This article is contributed by Dr. Karen Lynden, Lecturer of International Business and Management within the Cameron School of Business, UNCW. 

Building North Carolina’s District Export Picture: A Data‑Driven Partnership Linking UNCW Students with the NC District Export Council 

International trade is a major engine of North Carolina’s economy. According to the latest published numbers from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (covering 2023 exports), the state’s total exports of goods and services reached 72 billion dollars in 2023, supporting an estimated 145,000 jobs within 10,986 companies selling goods abroad, including 9,542 small and medium sized enterprises. In 2024 North Carolina ranked fifteenth among exporting states, a level that is 36 percent higher than in 2014. 

Against this backdrop, the North Carolina District Export Council (NC DEC) has partnered with UNC Wilmington’s Cameron School of Business to offer a public‑impact special project that produces Congressional District Export Fact Sheets grounded in federal and state export data. 

These profiles help members of Congress understand their district’s export footprint, job contributions, industry strengths, and real business success stories. 

A statewide partnership with national recognition 

The NC DEC is part of a national network of 61 District Export Councils whose members are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Its mission spans five pillars: Advise, Advocate, Promote, Mentor, and Educate. North Carolina’s DEC has been recognized as the 2025 National DEC of the Year and received the 2023 Governor’s Export Partner Award for its statewide leadership.  

This special student project is possible through dedicated DEC Members, particularly through the mentorship of Steve Janz, a long‑time NC DEC leader who serves as a connector between the council and the Cameron School of Business. Janz provides ongoing guidance to students, and support ensures the internship remains a truly applied learning experience, offering students meaningful access to trade practitioners and allowing the final deliverables to meet the needs of all intended stakeholders: NC DEC, the U.S. Commercial Service, regional businesses, and North Carolina’s congressional offices. 

According to Janz, NC DEC mentor, “the program helps the interns transform complex export data into clear, practical tools and actionable insights that are valuable to policymakers and to North Carolina’s small and medium-sized businesses seeking to compete and grow in global markets, while giving students a real opportunity to apply their skills in ways that directly support exporters and the communities they serve across the state.” 

The outcome 

Each fact sheet follows a structure designed to be used efficiently by congressional staff and regional partners. The sheets contain district level summaries, export related job insights, data visualizations, and a featured company success story.  

The special project mirrors a real export analytics role. Students gather data from a variety of federal and state level sources and engage directly with NC DEC members and U.S. Commercial Service specialists to ensure practical relevance. Students research and verify federal and state level trade data, interpret trends, and present the information in clear and accessible ways. This combination of primary data analysis and practitioner collaboration helps ensure the deliverables are accurate, actionable, and responsive to district level needs. 

A prestigious learning and networking experience 

The inaugural internship (April–August 2025) was completed by Nick Brenkacs, an International Business major with a Supply Chain concentration (2025 graduate). Nick’s work with the team established the foundational template and delivered the first sheet for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, featuring Advanced Superabrasives, Inc., a western North Carolina manufacturer whose global expansion accelerated through partnerships facilitated by the U.S. Commercial Service and its Rural Export Center. 

“My work with the NC DEC exposed me to how SMEs navigate North Carolina’s export economy and deepened my understanding of how trade policy shapes business decisions across the state. I am grateful to Mr. Janz, Dr. Lynden, and the entire NC DEC for their mentorship and the opportunity to apply my knowledge to a meaningful, hands-on project.” - Nick Brenkacs 

The Spring 2026 cohort continues that work with two International Business and Finance majors, Ugnė Česėkaitė and Elena Estepa Esteve, who are contributing as special‑project volunteers to move this initiative forward. Both Česėkaitė and Estepa are in the process of earning a dual degree from UNC Wilmington and the University of Valencia in Spain through the TABSA Program, a distinctive transatlantic business curriculum that allows students to spend several years studying at each institution and graduate with full bachelor’s degrees from both universities. We are excited to see the insights and contributions they will bring as they carry this project forward.  

“I am interested in this project because of my enjoyment of analyzing complex business and trade data and deriving useful insights for informed decision-making.¨ - Ugnė Česėkaitė 

 Why this matters for North Carolina 

The fact sheets produced provide a clear, sourced picture of how exports contribute to jobs and to the North Carolina export economy, and they are valued by a wide range of stakeholders. The fact sheets become useful resources for state and federal decision makers, while offering businesses visibility into markets, industries, and export support services. For NC DEC and the U.S. Commercial Service, they serve as practical outreach tools that reinforce North Carolina’s global competitiveness. For UNCW, this initiative reflects the university’s commitment to experiential learning, as students deliver quality materials and strengthen analytical, communication, and project management skills that travel with them through their careers. Through this work, we see Cameron School of Business students gain real experience and contribute meaningful work that supports North Carolina communities. 

Author’s note 

As the UNCW faculty liaison for the initiative, Dr. Karen Lynden connects students with the NC District Export Council to collaborate on special projects that support North Carolina’s businesses and communities while building practical skills and professional experience. The success of this initiative reflects the strength of these partnerships and the exceptional dedication of the students involved.