WASHINGTON – Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been appointed to serve on the board of visitors of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

The Coast Guard Academy is one of the nation’s five federal service academies. In January 2006, Collins also was appointed to the board of visitors of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

The Coast Guard Academy board of visitors meets annually with staff, faculty and cadets to determine the academy’s future needs, including facility improvements and academic trends.

The Coast Guard Academy is one of the most selective schools in the nation, enrolling about 300 young men and women, who are selected from more than 6,000 applicants. The 900 cadets who make up the corps are competitively selected from across the country, as well as 20 from foreign countries.