Captains will soon have the chance to help the U.S. Coast Guard carry out its mission.

A new Coast Guard interest club is forming on campus that will eventually become an official Coast Guard Auxiliary University Program (AUP) unit, making it only the third university in Virginia to be home to such a curriculum.

“The idea is to get students involved on the civilian side and connect them with the volunteer opportunities and training with the local Coast Guard,” said CNU chemistry professor Dr. Dmitry Liskin, who is part of a similar auxiliary in south Hampton Roads and will be leading the club.

The first meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, in the Madison Conference Room at the David Student Union. It is open to all interested Captains.

As part of the club, students will have volunteer opportunities to support the nearby Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown and other CG units in Virginia, including assisting with boating safety, environmental protection, and search and rescue.

Classroom training will happen on campus and opportunities will be available on the base for both volunteering and education.

Coast Guard Auxiliary, whose members wear the Coast Guard uniform, plays a critical role and makes up 30 percent of the total Coast Guard. It is the Coast Guard’s volunteer arm.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to do service. Even if they choose not to go into the Coast Guard , this is a great way to give back,” Liskin said. “The goal is to provide general awareness and provide students with an avenue for volunteer services.”

The experience and training will also help students build leadership skills.

“A huge part of leadership is service,” Liskin said.

For students interested in pursuing a career in the Coast Guard, being in the AUP offers a huge advantage, as the chance of being accepted into Officer Candidate School (OCS) increases significantly.

“The chance of getting into OCS quadruples. We are trying to establish the path of least resistance. It clears the path for students to have an opportunity to enter the Coast Guard as officers,” Liskin said.

They have CNU’s president, William G. Kelly, as an example. Rear Admiral (Ret.) Kelly served for 36 years in the Coast Guard before being selected as CNU’s sixth president.

Helping support the military community is one of CNU’s priorities. The club’s objective aligns with CNU’s mission of welcoming veterans and enlisted personnel who want to further their education.

In addition, service is one of the four pillars of a CNU education and building connections with the local community is a critical point of the University’s Strategic Compass.

“We want to provide programs for our students to succeed. We want to be that bridge,” Liskin said.

For more information, please reach out to Dr. Liskin at dmitry.liskin@cnu.edu.