Due to events in Currituck County beyond our control it is with regret that we announce the cancellation of the 2015 CCMH Maritime Heritage Fellow Initiative. Thanks to our partners (CSI, WPT, and OBC) for their support.
CURRITUCK COUNTY MARITIME HERITAGE FELLOWS FOR 2015 ANNOUNCED
Representing the efforts of three organizations striving to preserve and celebrate the maritime heritage of Currituck County, the Currituck County Maritime Heritage (CCMH) Fellowship initiative was created in 2013. Currituck County Maritime Heritage Fellowships are presented to assist graduate students engage in Currituck County-based maritime heritage scholarship. The fellowship initiative represents a collaboration of the Whalehead Trust (WHT), Outer Banks Conservationists Inc. (OBC), and the UNC-Coastal Studies Institute (CSI).
Selected by a panel representing WHT, OBC, and CSI, CCMH fellows receive two months of accommodation in Currituck County as well as a stipend. While serving as fellows they will prepare and deliver educational programs within the Currituck Heritage Park and Corolla Village from June to August. During these two months in Currituck County, fellows will also be engaged in independent research contributing to a graduate thesis on a subject related to Currituck County’s rich maritime heritage. Results of this research will be shared with the Whalehead Preservation Trust, Outer Banks Conservationists Inc., and the UNC-Coastal Studies Institute for integration into future educational programs and exhibits. Additionally, the CCMH fellows will present the findings of their research at a local community meeting.
The CCMH Fellows for 2015 are Lauren Christian and Hannah Piner, two graduate students currently undertaking thesis research at the Program in Maritime Studies, East Carolina University (MA in Maritime Studies):
- Lauren Christian, originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, has completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology at the Saint Mary’s University (Halifax, Nova Scotia). Lauren will be examining the management and historic preservation practices of North Carolina’s lighthouses as a part of graduate thesis research.
- Hannah Piner, a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, has completed a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from UNC-Wilmington. Hannah is currently studying the cultural biographies of material culture on board the battleship USS North Carolina.
The 2015 fellowships will be focused on expanding the efforts of the 2013 and 2014 CCMH fellows for use in education and outreach programs and products to enhance Currituck-area school programs.
Each year the Currituck County Maritime Heritage Fellows are named in honor of an individual who has worked diligently toward the preservation of Currituck maritime heritage. The 2013 Fellows were named in honor of Travis Morris, the 2014 Fellows were named in honor of Carl Ross. The 2015 honoree will be announced in the spring.