Asst. Secretary of the Navy Visit to TSU

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Juan Garcia III recently visited the Texas Southern University (TSU) campus. The Asst. Secretary acts on matters pertaining to manpower and personnel policy within the Department of the Navy including issues affecting active duty and Reserve Sailors, Marines, and Department of the Navy civilians. The visit with TSU President Dr. John Rudley was initiated by Asst. Secretary Garcia to discuss ways TSU can assist the Department of the Navy in recruiting minority candidates both for military and civilian positions.

During the visit, the Asst. Secretary toured the Science Center, Aviation Center and Sterling Student Center. The highlight of the visit was a luncheon hosted by Dr. Rudley that included a presentation on the Maritime Transportation Management and Security program by College of Science and Technology Dean Lei Yu and presentations by Maritime students Schineatha Rodriguez, Alfonso Arteaga, Dommonic Nelson, and Jessica Brown. TSU Maritime students and Navy ROTC students were guests at the luncheon.

Assistant Secretary Garcia is an attorney, a former Texas state representative, and a second-generation naval aviator. Garcia, whose family hails from South Texas, graduated from UCLA in 1988. He earned a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School and a Master of Arts from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1992. After graduation, Garcia reported to Aviation Officer Candidate School and flight training, earning his “Wings of Gold” at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, Texas. Garcia was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) on Sept. 16, 2009.

Established in Fall 2010, the Department of Transportation Studies offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Maritime Transportation Management and Security. The program, a partnership with the Port of Houston Authority, emphasizes three national priorities – logistics/freight, security, and environment in a single curriculum. Graduates of the program are qualified to: work in a variety of administrative and managerial positions in the maritime industry and port operations; function effectively in the disciplines of logistics, security and environment; and pursue advanced studies in the field of maritime transportation or its affiliated areas. Scholarships are available for outstanding students. For information about the Maritime program and scholarships, contact Ursurla Williams, Maritime Program Coordinator at williamsua@tsu.edu or visit the website http://transportation.tsu.edu.