Barry students dive into studies
From fish counts to underwater rescues, the unique bachelor's degree program prepares its participants for a wide range of careers.

BY SUSAN COCKING
scocking@herald.com

To the casual stroller at Tropical Park on Thursday afternoon, the scene by the pond -- a group of scuba divers emerging from the murky waters lugging a heavy, inert male body -- must have looked like something from CSI: Miami.

But the divers weren't crime-scene investigators or fire-rescue officers. They were students in Barry University's Sport Management-Diving Industry program.

As part of a course on diving leadership, assistant professor Sharon Kegeles had hidden a life-sized dummy in a submerged car. The students, divided into two-person buddy teams, were supposed to conduct a circular search and retrieve it. All got the job done in about six minutes.

''If they are coming out as professionals in an aquatic field, and a car goes into a canal, shouldn't they be able to go down there and rescue the person?'' Kegeles said.

Kegeles, who has led the bachelor's degree program since 1993, said her goal is to expose students to as much as possible in four years. Courses include sport and exercise science, recreational diving theory, decompression theory, dive accident management, seamanship and business. Students also work with disabled divers, perform fish counts, help county and municipal agencies take water samples and travel to the Caribbean for diving trips.

''We want these people to grow the industry in a professional manner,'' Kegeles said.

Graduates of the program, which began in 1987, have gone on to open dive shops, operate dive charter boats, become underwater videographers and lead management recruiting firms. One works as a forensic photographer for the Miami-Dade County medical examiner's office.

Sophomore Scott Smith is especially jazzed about the rescue diver aspect. Smith's father, Herb, was one of the founders of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue's Marine Services Bureau.

''Public safety in the water is so important for people to understand,'' Scott Smith said. ``A lot of rescuers become victims because of inadequate knowledge.''

Zachary Winnerling, a sophomore from Lancaster, Pa., said he has no idea what kind of career he will pursue after graduation, but it will be something to do with diving. Winnerling never had dived before he was admitted to Barry; now, he's working on his divemaster certification.

''I want to try everything and see what I like best,'' he said.

Sophomore Rebecca Kurzrok of Tuckerton, N.J., already had her divemaster certification before she came to Barry. She aspires to become an underwater photographer.

''What I've learned is that you can never stop learning,'' Kurzrok said. ``If someone says they know everything about diving, you need to stay away from them.''

Her parents are very supportive of her course of study, Kurzrok said.

'They call me up every day and say, `Did you go diving? What did you see?' They are so excited,'' she said.

Senior Abigail Nalevanko of Scranton, Pa., is a marine biology major with a diving minor. She said the diving industry program already has opened doors for her.

''I was chosen to do research in Jamaica this summer because of my diving background,'' she said.

Kegeles, one of the first graduates of the program when it was known as the Recreational Diving Management Program, does not try to steer students toward a particular goal. She just wants them to stand out as professionals in the diving industry.

''Everyone has found their own way in so many different ways,'' she said.

To learn more about Barry University's Sport Management-Diving Industry program, visit http://www.barry.edu/hpls/BS/diving/curriculum.htm

Phone: 305-899-3490. E-mail sportsciences@mail.barry.edu .