Discover inspiring graduate success stories from Indian River State College that highlight perseverance, innovation, and the pursuit of meaningful careers. From space exploration to healthcare and nursing, these spotlights showcase how River students are overcoming challenges, achieving their goals, and ready to make an impact in their communities.
Anthony Sementelli enrolled at Indian River State College at 58 years old. He applied alongside his two teenage daughters. Two years later, he graduates with a degree in business administration — proof, he says, that life only finishes when you decide it’s over.
When Covid Reset Everything
For most of his adult life, Anthony ran a family business he started as a young man. Then the pandemic hit. Consumer habits shifted. Inflation squeezed margins. The business he had built over decades no longer fit the world he was living in. “Covid kind of took the lights out of that company,” he says plainly. Rather than rebuild something he no longer believed in, Anthony chose a different path entirely. “I realized I really didn’t want to do what I was doing anymore,” he says. “I needed to reinvent myself — and I needed to add some education to match my business experience.” That decision brought him to The River.
A Family Affair: Enrolling with His Daughters
What happened next is the kind of story that doesn’t come along often. As Anthony made his application to The River, so did his daughters — one 17 years old, one 16 and dual-enrolled. They filled out applications together, registered for classes together, and even sat in some of the same courses. “College was a family affair at my house,” he says with a laugh. One daughter has since transferred to a school up north. The other still studies at The River today.
Studying Together: A Give-and-Take Between Generations
Sharing the college experience with his daughters gave Anthony something unexpected: quality time he would never have had otherwise. They studied together, navigated challenges together, and watched each other grow. His daughters saw up close what it takes to re-enter school after 40 years away — relearning study habits, adapting to modern classroom technology, wrestling with concepts that had simply never existed before. Anthony, in turn, saw the pressures his daughters faced as first-time college students and helped them through them. “It was really a give and take,” he says. “A blessing to me.”
The River Made Room for an Adult Learner
Anthony started part time, unsure how far he’d go or how well he’d do. The River met him where he was. “They have resources that make learning easy, if you make those available to yourself,” he says. “As long as you’re willing to put in the time, The River is willing to support that in every way possible.” For a returning adult juggling a completely rebuilt life, that support made all the difference.
A Navy Veteran Who Knows How to Dig In
Anthony’s resilience didn’t appear out of nowhere. He served in the U.S. Navy beginning in 1985, during peacetime, and credits those years as some of the best of his life. “I met some of my lifelong friends there,” he says, “and learned a lot about what it takes to keep our nation free.” That foundation — discipline, perseverance, the ability to adapt — carried him through the obstacles he faced as a student decades later.
Walking Across the Stage at 60
When Anthony crosses the commencement stage this spring, he will do so having completely altered his life to make it happen. “I persevered through the obstacles I faced,” he says, “and now I get to enjoy the benefits of having faced that challenge and succeeded — in a big way.” The man who applied at 58, uncertain of what he could achieve, graduates at 60 with a business administration degree and a clear-eyed sense of what comes next.
His Message: Jump In
To anyone who thinks they’ve aged out of a fresh start, Anthony’s message is direct: you haven’t. “It’s never too late to reinvent yourself,” he says. “I’m a perfect example.” He doesn’t dress it up. “You can do anything you put your mind to. Life only finishes when you decide it’s over.” Then he adds one final word of encouragement that sums it all up: “Jump in. The water’s warm — and the future looks bright.”
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Annmarie McDearmont first visited Indian River State College (The River) as a child, drawn in by the planetarium. Years later, she came back as a student — and The River turned a childhood spark into a full-blown science career. This spring, she graduates with a bachelor’s degree in biology, two internships, and a research presentation on her record.
A Science Love Story, Starting Young
Annmarie loved science from the time she was a little kid. She once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. Over time, though, her focus shifted from working with live animals to working in the lab — and The River’s broad biology curriculum gave her the room to make that discovery on her own terms. “Being here helped me explore different avenues so I could figure out that I wanted to be in the lab,” she says. The planetarium visit planted the seed. The biology program grew it.
