USCGA Alumni Association: Hello and welcome to 50 years of her story. I am your host, Nicolle Bogden, class of 2012. This series is part of a larger commemoration by the US Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association, marking 50 years since women first walked through the gates of the academy and into the core of cadets. But this isn't just about a moment in history. It's about the thousands of stories that followed. Some are stories of belonging and achievement. Others are stories of challenge, growth, and change. All of them matter. This commemoration goes far beyond a single event or story. It's a multi-year effort that brings together oral histories, articles, regional gatherings, and this podcast to capture the full scope of what these 50 years have meant and what they continue to shape. In this episode, I sit down with Andrea Marcello, president of the Alumni Association, and Tara King-Clark, vice president of communications and marketing. to talk about the why behind this project. Everyone has a story every story deserves to be told. ⁓ get started. ⁓ morning, Andrea and Tara. Thank you so much for joining us today on 50 years of her story. I'm so excited you guys are here. Good morning. Happy to be here. Hey Nicolle. ⁓ Excited to talk about this with you today. I know. It's been a long time coming and I can't wait to get into it. Let's get started. wanted to ask Andrea, why is it so important for the Alumni Association to celebrate this milestone? Thank you, Nicolle. And ⁓ Tara and I have been talking about this. It feels like years in the making, know, a year of planning and now a year into it. So, I mean, a milestone of this magnitude, you know, 50 years since the first women walked through those Chase Hall archways. I mean, it's too significant to be contained in a single day, a single month, a single event. I believe that, you know, aside from the decision for the Coast Guard to open the Academy, the second biggest decision was to allow women to be part of the Corps of Cadets. We chose a multi-year approach because we recognize that 50 years, right, it's not this one big monolith. It's a tapestry of thousands of different lived experiences. I mean, for some, the Academy was a place of... immediate belonging and triumph. You know, for others, it was more of a landscape of challenges and sort of the grit to go through it. By taking this multi-year approach, you know, we can ensure that we're not just telling the sort of official story of the history, but we're making space for just all those, you know, personal truths that every alumni carries. Yes, thank you so much. And Tara, I know that one of the visible parts of this commemoration is storytelling through the Alumni Bulletin and this podcast. Why is the storytelling piece so important? ⁓ man, you know, what is life without stories? I mean, I think that that gets to the heart of it. I mean, we are naturally, as human beings, drawn to those stories. So, you know, this project in particular in this commemoration is really about how every graduate from this institution, whether, well, not just graduate alum, so anyone who actually attended this place or served here as a faculty or staff, every person is a part of that story, and they each have their own stories to contribute. And so we wanted to intentionally make space for those stories to be told in ways that honored that each person's truth. So I think, you know, this is a project unprecedented in our history regarding you know, a full commemoration. mean, I did something similar when the Alumni Association turned 125 years old, but it was not to this scale and scope. And frankly, you know, I mean, think this project, one of our goals was to be as transparent as possible and let people tell their stories in their own words and ways. you know, there's many aspects to our multimedia project that allow individuals to share those stories in whatever ways are most comfortable for them. So for example, we have this podcast, which I'm going to, we're going to chat about later because I want to talk about your role in this, but there's opportunities for folks to share personal reflections, written personal reflections. And there's opportunities for folks to be interviewed for oral histories. So let's say you're not comfortable writing something, but you're totally okay with someone interviewing you and having a one-on-one conversation about your... time and experiences here. There's opportunities to write articles. mean, if you're all about data and digging into facts, like you can contribute in that way. Storytelling ultimately though is at the heart of it. So for me, I think being able to be the sort of the glue that enables these stories to come to life is, has been really meaningful and valuable. And the team working on this are just amazing. including you. you. I will echo the team. is fantastic. I'm in awe every time I hear us get together on our monthly calls and just the ideas and the participation and the people and the data gathering, which is crazy. It's just so exciting to hear that this is all happening and coming together. And Nicolle, let me just add too, because we didn't go into this lightly, right? The responsibility, is it's immense, right? We're not just archiving the past, but we're really trying to intentionally build a bridge, right, to the to the future. For me personally, it's huge. You know, I wake up zero 300 most mornings just thinking and rethinking and you know, what if no one comes? What if right, we don't invite the right person or what if, what if, what if, because it's too consequential, right? It's just too big to not do. And I think it is an opportunity to shape the service to ensure that by 50 years from now, by 2076, every woman who follows follows us can be seen, supported, and empowered. I think we just owe that to the next generation. Yeah, absolutely. And you mentioned, like, what if nobody comes? I want to talk a little bit more about the actual in-person events and these experiences. Storytelling is a huge part of this, but also the in-person engagement and the participation is another big part of this. Can you talk a little bit more about that? I fully recognize that not everybody is going to make the choice to come back to the academy, right? There's, there's for very valid reasons. There's, there's lots in that. So, so by taking on the multimedia effort, by doing these six regional events and going to the French Riviera in October, I mean, that's, think our way to say, we recognize you that maybe coming back here isn't the right, right thing for you to do the right investment. So let's, let's come to, let's come to them, right? Everyone remembers taking a road trip with your family. Like we went to Disney and hung out in a station wagon forever. Even