California Baptist University and Naval Surface Warfare Center extend educational partnership

California Baptist University (CBU) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona Division announced the renewal of their Educational Partnership Agreement (EPA) on August 29, 2023. The updated five-year agreement aims to enhance the educational experience for CBU students by offering access to military expertise, technology, and facilities in fields such as data science, analytics, and networked environments.

The new agreement will enable NSWC Corona Division staff to teach courses at CBU and assist in developing curriculum and materials in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and business. CBU faculty and students will also be able to participate in defense laboratory research and technology transfer projects. Additional benefits include sabbatical opportunities for faculty and internship and volunteer opportunities for students.

Dr. Charles D. Sands, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at CBU, stated, “Through this collaboration, we will inspire and better prepare students with the skillsets required for employment with high-tech employers such as the Department of Defense.”

This latest agreement builds on a partnership first established in June 2014. Since then, NSWC Corona Division has become the top employer of graduates from CBU’s Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, hiring 58 graduates and taking on more than 50 interns. The collaboration has also led to honors for CBU faculty, including Dr. Anthony Donaldson, founder of the College of Engineering, who was named an honorary Technical Director of Naval Sea Systems Command at NSWC Corona in 2016.

Captain Michael P. Aiena, USN Commanding Officer of NSWC Corona Division, emphasized, “We are committed to cultivating a qualified defense workforce that can both develop and anticipate future technologies that help keep our communities safe.”