A Smooth Path Through the Curriculum
Annmarie arrived at The River with some high school college credits already in hand. Her guidance counselors helped her navigate the scheduling gaps those credits created and set her up for a clean path forward. Once she entered her bachelor’s program, advisor Merle Litvack stepped in and made sure every semester lined up correctly. “She helped me organize my classes and kept me on course for graduation,” Annmarie says. The progression felt natural: general biology first, then molecular biology, organic chemistry, and the deeper science that defines the degree.
Faculty Who Showed Up
When the coursework got tough, Annmarie didn’t face it alone. Faculty across The River — including professors outside the sciences — made themselves available for office hours and personal tutoring sessions in the library labs. “That was definitely very beneficial for when I was having trouble in some classes,” she says. Even the transition from high school to college structure, which she describes as her biggest early challenge, became manageable through study groups, peer connections, and professors who responded every time she asked for help.
The STEM Pioneer Program: A Launchpad for Real Experience
One of the most significant parts of Annmarie’s time at The River came through the STEM Pioneer Program. The program didn’t just build community — it opened doors to internship opportunities that most undergraduates never access. “Seeing familiar faces in all your classes and with your professors makes it very easy to form connections and study groups,” she says of the tight-knit STEM Pioneer community. But the internships changed her trajectory most.
Internship One: Engineering Mosquitoes in Vero Beach
During the first half of her bachelor’s program, Annmarie landed a volunteer-based internship through Merle and the STEM Pioneer Program at a lab in Vero Beach. There, she worked with live mosquitoes and injected mosquito eggs to create genetically engineered insects designed to control vector-borne diseases. “I got to work in an actual lab,” she says. The experience went straight onto her résumé and CV — and gave her a preview of what a real research environment feels like.
Internship Two: Pharmaceutical Research at FAU’s Center for Translational Sciences
For her senior capstone, Annmarie secured an internship at Florida International University’s Center for Translational Sciences — again through Merle. She works in a pharmaceutical lab three days a week, testing drugs and drug delivery systems alongside her principal investigator (PI) and postdoctoral mentor, Dr. Shafi. “The people I’ve met there, the environment — it’s been genuinely incredible,” she says.
Her PI involves her in every step of the research, from designing experiments to preparing presentations. Dr. Shafi works with her daily, answers her questions, and reviews her work. “It really helps you understand what it’s like to work in an actual lab,” Annmarie says.
Presenting Research as an Undergraduate
Before she walks across the commencement stage, Annmarie will have presented her capstone research at two venues: The River’s own Undergraduate Spring Science Symposium and the Center for Translational Sciences. Both presentations add to a CV that already stands out for a graduating bachelor’s student. “That’s another thing I can put on my CV,” she says with characteristic practicality.
The Classroom and the Lab: Two Sides of the Same Education
Throughout her internships, Annmarie kept noticing the same thing: what she learned at The River showed up directly in her lab work. “There were many times I would be doing something at the internship and remember learning about it in class that week,” she says. The connection ran both ways — lab experiences made classroom concepts click faster, and classroom learning made her a more capable intern. That feedback loop, she believes, defines what a strong science education looks like.
What’s Next: The Lab, and Maybe Graduate School
After graduation, Annmarie plans to enter the workforce in lab sciences — pharmaceutical research and biomedical sciences both interest her. Graduate school remains on the table, and her internship record gives her a strong foundation for either path. “There is a lot you can do with a biology degree,” she says. “That’s part of the reason I love it so much.” Walking across the stage will feel a little strange after 18 consecutive years in school — but mostly, she says, it will feel very, very good.
Grateful for the People Who Made It Possible
Annmarie thanks her parents for keeping her grounded through the stressful stretches, her closest friends Cassie and Riley for being her sounding board throughout the journey, and Merle Levac above all — the advisor and STEM Pioneer Program coordinator who connected her to every internship and kept her schedule on track from day one of her bachelor’s program. “She has just been so, so valuable to my experience here,” Annmarie says.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Jermaine Johnson grew up dreaming of suits and ties. This spring, he graduates from Indian River State College with an associate degree in business administration — and his eyes already locked on the fastest-growing field in the business world: artificial intelligence.
A Roundabout Road to The River
Jermaine’s path to graduation wasn’t a straight line. He played football at Okeechobee High School and received an offer from another college. That detour didn’t stick. He came back to The River — and found exactly what he needed. “It’s been great ever since,” he says simply. Sometimes the right place takes a try or two to find.
