The ECU Semester Experience at the Coast is back and better than ever.
This spring, the ECU Outer Banks Campus and the Coastal Studies Institute welcome Pirates back to the coast! Twelve “coasties” made the move from Greenville to Manteo and are participating in the Undergraduate Semester Experience at the Coast program. This undergraduate residential program provides students with small classroom settings that allow for field-based experiences and the unique opportunity to participate in research that is happening at the Coastal Studies Institute. As soon as they arrived, students quickly engaged in the Outer Banks community and are making the most of their time here on the North Carolina coast.
The Semester Experience at the Coast allows students the ability to choose their own adventure. In addition to their coursework, six students are participating in internships during their time here on the coast. Their positions range from on campus research assistantships to on-the-job experience with community partners like the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island. These positions allow students to explore potential careers in coastal science, while providing many of them with experience that they hope to carry with them to graduate school or that first post-university job.
In addition to their academic studies, students spend their free time exploring Manteo and different historic locations on the Outer Banks. During the week students can find themselves playing soccer with their classmates or studying together in the common area of their dorm-style facility. On the weekends, larger trips are organized for students to check out all that the Outer Banks has to offer. This includes trips to Nags Head Woods and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Over spring break, many students hope to participate in a local surf camp – an essential element for those that are seeking to understand what it means to be a true Outer Banks’er!
In the years to come, the faculty and staff at the Coastal Studies Institute are eager to expand the program. This includes both the number of students that participate and the types of classes and opportunities that students can participate in at the coast. “One of the most exciting aspects of this program is that any student at ECU can participate,” shares Alex Nolte, University Program Associate on the ECU Outer Banks Campus. Nolte continues, “Whether you are a science major, or studying art, you can come out to the coast and truly get something out of this program.” It is safe to say that the 2022 Semester Experience at the Coast program is off to a great start, and we are looking forward to a great semester here at the Coastal Studies Institute.
Based at the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI), the North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program (NCROEP) advances inter-disciplinary marine energy solutions across UNC System partner colleges of engineering at NC State University, UNC Charlotte, and NC A&T University. Click on the links below for more information.
ECU's Integrated Coastal Programs (ECU ICP) is a leader in coastal and marine research, education, and engagement. ECU ICP includes the Coastal Studies Institute, ECU's Department of Coastal Studies, and ECU Diving and Water Safety.
The ECU Outer Banks campus is home to the Coastal Studies Institute.
