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Mary poses on the beach at dusk.

07.16.25

Activist Spotlight: Mary Brantley With the University of Rhode Island Student Club

What is your current role with the Surfrider Foundation?

I am currently the president of the University of Rhode Island Surfrider Foundation Club.

When and why did you choose to get involved?

I got involved with Surfrider in Fall 2023, my sophomore year of college. As a double major in marine biology and marine affairs, coastal activism issues are something I care deeply about. After attending a state chapter meeting, I knew I wanted to make a difference in the local coastal community and that this would be the organization to allow me to do so, so I started working towards creating a Surfrider club at URI to garner student support.

What are some local environmental issues that you have witnessed?

I have seen issues with plastic pollution and beach access in Rhode Island. There is always trash to be picked up on our beaches, and there are constant, highly controversial debates over public and private access points along the coastline.

Mary standing at a blue Surfrider table on campus with the school mascot, a ram.

What Surfrider projects have you been involved with? How have these projects impacted your community?

I have primarily been involved with beach cleanups and Hill Day. So far, we’ve accumulated nearly 80 pounds of trash from Narragansett Town Beach, and we got the chance to inform our elected representatives about coastal issues that we care about. In the future, as a club we are planning on implementing the Ocean Friendly Restaurant program and the Climate Action Program on campus. Doing so will make both our school and larger community more sustainable.

What can Surfrider do to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment?

I have found that simply promoting the club to everyone is the best way to create an inclusive environment. Nobody should feel like they can’t join or feel like if they do join, they’ll be left out of the group. 

We always love having new people to join us, so we try to constantly evaluate how welcoming we are to boost recruitment and retention. When new people join us at events, we immediately introduce them to everyone and get to know them more; simply smiling and bringing people into the conversation have gone a long way for us.

How did you get involved in shark research?

During my sophomore year, I reached out to one of the professors at URI who studied sharks and got involved with his research. I’ve worked on movement ecology projects in the past, analyzing data from both Galapagos and tiger sharks to see where they go throughout the year.

Last summer, our research group went shark tagging off the coast of Rhode Island several times a week. We were aiming to catch mako and blue sharks, but happened to catch a juvenile white shark that day!

Mary on a boat posing with a small shark on the deck as part of the shark research she does.

What is the most important thing you tell others about Surfrider?

I personally like to talk about all the opportunities and impact Surfrider has. I tell people about how much trash we’ve picked up from our local beaches, the support we’ve gained from our local representatives for coastal policy, and the leadership, public speaking, and networking skills I’ve gained from being in this club.

I also never forget to mention the friends and connections I’ve made; instead of being an isolated student organization, we have an unwavering national support system that has helped us throughout the entire creation of this club that I could not be more thankful for. Ultimately, the community and opportunities provided by Surfrider are the highlights of my elevator pitch.

What has been the highlight of your Surfrider experience?

The highlight of my Surfrider experience has been watching the club grow. From only having just enough people to form a club our first semester, we now have nearly 200 people now on our email list. Seeing an increasing number of people turn up to events makes me hopeful for the future of both this club and local coastal activism efforts. 

I have had the opportunity to meet so many students and adults that are passionate about these issues, and it is inspiring to see so many people join together for this cause. I’m so grateful that Surfrider has begun to develop into a sort of community on campus, and I can’t wait to see what the next year of work will produce.

Thanks so much, Mary! Is there anything else you would like to add?

We are constantly looking for new ways to expand and collaborate. If you would like to get in touch, please email us at uri@clubs.surfrider.org!

Mary in the classroom, holding up an assignment that looks like it has to do with surf wax.