Business Has Always Been His World
The pull toward business started early. “Since I was little, the suits and ties always stood out for me,” Jermaine says. That instinct guided him toward business administration, and The River gave him the foundation to act on it. His final course — Financial Accounting II with Professor Redman — wraps up right alongside his degree. He also pursued an IT certification independently, adding a technical credential to his business toolkit on his own initiative.
The Faculty Member Who Made Graduation Possible
When Jermaine talks about the people who shaped his journey, one name comes up immediately: Dr. Maitland. “I wouldn’t even be walking at graduation if it wasn’t for her,” he says. “This is all possible because of her.” Dr. Maitland connected him with the right people, mapped out his schedule, and set him on track for both graduation and the bachelor’s program that follows. Professor Redman also gets a strong shout-out for guiding him through his coursework. Together, the business faculty upstairs at The River gave Jermaine the support structure he needed to finish strong.
Use the Resources — They’re There for You
Like most students, Jermaine hit rough patches along the way. His approach never changed: use what’s available. “The resources are always there,” he says. “A lot of students don’t take advantage of them — but they’re there for you.” His advice for any student who’s struggling is direct: start with your professor, have a real conversation, then go to tutoring, then go to whoever else you need. “The people here have real experience that can help you,” he says.
Betting on Artificial Intelligence
After graduation, Jermaine plans to earn his bachelor’s degree and position himself at the intersection of business and technology. His specific target: AI. “The AI bubble is booming, and it’s a great opportunity to get in at the start,” he says. His business administration background gives him a strong foundation, and his self-directed IT certification signals exactly the kind of initiative that field rewards. He sees the opportunity clearly and he’s moving toward it.
A Weight Off His Shoulders
Crossing the commencement stage means something specific to Jermaine. “It’s going to feel like a big weight dropping off my shoulders,” he says. “It’s been a long time coming.” His parents will be there, along with his sister and possibly his grandparents, watching their family’s wishes for him come true. “Knowing that my family is proud is going to make me feel complete,” he says. Their belief in him and his belief in himself — finally, at the same moment.
College Is What You Make It
To anyone questioning whether college is worth the effort, Jermaine keeps it simple: “College is what you make it. When you have all the tools and resources available to you, you need to take advantage of them.” The hardest part, he says, isn’t the coursework — it’s the balancing act. A busy schedule, a full life, competing demands. But take that first step, use what’s in front of you, and the rest follows.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Titeus Welch started nursing school with decades of life already behind her, a young son watching her every move, and two parents who believed in her completely. She lost both of them — one each semester — during her first year. Still, she kept going. On May 6, she graduates from Indian River State College with her associate degree in nursing, and she already plans to start her bachelor’s program in August.
A Mission, Not Just a Career
Titeus didn’t choose nursing for a paycheck. She chose it because helping people heal — guiding them through a health crisis at their most vulnerable — felt like a calling. “The idea of helping individuals heal and helping them navigate a healthcare crisis was really important to me,” she says. “It’s actually a mission in life.” She had started a university degree in her twenties but never finished. That unfinished business stayed with her for years. Eventually, she decided to do something about it.
Returning to School After Decades Away
Titeus enrolled at The River in the fall of 2022, more than two decades after her first attempt at college. The doubts came immediately. “I had a lot of trepidations,” she admits. “I had been out of school for a couple of decades.” She also worried about sitting in class with students young enough to be her children. Those fears dissolved quickly. “I fit in perfectly,” she says. “The students were extremely welcoming. There wasn’t an age gap like I thought there would be.” The community at The River pulled her in, and she stayed. “I started to doggy paddle initially,” she says with a smile, “and then I started to swim.”
The Hardest Year: Losing Both Parents
In her first semester, Titeus’s father passed away. During her second semester, her mother followed. She lost the two people who had been her greatest supporters in the span of two semesters. “I was like, how am I going to keep going?” she says. “My two main supporters are no longer here.” She had to dig deeper than she ever had before. What kept her moving was purpose — the knowledge that this was exactly the right moment, even if the circumstances were devastating. “I knew this was the time,” she says. “I just knew.”