going on a bus, I played softball here, right? Taking those, you know, those bus trips. that being together in a space and creating space to have conversations that you wouldn't normally have, I think is important. So creating that space around, around the world in this case, I think is an important aspect of, of just recognizing the challenges that we faced and. How do we intentionally identify what do we still need to talk about? Right? What are those challenges that will, that are before us and will be before us? And can we collectively start to lean into and focus on our areas going forward? And I think these trips and these events will enable that to happen. Yeah, absolutely. I feel like safe space is a common theme in a lot of these stories and just the opportunity to provide that safe space to others is. A big reason why I appreciate this project so much. But, French Riviera, what does that look like as a trip through the Alumni Association? I'm thrilled because I'm going. I'm making the choice to go. So we have engaged with Colette Travel for a few years now and have had very successful trips to Iceland and maybe Africa. There was another one in there. My classmates have gone on a couple I think it's Croatia. Croatia, Croatia. There's a couple more this year. including in October, going to the French Riviera based out of Nice. So you stay in one hotel and then do all these wonderful road trips and make your own perfume and make some chocolate and go to these castles that are just sort of hidden in the area. But bringing together who care about this project, 50 Years of Women, men and women have already signed up to go. Some of my women and male classmates are going, which I'm thrilled about. And just being able to like, can we be intentional about how to be with each other? All right, how do we support each other? How do we see each other in this just amazing environment, like in a bucket list location, right? It's always been on my bucket list. So, and there will be more opportunities in the future to do that. Take that road trip with. with some people you know well and some people you don't. But I think those relationships will be lifelong after that. That sounds like so much fun. I'm over here calculating like, hmm, how do I work this into my schedule? Well, I wanted to just jump off of what Andrea said about how it's not just women that are involved in this effort. Women and men are all are a part of this story. We have a lot of men partners for the project. So Mark Blaise is our co-lead. He's a class 79 member. partnering with Michelle Fitzpatrick from the class of 80 who are co-leading this multimedia project. And I know Nicolle, you've interviewed many of our male alums for this project as well. And so to just note, like, this is not an exclusive commemoration or celebration. This is all of our histories. And so I think it's a good point to note that, you know, everyone's invited. We've got all sorts of participating in this project. And I think, as I said, too, it's not just alums, it's those faculty and staff who've been supporting our alums over the years. We have a lot of really amazing early interviews already, oral histories with some of those early faculty members. So I think it's, I just think it's an important distinction to make that this is not just about women, it's about all of us. And the Friday dinner of our April event specifically is to honor and celebrate those people. We've invited the nurses, the volunteer coaches, the spouses of alums who just leaned in and were so supportive of the whole effort. And we're going to honor them at the Friday dinner during April. That sounds so special. And I will be there for that one. So I am excited for that. Tara, we talked a little bit about how the team was so important to making the multimedia project successful. Can you talk about why the alumni team is so important in the preservation of these stories and getting this up and running? Yeah. I mean, I think the The easy answer is that we have that institutional longevity. You know, we're an institution that's been around over 100 years and will be around for as long as the Academy exists. So we are uniquely positioned to preserve the stories. I think sometimes with volunteer, purely volunteer efforts, you know, people can put a lot of work and effort into something and then, ⁓ man, where did those files go? Where did the document, where was everything saved? You know, there's just... It's harder to make sure that stories remain preserved. you know, having the Alumni Association be the glue, like I said before, that holds this project together, I think it's really important. And we are also partnering not just, you know, to preserve it on our own website. ⁓ For those who haven't visited, it's cgawomen50.org. But we're also partnering with the Academy's Special Collections so that they can also take all the stuff that we've collected and preserve it in perpetuity. ongoing. So I think that is sort of the unique position that we can play as the Alumni Association is to make sure that everything is preserved for the future. As Andrea said, I mean, this isn't just about the past. And so 50 years from now when they're doing another commemoration, it's already done. Absolutely. We're building the map for how to do it. Andrea, how about those folks that maybe can't take the time to be a part of a team or come in person to an event. Are there other ways that folks can get involved through sponsorships or partnerships? 100%. I mean, I think we are building so many relationships in this. mean, like Tara and I have gone to a conference every year with our peers and colleagues at the other Service Academy Alumni Associations. But we've been on monthly calls for the better part of the last year and a half, if not two years, just supporting each other, learning from each other, right? Both the the challenges and all those opportunities, including getting sponsorships. know, USAA, who's been a long time sponsor, has chosen to support all the Service Academy's efforts. ⁓ And we're able to do so much more through that sponsorship, along with our own Women's Leadership Initiative. And this is going to provide just access to folks who maybe can't afford to come. We're able to provide some financial assistance if needed or whatever that looks like. And I'm thrilled when we look at people who are registering for not just the event here, but the one in Dallas and San Francisco and Seattle and Charleston. come into Charleston as part of a 250 sale for America's 250. And Eagle is hosting a reception for us on June 12th, if you happen to be in the Charleston area. But so many people along with registering are intentionally making a gift to support it. because they know this effort is gonna be long standing, right? I hope that we can continue to provide space for people when they're ready, women and men, to tell their story in a way that is meaningful to them because it may take encouragement, right? Someone might need to read 10 articles or hear a podcast, right? Or read something else to actually find that inner courage to say, my story is part of this tapestry. So now I'm ready to tell it. So if you want to be involved, reach out to the Alumni Association. There is a way. may not even look traditional that there is a way or we will find a way, right? We will. Even just volunteering at an event. mean, showing up and helping with registration. That's a way to get involved. Nicolle, I am going to turn my, I'm going to put my interview hat on and turn it over to you because, you part of this, us sitting down together is to talk about this podcast. 