She recognized that the Aquarium had the unique ability to break down physical barriers that prevented students from experiencing the full range of our state’s wild places, and she established learning opportunities for students and teachers throughout South Carolina.

Carmelina designed and implemented one of the Aquarium’s first professional development initiatives, Education Leadership Partners. The program still endures today, lending its longevity to an innovative process of ‘teachers teaching teachers,’ and has trained more than 3,200 teachers to date.

Just as Carmelina left a lasting mark on education at the Aquarium, her work at the Aquarium shaped her legacy. She is considered a regional expert on STEM education and holds a number of honors for her work in marine science education. Today, she is a STEM Education Specialist at S²TEM Centers SC and Programs Manager at Lowcountry STEM Collaborative, but she continues to support the Aquarium as an Education Leadership Partner.

“Everybody knows that I’m a cheerleader for South Carolina,” she says, reflecting upon her mantra of sharing our state’s science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) resources with students and teachers. “The Aquarium is a resource of learning that I’m proud to share with educators across the state.”