INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE NEWS
USA DIVING FORMS PARTNERSHIP WITH IRSC;
EDUCATIONAL CENTER TO BE DEVELOPED ON FORT PIERCE CAMPUS
TCBusiness.com 23
USA Diving recently announced during its
Olympic team trials in Indianapolis that it is
moving its executive offices to Indian River
State College’s main campus in Fort Pierce.
The college and diving organization
plan to develop facilities and resources to
support athlete and coach development
and the growth of diving in the United
States. The partnership greatly expands
the ability for the national governing
body to deliver on its mission to champion,
support and grow the sport of diving
in the United States and support USAD
athletes in achieving excellence in diving
and beyond.
Under the agreement, funds will be
raised jointly to construct a world-class,
international diving facility on IRSC’s
main campus; create a coach development
center to serve as USA Diving’s
centralized educational platform for the
systematic development of all levels of
USAD coaches, divers and judges; develop
state-of-the-art training facilities where
USAD athletes, coaches and personnel
can improve their performance through
access to enhanced data-driven technologies;
and fully leverage the commitment
of both the college and USAD to expand
diversity and inclusivity in the sport.
“Partnering with Indian River State
College advances our purpose meaningfully
and significantly,” Lee Michaud,
president of USA Diving, said in a news
release. “IRSC has a storied swimming and
diving franchise and an unrivaled commitment
to developing student-athletes
in the sport. This partnership brings the
prospect of a home for USA Diving with
access to exceptional facilities surrounded
by a proactive academic environment
setting that supports a holistic approach
to developing well-rounded athletes and
coaches. This approach aligns with our
vision for developing champion divers and
champion people. This is the perfect time
to partner with Indian River State College
in that shared vision.”
The college is a nationally recognized
leader in education and innovation. It is a
recipient of the Aspen Prize for Community
College Excellence, the nation’s signature
recognition of high achievement and
performance among America’s community
colleges, and is one of the most affordable
colleges in the nation.
IRSC holds the longest unbroken U.S.
winning streak in any sport at the collegiate
level with 47 consecutive National Junior
College Athletic Association men’s swimming
and diving titles and 39 consecutive
NJCAA women’s swimming and diving titles
43 overall women’s titles. The college’s five
campuses serve more than 26,000 students
annually. In support of its mission to make
education broadly accessible, IRSC received
a $45 million gift in December from philanthropist
MacKenzie Scott.
“We’re delighted to house the USA Diving
headquarters here at IRSC and assist in
their efforts to recapture America’s position
as the top nation in the sport,” IRSC
president, Dr. Timothy Moore, said. “The
project has enormous upsides for our students
and employees and direct economic
impact for the communities that we serve.
We look forward to hosting international
competitions on our campuses, providing
a path to the Olympics for our studentathletes,
collaborating on the development
of an educational platform for USAD
coaches and judges, and attracting new
audiences to the sport of diving.”
USA Diving expects to open its new
headquarters this fall and is finalizing
plans for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on
campus. The partners also will explore
other collaborative activities, including the
use of student interns to provide additional
USAD support. v
BY SUZANNE SELDES
IRSC
USA Diving and Indian River State College recently formed a partnership to develop facilities and
resources to support athlete and coach development in the United States. Present at the announcement
were, left to right, Lee Michaud, USA Diving president; Dr. Timothy E. Moore, president of Indian River
State College; and Dave Gascon, USA Diving board chairman.
/TCBusiness.com
