| "I had an internship at the National Weather Service, Wilmington office. This was the best experience I have ever had. An internship looks so good on a resume and I think it really looks good if you are applying to graduate school. My jobs at NWS were to calculate hourly-monthly average dew points and temperatures. I also made graphs showing the hourly-monthly change, which will be posted on the NWS web site. I had the opportunity to work with two of the meteorologists and observe them as they went through their daily routines. I watched them initialize temperature, dew point, wind speed, and other elements to draw forecasts and make predictions. I have always wondered how meteorologists draw forecasts and give watches and warnings. The internship at the National Weather Service gave me this opportunity. With the internship I feel like I got my foot in the door and now I am on the right track for becoming a a professional meteorologist. An internship is the best way to get experience in your field and get your name out there." Dwight Ashley, B.A. Geography, Class of 2004 |
| "I really enjoyed my internship with the North Carolina Coastal Federation. Some of my duties as an intern included checking on stormwater permit compliance in developing areas, patrolling the Intra Coastal Waterway with Ted Wilgis (The Cape Fear Coastkeeper), and assisting in the development of a volunteer network for the Coastkeepers volunteer program. I learned many invaluable things about the process, long hours, and hard work that go into protecting the coastal environment. I would highly recommend internships for anyone hoping to find a job they truly enjoy. The people you meet and the things you learn will help you better define what direction you want to take in your life and career." Adam Faircloth, B.A. Geography, Class of 2003 |
| "I was not a big fan of the internship program because I thought it was a waste of time. I decided to take the class and get an internship just because I was looking to pull up my grades and thought it would be an easy “A”. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I applied and was accepted as a student intern at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I worked here for my entire senior year and went to school full time. They were very accommodating when it came to my schedule and with in 3 months of graduating they had converted me over to a full-time permanent employee. I start their training program in a few weeks and it looks like I will have quite a career here at the Corps of Engineers. I am really glad I listened to my professors and decided to get into the internship program at UNCW." Justin Arnette, B.A. Geography, Class of 2002 |
| "I believe participating in an internship program is vital to the process of finding permanent work upon graduation. In my case, the North Carolina Coastal Federation provided me with the necessary professional and technical skills which have proven to be useful in my current job. The experience was 100% beneficial to my search for full-time employment upon graduation and I developed some excellent friendships and professional associates along the way. Those same relationships will also provide a backbone for future recommendations and references as my career progresses. I highly recommend that every student participate in an internship and broaden their knowledge base for their first entry-level position and their professional career.” Kevin Hahn, B.A., Geography, Class of 2001 |
