CCMH Fellowship 2014

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The 2014 Currituck County Maritime Heritage Fellows — Ryan Bradley and Jeremy Borelli. L-R, Ryan Bradley, Travis Morris, Jeremy Borelli, and Carl Ross. Image by Ann Senibaugh, Whalehead Preservation Trust

CURRITUCK COUNTY MARITIME HERITAGE FELLOWS FOR 2014 ANNOUNCED

Representing the efforts of three organizations striving to preserve and celebrate the maritime heritage of Currituck County, a Currituck County Maritime Heritage (CCMH) Fellowship initiative has been formed.  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 2014 are Jeremy Borelli and Ryan Bradley, two graduate students currently undertaking thesis research at the Program in Maritime Studies, East Carolina University (MA in Maritime Studies):

  • Jeremy Borrelli is from Binghamton, New York and has spent the last four years living in New Paltz, New York, where he attended his undergraduate institution, earning a B.A. in Anthropology. He spent the majority of his time during the last eight years in the water as a competitive swimmer.
  • Ryan Bradley is from a small town in upstate New York. He studied Creative Writing at the State University of New York at Potsdam. After college he devoted most of his time to travel, finally moving to South Korea for a period of four years. While on an island in the South Sea, he developed a fondness for exploration, both over land and underwater.

In 2014, both Ryan and Jeremy will be involved in carrying out detailed recording of some of the historic watercraft in the Whalehead Preservation Trust’s collection, and by the end of summer 2014 will complete digital models, photographic catalogs, and reports on at least two historic vessels.

The 2014 fellowships are dedicated to Mr. Carl Ross for his continuing passion and assistance in preserving the maritime heritage of Currituck County.