Every year, The Island School is proud to present the Maxey Cacique Alumni Award to honor one alumnus who has lived our mission to make a difference in the world. Our alumni community includes over 1,800 individuals who have achieved outstanding accomplishments since transitioning back home from The Island School.
This year, we honor Mackey Violich from the Fall 2006 Island School semester. After graduating from Lawrenceville Mackey returned to The Island School to take the first Dive Master course taught on Eleuthera. Returning to intern for many summers Mackey progressed to be a Research Technician for the Shark Conservation Program. Now, five years later, she is finishing up as a graduate student under Edd Brooks, Cape Eleuthera Island School CEO! Mackey’s long history at CEI has allowed her to develop a love for the deep sea, which has led her to working with some of today’s most advanced oceanic technology. Her partnership and research with Dr. Edith Widder and the Medusa has helped discover new species, as well as learn about an area of the earth we still know little about. Mackey’s undergraduate degree in Marine Conservation Studies and Environmental Economics from the University of California Berkeley paired with her Masters in Oceanography from Florida State University is only the beginning of what Mackellar Violich can achieve.
We are immensely grateful for Mackey’s years at CEI, her enthusiasm within our tight knit community, her dedication to shaping the future of young adults, and her commitment to The Island School mission and values. We are sad to see Mackey go, but can’t wait for the next time she comes home to Eleuthera.