Outreach initiatives play a crucial role in building meaningful connections between organizations and communities. Dr. Mažeika Sulliván envisioned that effective outreach, including community engagement and collaboration, serves as a bridge to promote education, inclusivity, and trust. Participation by students, staff, and faculty from Clemson University’s Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science (BICEFS) in outreach programs in coastal South Carolina has indeed played an incredible role in enhancing community awareness, provided access to crucial resources, and cultivated partnerships. Our participation in outreach focuses on BICEFS’s three themes: 1) Living Coasts, 2) Tomorrow’s Forests, and 3) Watersheds, Wetlands, and Wildlife; hence, our exhibits cover a variety of topics including the occurrence of microplastics in wetlands, soil respiration, land and waterfowl management, freshwater community ecosystems, and American alligator biology and awareness, all to inform the event attendees of our presence and work in coastal South Carolina and beyond. We use brochures, games, live educational animals, banners, handouts, scientific tools and demonstrations to engage and educate the public about the importance of environmental and wildlife conservation, science, and research. We look forward to BICEFS’s continued engagement with the community through educational workshops, social events, and outreach programs focused on the institute property and throughout coastal South Carolina. Onsite outreach, including guided tours, talks and presentations enhances visibility and accessibility, and elicits immediate feedback from the audience. Finally, we at BICEFS are committed to bridging gaps by creating a foundation of long-term growth and collaboration with the community and stakeholders and are focused on world-class research to provide information/solutions to ongoing and future environmental challenges.