USD Student Phillip Collum Remembered Through Academic Award

University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education has renamed an academic award in honor of the late Phillip Collum, a USD student and Chula Vista Police assistant chief, who died earlier this month following a battle with cancer. 

The award will henceforth be known as the Phillip Collum Award for Leadership & Academic Excellence. 

Collum, a student in the university’s Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership (LEPSL) master’s program, was the inaugural recipient of the award, previously called the LEPSL Award for Leadership and Academic Excellence. 

“The award acknowledges one student in the program that demonstrates exceptional dedication to fostering a supportive and engaged community within the program through mentoring, coaching and heartfelt engagement,” said USD Associate Professor of Criminology and Sociology Erik Drew Fritsvold, PhD, the academic director of LEPSL.  

“Phillip Collum has left an indelible mark on the University of San Diego’s Law Enforcement & Public Safety Leadership MS program,” said Fritsvold. “In his very first semester, his passion for leadership, heartfelt mentoring and commitment to academic excellence were plainly evident. This renaming serves as a lasting tribute to Assistant Chief Collum's enduring legacy and serves as a testament to the profound impact he has had on the LEPSL and law enforcement community.”

During his 29 years with the Chula Vista Police Department, Collum was a pioneer — he became the department’s first Black lieutenant, captain and assistant police chief. 

An openly-gay officer, Collum was determined to unite marginalized communities with law enforcement in San Diego. He created the department’s community engagement division in 2022 and was vital to building a relationship between the gay community and San Diego County law enforcement. 

In 2023, LGBTQ San Diego County News named Collum one of its Persons of the Year. 

— USD News Center