WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Customs and Border Protection today opened the CBP Global Borders College at the Advanced Training Center in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. Department of Homeland Security officials, congressional representatives and local stakeholders gathered to announce the opening of the new Global Borders College building, positioned to facilitate advanced law-enforcement training and strategic leadership education to build a singular leadership culture that is professional, ethical and enterprise-oriented.
"The inauguration of the Global Borders College will further our ability to prepare and educate the future leaders of CBP," said CBP Commissioner Alan D. Bersin during the ceremony. "The knowledge and expertise that this institute will foster will allow our agency to continue to be at the forefront of international border security."
CBP envisions the Global Borders College as the center of excellence for professional education and leadership development for the CBP workforce. The college will be the recognized authority for developing leaders dedicated to facilitating trade and protecting national borders and ports of entry. Curricula and educational activities will leverage a fully integrated leadership cadre in an environment where all students achieve their full potential.
Also in attendance at the opening was West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller who noted, "It has been my absolute privilege to play a role in helping the new Global Borders College find a great home here in Harpers Ferry. The men and women who will train in this building are on the front lines of protecting us from threats outside our borders. At this state-of-the art college, they will get advanced training and learn new skills and tactics - making them an even smarter and more capable part of our national security team. Intensive training here in West Virginia will keep the entire nation more safe."
Completed as phase three of the five-phase Advanced Training Center campus expansion, the Global Borders College building is a state-of-the-art facility designed and built with gold-level Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, improving energy saving and sustainability performance metrics. The building includes green roofs, 100 percent use of recycled gray water, geothermal heating and cooling, energy saving lighting, and use of wood materials exclusively harvested utilizing sustainable forestry practices.
The Advanced Training Center sits on 224 acres located outside Harpers Ferry, W.Va., on the historic School House Ridge. Current training venues include the administrative building with office, classroom and auditorium space; the tactical training building with a fitness center, mat rooms and classrooms; a state-of-the-art firing range complex opened in 2008; scenario-based training venues including a mock land border port, airport terminal, hotel/motel and a marine training lake.
Continuing campus development to complete the five phases includes the construction of a new campus entrance and welcome center, dining hall, and a dormitory/conference center complex that all will be built at LEED-gold standards as well.