Massey Honored with Esteemed James L. Wattenbarger Award

November 20, 2020 Suzanne Seldes

FORT PIERCE, FL— Former Indian River State College President, Dr. Edwin Massey, was honored yesterday with the 2020 James L. Wattenbarger Award by the Florida College System (FSC) Council of Presidents. The award is bestowed upon individuals, students, trustees, administrators, faculty, legislators or community partners who have demonstrated exceptional commitments to the Florida College System. Massey, who retired in 2020, served the Florida College System over his entire 47-year career while at IRSC, most recently as a Steering Committee member for the AFC Council of Presidents.

Edwin Massey

“To say it’s [the Wattenbarger Award] deserving is an understatement,” stated Joe Pickens, Chair of the Florida College System Council of Presidents and President of St. Johns River State College. “I don’t think that we will ever see another human being that has contributed so much, for so long, to the Florida College System, and therefore AFC, as Dr. Ed Massey.”

Massey is the 21st recipient of the award, named for its first recipient, late Dr. James Wattenbarger. Wattenbarger is credited as “the Father of the Community College System of Florida”; his doctoral dissertation at the University of Florida outlined a master plan that the state used in 1955 to create the modern community college system.

Massey received the award at the virtual AFC Annual Meeting and Conference on November 19, 2020, at 3:00 pm. He was also awarded the inaugural AFC Legacy Award, an honor bestowed for Dr. Massey’s consistent and resolute support of the Association of Florida Colleges.