January featured student mentor - Cassie Stymiest
Our National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) mentor for January 2023 is Cassie Stymiest, Executive Director for Educational Passages. As the Executive Director, Cassie gets to oversee the work of students who build, launch, track, and recover miniature sailboats with GPS trackers ("miniboats") that sail the ocean currents and wind around the globe. As a very small nonprofit, Cassie is currently the only employee, so this role wears many hats. This includes working with the Board of Directors, fundraising, administration, a lot of program management, outreach and communications, and working directly with teachers and communities to support each boat build and voyage around the world. Since 2009, Cassie has been supporting ocean monitoring and integrating data efforts both in and out of the classroom.
When asked what she loves most about her job, Cassie replied, “Connecting with people! From meeting new students every year who are starting a boat build, to meeting new people in places where the boats land. Since the boats are driven by wind and currents, we cannot tell them where to go, and this element of surprise brings such a neat energy out that becomes almost contagious.”
“I also really love meeting with students to hear about their experience and help them connect with the communities where the boats land, but also connect them with ocean science researchers who are also interested in how the ocean is moving and changing.”
Cassie earned a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of New England (Biddeford, ME) and Certificate in Project Management from the University of New Hampshire. Cassie adds, “I grew up in New England wanting to learn more about the ocean, and with so many great marine science programs in the region I decided to stay and learn more. UNE was also a small university, and this was important to me because it allowed me to have a more intimate learning experience. The classes were small and teachers were always approachable. There was also a Marine Mammal Rehabilitation facility on campus at the time, which gave me direct experience in the field as I worked there during my studies. I decided to pursue a Certificate Program at UNH in 2013 because I was interested in applying Project Management processes and structures into my professional career.”
When asked what advice she would give to her younger self, Cassie replied, “I always knew I wanted to pursue a career connected with the ocean, but I wasn't sure what opportunities were out there. I loved the ocean. I loved dolphins, but I didn't really know what careers existed within the industry.”
“I think the advice I would give myself would be to ask more questions, and reach out to people in the field dive right in!”
Interested in connecting with Cassie for more information or advice? NMEA Student members are given the opportunity to connect with our student mentors! Email us to find out how to become a student member: students@marine-ed.org.