50 years of her story. those who are tuning in, know, podcasting has been on our strategic plan as an alumni association forever. And this just seemed like perfect timing that we were able to connect. You when we connected and it just seemed like the perfect fit to have you step in and assist with this podcast. So I want to ask you, like, what does it mean for you to serve as host of this podcast and tell these stories in this way. think it's awesome. ⁓ thank you. I can vividly remember sitting in your office talking through the plan for this podcast and then a few weeks later was like, okay, we're doing this. So it's kind of crazy to me, but I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this story. And I think as far as what it means to me, it's more than just hearing the stories or interviewing people or having conversations, but Like we kind of talked about earlier, providing that safe space for the stories to be told. think there are so many stories out there that are relatable or just really thought provoking of had no idea this person felt like this or went through something like this. And those are the ones that are really sticking with me. We all spent four years in Chase Hall and yet our experiences are all so incredibly different. to provide a space and an opportunity for those stories to get heard is the real reason that I am doing this. Now that you've gotten a few of these interviews under your belt, what are you most excited about our listeners hearing from these interviews that you've been doing? Really just that vast range of perspective. I've interviewed people that were at the Academy before women were ever there, and then later, their own daughter went to the Academy. Similarly, a mother. and her daughter going through the academy at different periods of time. then similar stories to like one for myself, when I went through in 2012, I didn't often think about a time where there were no women and to really now take the time and think about that and just honor the adventure they had. ⁓ I'm excited for others to hear that as well. Well, I just want to thank you for being so enthusiastic about jumping into this project and willing to jump in into something that I don't think any of us had really any experience in, but you know, here we are, we're doing it, we're pulling it off. And I think it's so important. And I do believe that without having this podcast avenue, you know, this project would have been missing something. So I wanted to thank you for that because we wouldn't be able to do it without you. So appreciate you. Thank you so much. And yeah, I think the biggest thing is just Everyone has a story to tell. There's something about being able to tell your story in the way you want to tell it. And okay, maybe nobody even listens to it and that's okay. It's the opportunity of just saying the words you want to say in the way you want to say them. We're here for everyone's story. ⁓ And I can't wait to hear them all. I mean, this is my first podcast. it's a bit, it's a bit surreal, but it's so meaningful that right, this is the topic like that, that is that we're going to like put out into the universe, a topic that's so personally important to me, but organizationally important to the service, I think, and to our alumni community. Because when we, know, quoting a little Brene Brown here, but when we put ourselves out there, as many of the men and women who you're interviewing, right, you show that vulnerable side and right, how we need to be in this world, right, is to let those stories out there and be vulnerable in sharing our own and. empathetic when listening to others. And I think this series really has the potential to do that. I hope that everyone who has a story finds a way to a place to be and to have their story as part of this tapestry. So, I mean, we couldn't do without you, without you, Nicolle, and certainly Tara, the visionary behind this whole efforts that has a lot of pieces. ⁓ puts a lot of her own blood, sweat and tears and passion into every single day. amongst all the other duties that she has. we couldn't do it without you as well, Tara. So thank you. Thank you. For those who, you know, maybe aren't comfortable sitting down for a full podcast episode or maybe don't want to write something for the article, you know, there is an opportunity for folks to ⁓ honor and recognize someone else who supported them on their journey. And so our hope is that we can get individuals to do just sort of a quick shout out to someone who helped them along their journey as part of this 50 years commemoration. And quick meaning like one to three minutes and fairly scripted will provide, you know, a few questions and we can make sure they're prepped before. And there's an awesome new studio at the Alumni Association. 1887! UT87 and you can head on in there and a quick and easy recording to just honor somebody that was impactful to your experience here. Thank you, Andrea and Tara for this episode zero chat and just explaining the project as a whole and explaining a little more about the 50 years of Her Story podcast. Well, it's my pleasure and my honor, honestly. So I'm just, I can't wait to see all this stuff out there. And I'm so excited to kick all of this off in April with all sorts of amazing and inspiring people. So thank you. Of course. Well, I'll see you both in April. Will do. Can't wait. Bye. Thank you for listening to this episode of 50 Years of Her Story. And thank you to Andrea and Tara for sharing the intention behind this commemoration. As you heard today, this project is more than looking back. It's about creating space for stories, for reflection, and for connection. In the episodes ahead, you'll hear from women and men across generations, each sharing their own experience of what these past 50 years have meant. However you choose to be a part of it, By listening, up, ⁓ sharing your story, ⁓ is a place for you here. ⁓ Nicolle Bogden. Thank for listening.