Education is developing as a strong economic sector in Dare County. Three educational institutions dot the county’s landscape: Dare County Schools, College of the Albemarle and East Carolina University – Coastal Studies Institute.

The trio is working together to provide seamless education opportunities and growth. The county’s community college will soon have a new consolidated campus on Roanoke Island.

Coastal Studies Institute is poised to grow with faculty offering undergraduate and graduate programs.

Recently, Reide Corbett, dean and executive director of the Coastal Studies Institute, presented the expansion plans to the Dare County Board of Commissioners.

The Coastal Studies Institute continues to deliver programming in five areas and to partner with five institutions in the University of North Carolina system.

Now, East Carolina University is creating a new Department of Coastal Studies that will comingle the natural, social and engineering sciences, economics, hospitality and tourism, and health.

To create this vibrant coastal campus, 12 to 16 faculty members will take up residency at the coast and represent both the new interdisciplinary department and traditional departments.

Academically, a new doctoral program in ECU’s Integrated Coastal Sciences is planned. New undergraduate opportunities will be offered, such as coastal-focused courses for a “Semester at the Coast.”

In December last year, Corbett called a meeting at Coastal Studies Institute on the topic of housing.

In addition to housing for faculty, Corbett foresees a housing need for 50 undergraduate and graduate students.

Another meeting on housing students and faculty will be held later in February.

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