Studying for Her Son
Grief aside, Titeus also carried a different kind of motivation: her young son. She wanted him to see, up close, that it’s never too late to chase something meaningful. “I needed to show him that he could do it no matter what age he was,” she says. The late nights studying, her son asking her to come to bed — all of it made sense in the end. “It was well worth it. Trust me.”
Faculty Who Prepared Her to Heal, Not Harm
Titeus speaks about The River’s nursing faculty with deep respect. In clinical settings, she watched how hospital staff reacted when The River’s students arrived on the floor. “They were elated to have us,” she says, “because they knew their day was going to go so much smoother.” One statement from a faculty member lodged itself permanently in her mind: that nurses have the power to heal — and also the ability to harm. The faculty took that responsibility seriously, ensuring every student left the program genuinely competent. “We look forward to healing the community once we graduate,” Titeus says.
Scholarships That Kept Life from Falling Apart
The Indian River State College Foundation awarded Titeus scholarships across three separate semesters. For a student navigating nursing school while managing grief, a young child, and all the demands of adult life, that support proved critical. “Life is still happening while you’re in nursing school,” she says. “The Foundation really helped me balance the financial side and make sure nothing fell through the cracks.” She is deeply, genuinely grateful.
President of the Student Nurses Association
Between coursework, clinicals, and everything else, Titeus also led. She served as president of The River’s chapter of the National Student Nurses Association, organizing community initiatives, campus activities, and participation in the Alzheimer’s Association’s annual walk. Her reasoning goes beyond resume-building. “Nursing and leadership go hand in hand,” she says. “You’re going to need to advocate for your patients — and if you’re already in that leadership role as a student nurse, you’re already prepared.”
Bonds Built Across Four Semesters
The friendships Titeus formed in the program are another thing she carries out with her diploma. “People come from different walks of life, and then you come to the same college for the same purpose,” she says. “You create bonds that are lifelong.” Those friends answered the phone on the hard days, talked her down from the edge of quitting, and reminded her why she started. They grew through the same four semesters together, and they graduate together too.
May 6: Taking It All In
When Titeus walks across the stage on May 6, she plans to slow down and feel every second of it. “I know the journey that led to me getting onto that stage,” she says. “It has been a long, long journey — but so absolutely rewarding.” After graduation, she starts her bachelor’s program at The River in August, with nurse practitioner school on the horizon beyond that. The woman who once worried about fitting in has become a leader, a caregiver, and an example — for her son, her classmates, and anyone who thinks it might be too late to begin.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Samuel Eastmond always had big dreams. A love of basketball, a broken ankle, and a biology program at Indian River State College set him on a path he never expected — one that ends this spring with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a seat in a prestigious physical therapy doctoral program.
Inspired by Family
Samuel didn’t choose Indian River State College by accident. His older brother, Bradley Eastmond, earned his bachelor’s in biology through the same program — and went on to build a thriving career. That success left a lasting impression. “He inspired me to pursue science,” Samuel says. “He got his bachelor’s in biology here and is now very successful.” Following in Bradley’s footsteps, Samuel enrolled at The River and never looked back.
A Rigorous Program, a Supportive Environment
Samuel’s coursework at The River covered organic chemistry, physics, biotechnology, genetics, and microbiology. The curriculum challenged him — but the faculty made the difference. “I loved my instructors here,” he says. “They put me in a very nurturing environment.” Even when Samuel wasn’t sure which direction to take, his professors helped him find his footing. “They aligned me in the perfect position to succeed,” he adds. Two faculty members stand out in particular: Dr. Tom D’Elia and Professor Megan Carroll, both of whom provided hands-on mentorship throughout his studies.
Scholarships Arrived at the Right Moment
Financial support also played a key role in Samuel’s journey. He received scholarships through the Indian River State College Foundation — and the timing could not have been better. “They were vital,” he says. “They came at the perfect time, when I wasn’t sure where funding was coming from.” That support kept him focused on his studies instead of his finances.
