How the Cal Poly Maritime Academy experience enhanced Hayden Carter’s undergraduate experience

This past summer, women's soccer team captain Hayden Carter traded the soccer field for the open ocean when she completed her first Summer Sea Term from May 5-July 8, 2025.

The training voyage, a requirement for engineering cadets, took Carter across the Pacific with stops in San Diego; Kauai, Hawai'i; Guam; Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands and Seattle. It was a journey filled with both challenges and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

"For me, this wasn't just a trip. It was an education you can't get in a classroom," Carter reflected.

Junior midfielder Hayden Carter

As part of her training, Hayden worked directly with shipboard systems, learning the fundamentals of marine engineering. She gained hands-on experience with different engine types, practiced starting and maintaining diesel generators, and operated various pumping apparatuses vital to ship function. 

One of the defining moments of the term came when a diesel generator failed: Carter was part of the team that worked to bring it back online — a test of both her technical skills and her composure under pressure.

Beyond the engine room, Carter found herself awed by life at sea. "The skies, the stars, the sunsets, you can't put it into words," she said. The voyage also gave her perspective on the world, seeing new places and realizing "how much more there is out there."

What began as an intimidating assignment became a turning point. Carter went in uncertain but came back with confidence, knowledge, and a renewed drive. The lessons learned during Summer Sea Term — discipline, teamwork, problem-solving — are the same skills she used to lead the women's soccer team throughout the 2025 season.