By: Carrie Clower. Each summer, North Carolina Sea Grant offers undergraduate students opportunities to join experts across the state to explore issues affecting local communities.

“As part of National Sea Grant’s Community-Engaged Internship program, they gain hands-on experience with coastal, marine, or Great Lakes issues of environmental, economic, and or social importance,” explains Jane Harrison, NC Sea Grant’s coastal economics specialist.

Daniela Loera, USC Sea Grant’s 2021 Community Engaged Intern, recently completed the summer internship with an emphasis on informing policy and engaging communities about their influence on beaches through beach cleanups.

This summer, Alaska Sea Grant selected and matched four interns with organizations and projects across the state. Cairone Reft is a CEI intern who has been working with Kodiak Marine Advisory Program agent Julie Matweyou. A Kodiak resident, Reft is a member of the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor and is studying marine biology at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

This summer on Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, swimmers might notice people in light blue T-shirts pushing an ice cream cart across the sand. Instead of frozen treats, the cart contains brochures and other information that beachgoers need to keep safe. The cart is part of a new Beach Ambassador Pilot Project run by Wisconsin Sea Grant, Milwaukee Water Commons, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Coastline Services LLC and the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center.

Part of the inaugural cohort for Sea Grant's Community Engaged Internship, Delandra Clark interned with North Carolina Sea Grant's Barbara Doll during fall 2020 and winter 2021. In this blog, Delandra offers reflections on what resilience means, her work with Sea Grant and her career aspirations.