From Backyard Bugs to Museum Halls: Tanith Huggins Sets Course for NC State | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    WASHINGTON, N.C.     After years of wrangling insects, galloping around show rings, and immersing herself in the prehistoric past, Tanith Huggins is ready for her next chapter. The Beaufort County Early College High School graduate recently completed both her high school diploma and an Associate in Arts and Associate in Science from Beaufort County Community College. She'll head to North Carolina State University this spring to major in zoology with minors in entomology and paleontology.

    "I'm trying to be the best museum worker you can buy," said Huggins with a laugh. She envisions herself working in natural science museums, possibly with research or teaching as part of her path. "Everywhere has museums. I want to be in a field where I can find a job in a lot of places."

    That journey started early. As a child, Huggins was "the main terrorizer of bugs, snakes, and lizards" in her backyard. Nature documentaries and shows like Wild Kratts sparked her curiosity, and her passion for paleontology grew during visits to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh.

    While she once considered majoring in geology to pursue paleontology, she pivoted to zoology, hoping for a broader path that still includes studying prehistoric life. "Geology is more about oil companies," she said. "I didn't want to end up working there, even though it's a good career."

    She was accepted to NC State for the spring semester. At State, Huggins will be surrounded by family. Her sister-in-law and two brothers are Wolfpack alumni, with one brother now teaching microbiology there. "It kind of just happened," she said of the family connection to the university. "We didn't grow up in Raleigh or anything, but now everyone seems to be there."


    Thanks to her time at Beaufort CCC, she'll enter NC State with most of her general education requirements already complete. "Early college is really helpful. It got my feet wet for college classes in general. I've already gotten through so many college classes that I'll go right into major-related coursework, like animal anatomy and ecology."

    Outside the classroom, Huggins is an accomplished equestrian. Since age nine, she's been riding Lady, a western pleasure horse, and Tigger, a speedy Appaloosa she competes with in gaming events like barrel racing and pole bending. Tigger has a talent off the course, as well. "He also likes to drink sweet tea out of a cup. It's crazy how he likes to do that. He can grab it with his bottom teeth," she said. Their long relationship means that they have built a strong bond. "I know my animal, and I trust my animal. Tigger's fallen on me and the whole bit. He got up in three seconds, and I was fine."

    Her accomplishments in the ring include multiple youth and adult championships in a local show series. She also served as a student ambassador at Beaufort CCC, a role that honed her public speaking skills and taught her how to connect with others. "You want to be that person that people can come up to as a representative of the college, that person who looks friendly," she said.

    As for her future, Huggins is keeping her options open. While she dreams of working in a museum or digging up fossilized insects, she's also realistic about the need for graduate studies. "It just depends on what life puts on my plate," she said.


    Whether it's cataloging giant dragonflies from the Carboniferous or sharing her love of natural history with museum visitors, Tanith Huggins is charging ahead, curious, confident, and deeply connected to both past and present.

    Beaufort County Community College is now registering for the Fall 2025 semester. To apply, visit www.beaufortccc.edu/apply

• Attila Nemecz
• Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
• Beaufort County Community College
• 5337 U.S. Highway 264 East
• Washington, N.C. 27889
• Ph: 252-940-6387
• Cell: 252-940-8672
• attila.nemecz@beaufortccc.edu