S.C. Sea Grant Consortium

Student Internship Development

Community Engaged Internship (CEI) Program

The Community Engaged Internship program provides opportunities for undergraduate students from historically marginalized and underserved communities to conduct summer community-based projects that focus on community environmental and resilience needs as aligned with the Consortium’s strategic plan.

Three summer interns were employed in 2022.

A smiling young Black woman with blonde dreadlocks.

Zanai Boles

Zanai Boles supported the Gullah Geechee Seafood Trail project by participating in focus groups, entering and coding data from interviews and focus groups, and completing data analysis for project applications.

A young Black woman in glasses and a suit jacket stands in front of the US Capitol.

Ke’Ziyah Williamson

Ke’Ziyah Williamson assisted on the Pee Dee Water Level Sensors project by helping find locations to install real-time water level sensors to support a localized understanding of flooding for communities.

A smiling young Black woman with a nose piercing looks into the camera.

D’Karia Bascom

D’Karia Bascom created material for an information exchange with Beaufort residents as part of the Beaufort County Adapts project. Her two major products are a handout to teach about sea-level rise impacts on groundwater to be provided at community meetings and a project webpage for the public to learn about the project, including technical information and public events.

Minorities In Aquaculture (MIA) Internship Program

Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA), in partnership with the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium established the Shellfish Aquaculture Internship program to provide a hands-on career development opportunity for students of color enrolled in accredited two- or four-year colleges or universities in South Carolina.

Three summer interns were employed in 2022:

  • Olivia White, an undergraduate student majoring in biology with a concentration in environmental science at South Carolina State University worked at Lowcountry Oyster Company.
  • Alyssia Villarreal, an undergraduate student majoring in marine science at University of South Carolina worked at Barrier Island Oyster Company
  • Deja Best, a Ph.D. student majoring in environmental health sciences at University of South Carolina worked at Charleston Oyster Farm.
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