His Cohort: An Unexpected Source of Strength
Beyond the classroom, Samuel found community in his classmates. Ask him his favorite memory at The River, and the answer comes quickly. “My cohort has been by my side, supporting me mentally and emotionally,” he says. “I can’t express how much I appreciate them.” That bond, built through long study sessions and shared challenges, became one of the defining parts of his college experience.
A Broken Ankle That Changed Everything
Samuel’s passion for physical therapy grew out of a personal setback. As a young basketball player, he fractured his ankle and feared his athletic dreams were out of reach. Then rehabilitation began — and something clicked. “The rehab process felt like working out, like playing basketball,” he recalls. “It was seamless. And I thought, if I can wake up and do that every day, it wouldn’t feel like work.” That realization pointed him toward a career in healthcare.
Next Stop: Miami
Samuel’s next chapter starts soon. The University of Saint Augustine Health Sciences Program in Miami recently accepted him into their Doctor of Physical Therapy program, with classes beginning in August 2026. His goal is straightforward: earn his doctorate and help people reclaim their lives through rehabilitation — just as someone once helped him.
Advice for Anyone Thinking About Starting
Samuel also has a message for anyone who thinks a college degree is out of reach. “You’re never too old. You’re never too late,” he says plainly. “Anybody can do it with the right persistence and dedication.”
Walking Across the Stage
When Samuel crosses the commencement stage this spring, his brother Bradley — The River alumnus who started it all — will be watching alongside the rest of his family. Samuel already knows how he’ll feel. “Fulfilled, accomplished, relieved, and a little sad that it’s over,” he says with a smile. “It was an amazing part of my journey. I would do it all over again if I could.”
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Sela Vasquez arrived at Indian River State College with curiosity, a love of the unknown, and a dream that most people only read about in textbooks: working at NASA. This spring, she graduates with an associate‘s degree in physics — and a NASA internship already under her belt.
The Promise Program Opened the Door
Sela chose The River for two reasons: the people and the Promise Program. Friends who attended before her spoke highly of the school, and their experiences convinced her it was the right fit. Still, finances were a real concern. “The Promise Program was a great opportunity for students like myself who may not have the funds for a bigger college,” she says. That support changed everything. As a Promise student, Sela focused entirely on her studies — free from the weight of loans or financial stress. “It gave me the opportunity to really study what I enjoy and progress my career,” she adds. “It’s really nice.”
A Scientist on a Mission
Sela doesn’t just want to study space — she wants to help humanity explore it. Her goal is to pursue aerospace engineering and astrophysics, with a focus on space mission development and mission integration at NASA. “NASA’s mission is the basis of humanity,” she says. “Humanity has a unique quality of wanting to know everything, wanting to explore everything. NASA brings that to life.” That conviction has driven every decision she’s made since enrolling at The River.
From the Classroom to Mars — Literally
Last year, Sela earned a spot in NASA’s Mission Concept Academy, a competitive program run in collaboration with Arizona State University. Her team included students from across the country, and together they conceptualized a Mars mission from the ground up. Sela served as chief scientist, leading the science development team.
The mission called for sending a rover to Mars to collect surface albedo data and calculate the likelihood of subsurface ice melting. Her team also designed an experiment to test whether radio-tolerant fungi could protect human skin cells from radiation — a critical challenge for future Mars missions. “It was a great opportunity,” Sela says simply. “Very fun.”
When asked whether her education at The River prepared her for that experience, Sela didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely,” she says. “The River gave me the tools to work within a team and the knowledge to communicate within a professional environment.”
A Faculty Champion Made the Difference
Behind Sela’s success stands Dr. Lynne O’Dell, a faculty member at The River who connected her with career opportunities and opened professional doors along the way. “Shout out to Dr. O’Dell,” Sela says. “She helped me a lot with career advancement and connected me with so many people.” Those connections, she believes, rank among the most valuable things a college can offer.
Next Stop: Florida Tech
After graduation, Sela transfers to Florida Institute of Technology to pursue a degree in astronomy and astrophysics, with a double major in aerospace engineering. The River built her credit foundation and gave her the academic confidence to step into a larger program. “The River supplied me with the knowledge I need to transfer smoothly,” she says. “That is really nice.”
