Category: Intern Program

Engineering Intern Program 2026

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, Intern ProgramLeave a comment

This summer, SIPOA has two interns participating in the Engineering Intern Program. Maria Miller is a Biosystems Engineering student from Clemson University. She is excited to be here and is looking forward to seeing how classroom calculations and design are translated into real world stormwater solutions. Alex Arquette is a Johns Island native and recent graduate in Geography and Economics from the University of South Carolina. He is looking forward to applying his GIS skills to stormwater resiliency applications on Seabrook Island.

Maria and Alex will be working on updating SIPOA’s stormwater outfall maintenance program among other projects this summer. If you see them out on the island or in the marsh surveying, please welcome them to Seabrook Island!

Community Education: Living on the Marsh at Seabrook Island

On By SIPOAIn Engineering, Environmental, Intern Program

While Seabrook Island is often recognized for its beachfront charm, a significant number of residents actually live along the island’s vibrant marsh front. Marsh-front living offers unique opportunities as well as specific environmental challenges.

As part of this summer’s SIPOA Engineering Internship Program, we developed an educational resource tailored specifically for marsh-front homeowners. A Homeowners’ Guide to Living on the Marsh on Seabrook Island is a comprehensive StoryMap designed to inform and support residents in understanding and managing life along the marsh.

The guide covers key topics such as:

  • Salt marsh zonation
  • Salt marsh ecology
  • Tidal flooding and storm surge
  • Shoreline protection alternatives
  • Adapting to tidal channel migration
  • Backyard buffers and marsh vegetation management

The StoryMap features local photography, time-lapse aerial imagery, and interactive maps to illustrate these concepts in a clear, engaging format. Its user-friendly design provides accessible, practical guidance for living adjacent to a dynamic marsh ecosystem.

By embracing sustainable marsh-front management practices, residents can contribute to a more resilient community—particularly in response to coastal storms and changing environmental conditions.

Feel free to contact me at shirsch@sipoa.org with questions or comments.