INTO THE DEEP EXPLORING THE DEPTHS OF SEU’S SCUBA CLASS
The light of the sun, glimmering dimly through the surface of this liquid world, gives warm light to the frontier around you. Gallons of water, measuring in the thousands, separate you from the world of air and gravity; and, though you should be afraid, you can’t bring yourself to it. You aren’t afraid, because less than 50 feet from where you are floating, a school of manta rays pass, stilling you into a calm and silent awe. An experience full of wonder and awe among the sea is what Mike Alderman lives for and promises to students who invest their time in SEU’s new scuba diving class. “It all started with a dream of my daughter’s,” says Alderman. “Many years ago, when I asked her what she wanted to do for her 16th birthday, she told me that she wanted to learn to scuba dive. She wanted to; I didn’t, but I loved her enough that I wanted to help her achieve her goal — her dream.” After falling in love with diving in 2003, Alderman went on to become a certified scuba instructor in order to help others fulfill their dreams. Last year, when he heard a few students were interested in starting a scuba program, Alderman was excited to put his certification to use, helping to build the foundations of the course at Southeastern.
32
Though the class has only been offered for two semesters so far, Alderman looks brightly toward the future, even detailing the possibility of eventually teaming up with the science department to embark on research and conservation dives. Alderman assures prospective students that scuba class is “no swim in the kiddy pool.” One of the first struggles that students must overcome is learning how to breathe comfortably while under water. “We are taught from an early age when you’re under the water, you don’t breathe; you hold your breath,” says Alderman. Obstacles, such as breathing, make the scuba diving course worthwhile. Students learn and relearn all they thought they knew about being in the water, finding it harder than expected and coming out stronger on the other end — a pattern we can apply to more areas of our lives than just scuba diving. The course promises not only scuba instruction, but also many other life skills that will shape students into individual and valuable members of society. STORY: KAYLIN GLASS PHOTOS: MIKE ALDERMAN
SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE - 32
