South Carolina State University junior Kyle Baytops is looking forward to continuing his family’s legacy of military service while continuing his academic journey with the help of a scholarship worth up to $240,000 from the U.S. Coast Guard.
“I come from four generations of military service. So, I just wanted to honor that in my family and continue to do that. My family did every branch but the Coast Guard, so I wanted to be the first in my family to go to the Coast Guard,” Baytops said.
Baytops, a cybersecurity major from Atlanta, Ga., was awarded the Coast Guard’s College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) scholarship on Tuesday, March 31, at SC State’s annual Honors and Awards Convocation at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
“I’m honored. It was always in my great intentions to serve, and when I found out about the program, I was like, ‘Why not?’ It can further progress my career while also doing what I want to, and that’s serve,” the 22-year-old said.
Capt. Eric Jones, a 1998 alumnus of SC State, is commanding officer of Base Charleston in the U.S. Coast Guard. He presented Baytops with the scholarship award along with Senior Chief Petty Officer Robert Flores during the convocation ceremony.
The CSPI is a scholarship and training program that allows college students to become Coast Guard officer trainees while completing their degree, with guaranteed commissioning upon graduation.
The program is designed for motivated college juniors and seniors who demonstrate academic and leadership excellence and aspire to serve as an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. Participants are enlisted as officer trainees and receive the benefits of active-duty service at the E-3 pay grade, including salary, healthcare, housing, and food allowances.
“I go into basic, and then I’ll come out and be fully active as an E-3. Pretty much like everything that you could ask for, they provide. Housing is taken care of, food, books, expenses, and also money in your pocket. The scholarship is almost too good to be true,” Baytops said.
He said SC State has prepared him academically for his next steps in life.
“Thanks to all the faculty and my great teachers, they prepared me. We learn valuable lessons and, of course, we’re staying on top of internship opportunities. It just helped me prepare, and then I learned about the Coast Guard program,” Baytops said. “I learned that they have cyber intelligence, and they’re doing a good job preparing me for that.”
A Coast Guard tradition renewed at SC State
Baytops’ achievement also reflects a long-standing relationship between SC State and the U.S. Coast Guard, one that has created pathways for students like Baytops to pursue military leadership while advancing their academic and professional goals.
“The bond between the Coast Guard and South Carolina State University is a rich one. In fact, the long blue line of Coast Guard officers from this university started more than 40 years ago,” Jones said. “They set a powerful precedent. That legacy is what
makes the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative so important.
“This isn’t just a scholarship; it’s an invitation to lead. It’s a highly competitive program for juniors and seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence and students who desire to serve their country,” he said.
Jones said CSPI scholars are shaped into future Coast Guard officers.
“It’s a true joy to be back and here’s why. I’m proud to announce that today we’ll be welcoming our fifth CSPI scholar in just the last three years,” he said.
Keshawn Burns, a SC State cybersecurity major, is also an officer trainee who was awarded the CSPI scholarship at SC State’s Honors and Awards Convocation in 2024.
“I’m actually married and have a daughter now. I’m also able to continue my collegiate career, and that’s all thanks to this program. With the amazing pay, it’s a jewel in the haystack. I’m able to take care of my family … and still be a community assistant on the SC State campus,” Burns said.
He said the scholarship has made a monumental difference in his life “being a cybersecurity major and having a guaranteed job straight out of college.”
“A guaranteed career is really hard to find, and it’s just set up a whole lot of ease in my mind and in my life. It’s just been great. I give God all
