RECENTLY ELECTED VERO BEACH CITY COUNSELOR RANDY OLD suggested we study and report to our readers on the wonders of Indian River State College (IRSC). He said; “It will blow your socks off!”

Then when I emailed him that I had had, based on his referral, a private tour by College President Dr. Edwin Massey, Ph.D, and that it did indeed blow my socks off he replied: “It is mind-blowing. There are a number of insiders who get it…and obviously a group of professionals like the Aspen group…but is not widely known or understood…I am trying to help him (Dr. Massey) get the word out but its hard to do.”

Can you imagine being a troubled business owner, CEO or VP Marketing, for example, who is having problems with market share, product margins, entry to the European market or technology upgrades, for example, and be able to sit in a classroom in front of brite-minded business students (for free), air your issues and then have them researched/studied and get feedback on how you could attack them?

Not only would this help you, but it would help the students engage in real-world business.

This is a “service” provided by the College and speaks to one of many areas where Councilman Old is trying to help Dr. Massey “get the word out.”

Originally established in 1959 as Indian River Junior College, a two-year community college serving Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie Counties, in 2007 it transitioned into a four-year institution called Indian River State College.

Its transition into a four-year institution was largely driven by a Florida Department of Economic Development report in that timeframe that the State could support 90,000 jobs but was only producing 66,000, due in large part to the lack of Baccalaureate Degrees. Florida’s lack of producing Baccalaureate Degrees was behind other states. Obviously this had impact on Florida’s Gross Domestic Product.

Today IRSC is a vibrant well-recognized college occupying an 85 acre site, with 33,000 students and 780 employee. US News and World Reports ranked it as the ninth best college in the South East and it has received the Aspen Award as one of the 10 best colleges in the Nation.

Additionally,for the second consecutive year IRSC has been rated as the 4th most affordable college in the Country and most affordable of Florida colleges according to the U. S. Department of Education’s College Affordability and Transparency Report released June 30, 2014.

Further, for 40 consecutive years the IRSC mens’ swim team has won the National Swim Championship. IRSC women’s team have won National Championships for the 31st consecutive time and 35 overall.

IRSC Swimmer Bradley Tandy

IRSC has well over 20 academic programs. Let’s have some fun and look at a few:

This is Hall, who can be a man or a woman. When I asked what his name was when he was a woman, the medical staff seemed puzzled. How about Harriet? Using state-of-the-art computer technology, Hall and Harriet can be programmed to have 75 critical medical conditions, such as heart and lung problems. Medical students can even perform a tracheotomy.

This is a jail cell with a mannequin, though we don’t know his name. Students in the IRSC law enforcement program learn how to properly book and process those captured for a potential crime. If you don’t educate students to properly book and process (finger prints/background checks) it may lead to trouble down the line in the legal process.

This is the courtroom where defendants are brought to justice. Students learn the judicial system be serving as defendants, judges and juries.

IRSC President, Dr. Edwin Massey, Ph.D

This is a simulated building demolished on top of a car by an attack. The car has mannequins in it where public safety students learn how to control the building and safely remove the mannequins from the car.

If you like this coverage, let us know and we will provide more next week.