Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle

Key West, FL, —  At a time where cut-backs are the norm, Florida Keys Community College under the direct supervision of college president Dr. Jill Landesberg-Boyle is able to announce monumental expansions and improvements to its diving program, thanks to an unprecedented $1 million bequest. The Florida Keys Educational Foundation, a direct-support organization of FKCC, will recognize the generosity of scuba diving forefather James E. Lockwood, Jr. during a ceremony on Friday, May 15, 2009 at 4:00pm at the Dive Lagoon on the Key West campus. The college’s school of diving will be named the James E. Lockwood, Jr. School of Diving and Underwater Technology for its historic benefactor.

The gift will enable FKCC to expand its already stellar diving program into a nationally recognized curriculum that will integrate marine science and diving to further support the needs of local, regional, national and global constituents. FKCC will offer workforce education and re-education in areas such as underwater welding, hyperbaric medicine, port security, aquaculture, coral reef mapping and restoration.

“This gift is going to allow us to pursue a wealth of exciting new initiatives to modernize our program,” says Marine Sciences Director Dr. Patrick Rice. “We’re going to purchase new, high-tech equipment, modernize our existing gear, and develop new curricula. We’ll also be able to extend our support to our Middle and Upper Keys Centers with the purchase of mobile training equipment.”

The dedication ceremony will include remarks from local, state, and national dignitaries. There will be presentations on the history and the future of college’s dive program, as well as diving demonstrations by students in the lagoon, also referred to as the underwater classroom.
Representatives from two organizations that were also funded by Lockwood’s estate will be in attendance: DiveHeart and Shake-A-Leg Miami. Both organizations help children, adults, and veterans with physical, developmental, and economic challenges through diving. FKCC plans to partner with both groups to set up new programs to certify and train individuals with disabilities.

The Florida Keys Educational Foundation will pay tribute to the life of Mr. Lockwood and the legacy he has left to the field of diving and underwater film.