The mission of the CREW program is to develop a diverse pool of classified-ready professionals with the necessary technical, professional, and interpersonal skills required to pursue successful careers in support of national security.
Students selected for the program, participate in a series of national security and classification seminars, and are employed through cooperative education experiences in national security research and emerging technology innovation and application.
Chief Quality Officer
El Paso Independent School District
Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired
Alan A. Wiernicki was appointed as Chief Quality Officer for the El Paso Independent School District in July 2018. In that role, he ensures proper operational controls, administrative procedures and systems are in place for the effective efficient operation of the District. He also supervises the Maintenance, Building and Grounds Department, the Facilities and Construction Department, and manages the District's 2016 Bond Program valued at $668 million.
Mr. Wiernicki is a decorated Army veteran, retiring as a Colonel in 2018 after 26 years of active service. His occupational specialty was air and missile defense operations, and he commanded at every level, from Battery to Brigade. Key staff assignments include Assistant Professor of Military Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Senior Advisor to the Commander of the Kuwait Air Force - Office of Military Cooperation Kuwait, and Deputy Commander of the Army's largest Air Defense Command, the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bliss. He is also a veteran of several combat and operational deployments.
Given his expertise in areas of public education and the military, Mr. Wiernicki was appointed in September 2018 by Governor Abbott as a member of the Governor's Committee to Support the Military. The Committee is charged with developing suggestions to maintain and enhance the military value of installations across Texas. The majority of the committee's recommendations for action during the 2019 and 2021 Texas legislative sessions were adopted into law, including a law that provides for the transfer and acceptance of licence's and certifications for military spouses and teachers.
Mr. Wiernicki earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the State University of New York College at Cortland, a Master of Arts in Administration from Central Mighigan University, and a Master of Science in National Strategy from the National War College in Washington, D.c. He and his wife of 26 years have three children.
Strengthen your cleared workforce pipeline; partner with New Mexico State University and sponsor a CREW Co-Op. We work with your team to match qualified students with your Co-op on the NMSU campus at the Physical Science Laboratory in Anderson Hall, a cleared contractor facility.
The deadline for employers to participate in the 2022-2023 program is May 1, 2022. Contact Marcella Shelby at mshelby@psl.nmsu.edu or 575-646-9201.
Note: A contract with PSL includes fringe and other indirect rates that are reviewed and approved by NMSU’s cognizant federal agency annually (Effective July 1).
As a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), who is military and veteran friendly, we are proud of the diversity of our 26 CREW students (2020-2022):
PSL is invested in the experience of our students and has included internal assessment throughout the program. Below is a sampling of the feedback we have received:
The CREW Program was developed by PSL with the guidance of an Advisory Council composed of former PSL student employees and NMSU Alumni that are leaders in the national security, defense and research fields. Our notable Advisory Council members see first-hand the looming workforce pipeline crisis ahead, and know that the CREW Program and graduating NMSU students represent a solution that can serve as a national workforce development model.
The CREW Program Fund was founded by the generous support of former PSL student employee and distinguished NMSU Alumni, Manny Mora the VP and General Manager of Space and Intelligence Systems for General Dynamics Mission Systems.
INVEST in the CREW Program and CREW Students by contacting Marcella Shelby, Strategic Initiatives Officer at PSL at mshelby@psl.nmsu.edu or 575-646-9201
