It is with great pleasure to announce that NSU has been designated as the world’s first university to be designated as a PADI Adaptive Diving Services Facility. This designation was awarded to NSU this week after months of preparation and an intensive four-day training program conducted by Fraser Bathgate, PADI’s Global Adaptive Techniques Coordinator.
This program was the brainchild of, and spearheaded by, Bill Conrad, NSU Associate Director for Scuba Diving Instruction. Bill worked tirelessly to set up a training that would involve student Divemasters and Instructors of the NSU Academic Diving Program to give scuba training to actual NSU students registered with the NSU Student Disabilities Services Office. Assisting with this was Katie Tennant, Case Manager of Student Disabilities Services who hand-picked students whose disabilities would preclude them from experiencing traditional diving classes. The disabilities these students presented were blindness, autism, cerebral palsy and PTSD. The students were absolutely elated to be weightless and to breath air underwater for the first time.
As for the NSU Academic Diving Program staff, they came away with vital skills and a deep understanding of the various methodologies used in teaching diving for a dynamic range of disabilities. In fact, Bill Conrad and Kimmy Schmutz, NSU Coordinator of Scuba Instruction, are both now able to certify scuba instructors as PADI Adaptive Diving Instructors.
Furthermore, this program has piqued the interest of Dr. Dana Mills, Associate Dean/Strategic Planning and Research with the Fischler College of Education and his research on PTSD. It has also caught the attention of Matthew Chenworth, Senior Director of NSU Military Affairs, who sees potential merit for our military veterans who are suffering with both physical and psychological disabilities. The NSU Academic Diving Program is looking forward to collaborations with Dr. Mills and Mr. Chenworth in the fields of both research and training.
Once again, it is with great pleasure to announce NSU’s designation as the first university PADI Adaptive Diving Services Facility and we look forward to the distinction and opportunities this carries.