On May 19th, SMEA hosted Rear Admiral Linda Fagan, MMA 2000, who is now one of the highest ranking UW alumni in the Coast Guard and also one of the highest ranking female members of the Coast Guard ever. We were honored to have Rear Admiral Fagan join us to share a few words about her professional experience and how her degree from SMEA has impacted her career.

Several current UW Coast Guard students got the chance to meet with her and ask her candid questions about her experience in the Coast Guard post-graduation. One SMEA second year student and Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Stacey Crecy remarked that she never had a mentor to look up to in the Coast Guard, but now, after meeting Rear Admiral Fagan – who balanced a tremendously successful Coast Guard career, graduate school, two children and a spouse in the Coast Guard – finally feels as though she has found someone to inspire her.

Following her visit to Seattle, Rear Admiral Fagan will fly back to the east coast where she will officially assume command of the First Coast Guard District in Boston. She is looking forward to getting back to the Coast Guard and leading one of the Coast Guard’s nine operational districts. We are very honored that Rear Admiral Fagan visited SMEA and took time to speak to SMEA students.