In a significant step toward expanding opportunities for academic innovation and career development, California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) has signed a five-year Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). The agreement, finalized in January 2025 and effective immediately, sets the stage for enhanced collaboration between two of the Monterey Bay region’s most prominent institutions.

Signed by CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones and NPS President Vice Admiral (Ret.) Ann E. Rondeau, the agreement recognizes the critical role science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education plays in the United States’ long-term viability and competitiveness. It also aims to connect CSUMB students and faculty with NPS’s world-class research facilities, technology, and expertise.

“This partnership is a model for how universities and federal institutions can come together to strengthen both education and national innovation,” said Dr. Marylou Shockley, Interim Dean of the College of Business. “It’s about giving our students direct access to real-world research environments and career pathways they might not otherwise experience.”

A Two-Way Bridge of Opportunity

The agreement is structured to serve both institutions, creating a dynamic, reciprocal partnership. On one hand, CSUMB students and faculty will benefit from access to NPS’s advanced scientific facilities, cutting-edge research, and technical expertise. On the other, NPS gains the opportunity to leverage CSUMB’s academic resources and student talent to support its mission-critical work.

Key opportunities for CSUMB students include involvement in research projects hosted at NPS, access to surplus or loaned equipment for educational use, tours and demonstrations at NPS facilities, and potential mentorship from NPS personnel in course design, curriculum development, and STEM outreach events.

For NPS faculty and staff, the partnership offers a chance to engage with emerging scholars from CSUMB, participate in curriculum development, and serve as advisors on academic and career matters. The agreement also identifies shared goals for long-term workforce development in STEM and defense-related fields.

“This is not just a one-way relationship,” said Dr. Thomas Horvath, Dean of the College of Science. “It’s designed to be a bridge, where knowledge, tools, and talent move both ways in service of a larger mission.”

Research and Education Collaboration

One of the agreement’s most powerful features is its emphasis on joint research and project-based learning. Coordinators will be appointed in two primary areas: one for research and engineering (R&E), and another for business, career, and academic collaborations.

Through these coordinated efforts, students and faculty may work alongside NPS researchers on challenges tied to real-world applications—particularly in areas of national interest such as defense technology, environmental sustainability, artificial intelligence, logistics, and systems engineering.

“These collaborations aren’t just academic exercises,” Dr. Shockley noted. “They are deeply relevant to the issues facing our world today—from national security to climate resilience. Our students can contribute meaningfully while building their résumés and skill sets in ways that matter.”

A Foundation for STEM Equity and Access

The partnership is especially valuable for CSUMB given its mission to serve a diverse and largely first-generation student population. By facilitating access to high-level research and federal laboratory environments, the agreement directly supports broader university goals around equity, inclusion, and access to opportunity in STEM fields.

CSUMB and NPS have also agreed to hold regular meetings to assess the partnership’s progress, resolve challenges, and identify new projects or opportunities for collaboration. The institutions will jointly review metrics of success and report annually on educational outcomes, impact, and future initiatives.

“This agreement helps bring equity to opportunity,” said President Quiñones. “It empowers students from historically underrepresented backgrounds to envision—and pursue—careers in science, technology, and engineering fields that have the power to change lives and communities.”

Looking Ahead: Broad Impacts and Shared Vision

While the agreement initially focuses on STEM collaboration, its framework is intentionally flexible. Future initiatives could include cross-institutional events, co-hosted symposiums, joint grant opportunities, and expanded academic pathways that involve business, policy, and ethics in addition to science and engineering.

NPS President Ann Rondeau echoed the broader potential of the partnership. “In today’s interconnected world, innovation doesn’t happen in silos. This agreement represents a shared vision for developing talent, advancing discovery, and contributing meaningfully to our nation’s future.”

The Education Partnership Agreement will remain in effect for five years, with the option to renew or expand by mutual agreement. It stands as a formal recognition of the value CSUMB and NPS bring to each other—and to the region they both call home.

“Together, we’re creating a pipeline for impact,” said Dr. Shockley. “This partnership gives our students a powerful launching point—not just for careers, but for leadership in the complex, high-stakes world that awaits them.”