for this program would allow additional participation of midshipmen in these events and an expansion in the number of events they can participate in.
Below is the final official project goal description.
Goal:
As an effort to broaden the understanding of how our international partners are operating and proceeding in the cyber domain, funds will be used to expand the current "International Cyber Outreach & Exposure" program. These focused summer trips will visit key partner countries, foreign industries, and other foreign based cyber efforts to comprehend operations in a globally connected world, constantly threatened by state and non-state actors. (Superintendent’s #3 Priority: International efforts/awareness/experience).
Should the Class raise a wider amount of funds from a successful solicitation, we will also provide funding to support and expand current cross-college and Department of Defense cyber competitions for the midshipmen, such as the NSA CDX (Cyber Defense Exercise) the NYU CTF Competition, CalTech/UCLA HackTech, and the Stanford TreeHack. (Superintendent’s # 2 Priority: Cyber Studies)
The Class officers will work with the Foundation and the Academy to brand one or both as Class of ’89 programs
The Class Officers also recommend that Classmates also allocate 5% of their donation to Athletic Excellence, as well as 15% as an Unrestricted Contribution to the Foundation.
Next steps:
The Foundation and the Class Fundraising Committee will be making calls to you all to begin the fund raise. And a letter will also come out from us describing the projects and request you donation. Please take the call and donate!
