Central Caribbean Marine Institute

Doing fieldwork/an internship for ccmi was one of the best decisions I have ever made. This program gave me incredible insight and clarity into my future career. Additionally the staff at ccmi are incredible, they are passionate about the work they do and incredibly encouraging. This program not only provided me with career insights but gave me invaluable skills in the field of scientific diving.

As a marine scientist, you can literally choose any topic to specialize in, and the subject is so broad to begin with. After spending time at CCMI I finally felt like I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I'm currently pursuing graduate school in the topics that I learned, and only learned, at CCMI. Without CCMI I feel like I would not have a fighting chance to pursue coral restoration in marine science. This internship definitely provides each student an edge that they never had before.

My time at CCMI exceeded all expectations. The staff were so amazing, friendly, and always willing to help. I got to participate in a wide variety of activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving, night diving, underwater research methods, coral microbial sampling, sea turtle hatchling releases, coral nursery cleaning, and more! This was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life and I’ve made amazing friends and connections because of it. I’m now confident in my research skills and can’t wait to apply them in my college courses.

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I’ve been to Camp two times and each time it has been an amazing experience. I met lots of new people that have become life long friends. I’ve learnt so much that I’ll never forget. I would recommend this camp to anyone who loves the ocean and want to learn about the ocean.

This internship gave me valuable, diverse field experience and memories that will last a lifetime. I went in the Summer of 2016 and accumulated about 25 dives over the 2.5 weeks. I learned how to take transect and quadrat coral surveys as well as take on a research project and present my findings on my first scientific poster. We also had turtle nest watch duties (got to release turtle hatchlings at one point!), a lionfish dissection for stomach content analysis, and outplanted staghorn corals from the nursery. In between we had fun dives (including a night dive) and activities (volleyball, dodgeball, etc.). Everything was very organized, the staff was caring, food was delicious, and no complaints about the living quarters. I miss those 2.5 weeks of my life. I learned so much while having a ton of fun at the same time.

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My experience at CCMI was nothing short of spectacular. I interned there during summer of 2017 and I can honestly say that I've never learned so much in such a short amount of time. The education was phenomenal; we took multiple dives most days of the program in order to get the best hands-on field experience possible. In just three weeks, I was able to identify numerous marine organisms, significantly improve my diving skills, improve my critical thinking, perform research at higher levels, and obtain many other skills and experiences that I can't thank CCMI enough for. CCMI itself is beautiful. We lived probably less than 50 feet from some of the most stunning waters I have ever seen. Being able to live with a group of motivated individuals in close proximity to each other, all with common goals and interests was special in every way. All of the staff members were extremely helpful and put in work all day so that we could get the most out of our experience. Rather than acting like our bosses, the staff at CCMI acted as mentors, teachers, and most importantly our friends, which made the internship much more worthwhile. While challenging at times, the internship was rewarding and very fun. The people all around Little Cayman were one of the most welcoming groups of people I have ever met, and I'm very thankful to have experienced the culture of the island. I loved every single other intern that I work with and I'm happy to have made friends around the world. I will remember all of these dives (especially the night bioluminescent dive), the late night bike rides around the island, afternoon jogs and walks on the beach, the memories made with the staff and other interns, and every moment from this internship for the rest of my life. For marine scientists, I genuinely believe there is no better opportunity as an undergraduate in this field than working with CCMI.

I have recommended this program to so many individuals. I learned from some incredible and very devoted instructors, many of whom I have stayed in touch with. I created friendships that will likely last a lifetime. Best of all I have memories that I will never forget. This experience is something that I would do over and over again if given the chance.

My experience at CCMI on Little Cayman shoved a lot of living and working into a three-week period. Not only did the internship provide essential educational and technical experience, but both the social and professional interactions that I carried out with the staff, interns, and others on the island were unforgettable and very valuable to the experience and my own personal convictions and personality. I learned a lot and gained a lot during my time at CCMI, not to mention the stunningly beautiful dives and snorkels on the reefs around the island, which were surreal. I will return at any and every opportunity.

The staff at CCMI are all wonderful hosts, teachers, and friends. I enjoyed learning and having conversations with each and every person on station. Each meal, cooked by the amazing Ms. Em, was always delicious and creative. Plus, nothing beats the diving in Little Cayman!

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It was a great experience to work in a beautiful place filled with marine life. It was also a honor to work with such a great team of professional scientists, I learned a great deal during this experience

One of the most amazing experiences of my life - met people I will stay friends with for life, learnt new incredible things everyday and my diving confidence increased tenfold! Everyday was action packed and the staff were so kind and accommodating.

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While I was at CCMI I met so many new friends and created so many bonds with them. I loved learning about all the fishes and animals in the ocean. And being able to do so many other activities too. I had a great time at CCMI this last summer

Had a truly amazing time in little cayman, with some of the best diving, meeting new friends, learning about fish and coral through practical lessons and dives, and got a real understanding of what it's like to be a marine biologist.

I definitely would recommend to anyone to join this experience of fun, educational, and encounters in the most pristine waters in Little Cayman. From diving to the different projects that we had to do, I had an awesome week. I definitely recommend CCMI summer camp to anyone who wishes to get the best diving and interacting with people from different cultures!

The Rutgers Coral Reef Internship Program at the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) was one of the best experiences of my life. It is truly hard to put this one of a kind opportunity into words and it is best left to be experienced first hand. I would highly recommend this opportunity to anyone that has a love, passion, or interest for the ocean and our coral reefs. Many people state that Walt Disney World is one of the most magical places on Earth but I would have to disagree with that statement and would argue that Little Cayman is THE most magical place on Earth!