Episode 5: Be Respected, Not Liked with Vice Admiral Sandra "Sandy" Stosz '82
What does it take to be first – first woman to command a Coast Guard cutter on the Great Lakes, first woman to lead a U.S. armed forces service academy – and still insist you never wanted to be defined by it?
In this episode of 50 Years of HerStory, Nicolle Bogden '12 sits down with retired Vice Admiral Sandy Stosz '82, who entered the Coast Guard Academy as part of just its third class of women and, four decades later, retired as one of the most senior women in Coast Guard history. Sandy traces her path from a tomboy childhood outside Baltimore through a Coast Guard Academy experience defined as much by brutal academics and mandatory cadet dances as by the classmates and cadre who had her back.
Sandy shares what it was like, in 1990, to take command of the icebreaking cutter Katmai Bay on the Great Lakes as the first woman ever to do so, including being told by her own district commander she was just "the secretary's fair-haired golden girl," and how she won over a skeptical thousand-foot ore carrier captain not with authority, but with a question. She talks candidly about returning to the Academy in 2011 as its first female superintendent, the scrutiny that came with it.
Throughout the conversation, Sandy returns to the idea of the "control paradox", you can't control how people treat you, but you can control how you respond, and offers hard-won advice on building trust through competence rather than chasing likability. Her story is a reminder that being first is rarely about the spotlight; it's about building the trust that makes room for everyone who comes after.
Closing out the episode, Megan (Blackeby) McGrath '94 shares this episode's "Moment of Gratitude," a heartfelt shout-out to someone who made a lasting impact on her journey. It's a moving reminder that behind every success story are the people who believed in us first.
Moment of Gratitude is a recurring segment featured at the end of every episode this season. Have someone you'd like to thank? We'd love to feature your shout-out too. Submit yours here.
As we celebrate 50 years of women at the Coast Guard Academy, we invite you to stay connected, honor this legacy, and support future generations.
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Keywords
Women in Leadership, Coast Guard Academy, USCGA Alumni, 50 Years of Women at USCGA, Trailblazers, First Female Superintendent, Icebreaking, Great Lakes, Command at Sea, Mentorship, Diversity and Inclusion, Resilience, Leadership Under Pressure, Female Officers, Service Before Self
Sandy's website: https://sandrastosz.com/
Sandy's book: Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters (proceeds benefit the Coast Guard Academy)