Gratitude That Goes Beyond the Classroom
Sela credits her journey to a village of supporters. Her mother and family pushed her beyond her comfort zone and cheered her forward every step of the way. Her boyfriend stood by her through the hard stretches. Her friends carried her through the entire journey. And to donors who fund programs like Promise, she has a direct message:
“Thank you for supporting not only my dream, but also thousands of other students’ dreams as well. Your contribution really makes a difference. It truly enables opportunities and dreams.”
Advice for Future Students
Sela doesn’t want anyone to overthink the decision to enroll. “College is worth it — 100%,” she says. “Even if you don’t know what you want to do, college gives you the opportunity to explore that and get a better understanding of who you are.” Her advice to incoming students is equally straightforward: take your classes seriously, but don’t forget to enjoy the experience. “These are truly some of the best years of my life,” she says.
We Are The River
At commencement, Sela plans to walk across the stage feeling amazed — and grateful. She composed a spoken-word piece that captures her experience at The River better than any summary could. It ends with a line that says everything:
“When I walk across that stage, I’ll never forget that this is where The River took me. And wherever we go next, we carry it with us. We are The River.”
She’s ready. And the universe is waiting.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Keith Feliciano chose his career path with one clear goal in mind: job security. This spring, he graduates from Indian River State College (The River) with an associate degree in HVAC (air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating) — and the skills to back it up anywhere in the country.
A Career Choice Built on Confidence
Keith didn’t stumble into HVAC — he chose it deliberately. “Knowing that I can always have a job and a career lined up for me whenever I finish school” drove his decision. Skilled trades stay in demand regardless of the economy, and Keith recognized that early. A good-paying career that travels with you anywhere in the country? That’s exactly what HVAC offers, and exactly what he went after.
High-Tech Training for a Modern Trade
The program at The River covered refrigeration, air conditioning, and the sophisticated diagnostic tools that today’s HVAC technicians rely on. Keith trained with digital manifolds, wireless probes, and wireless temperature gauges — equipment that reflects how technically advanced the trade has become. Modern HVAC work demands precision, and The River’s curriculum prepared him for exactly that.
Instructors Who Didn’t Give Up
Keith credits his instructors — especially Rudy Chung — as a major reason he succeeded. The coursework grew more challenging in the fourth class, where the material became more technical and in-depth. Rather than move on, his instructors went back and revisited concepts students had struggled with. “They made sure we competently understood what we were doing,” Keith says. Beyond academics, the instructors also respected the reality of their students’ lives. “They understood that we have another life outside of school,” he says. “They respected our work-life balance.” That approach kept students like Keith on track all the way to graduation.
Ready to Work
After graduation, Keith heads straight into the field. His focus is simple: find a career, keep building his skills, and grow. The HVAC industry rewards technicians who commit to continuous learning, and Keith enters it with a solid foundation and clear eyes. “You’ll always have a job, and you can go anywhere throughout the country,” he says. For anyone weighing a career in the trades, he makes it sound exactly as straightforward as it is.
A Surreal Moment, Shared with Family
When Keith walks across the commencement stage, family members will be there to greet him — along with a few classmates who made the journey with him. “It’s going to feel a little surreal that I completed the program,” he says. He also extends thanks to his parents for making sure everything went smoothly and to his instructor Mr. Chung for the guidance along the way.
His Advice: Just Go for It
Keith’s message to anyone sitting on the fence about an HVAC career is direct: there’s always a place for you in this field. “You’ll always have a good-paying job,” he says. The trades need skilled workers, communities need reliable technicians, and The River’s HVAC program gives students everything they need to answer that call.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
Avery Pittman came to nursing through a simple but powerful combination: a love of people and a love of science. This May she graduates from Indian River State College with her associate degree in nursing — and a career path already mapped out toward the ICU and beyond.
The Decision That Started It All
Avery didn’t stumble into nursing. She researched her options deliberately and found that nursing checked both of her boxes at once. “I just love people, and I love science,” she says. “Nursing was both of those for me.” She completed her prerequisites and then moved straight into The River’s nursing program. Challenging? Absolutely. Worth it? Without question.
Clinical: Where the Real Learning Happened
Ask Avery about her favorite memories at The River and she goes straight to clinical rotations. “I got to connect with so many different patients and hear their stories,” she says. Those moments — sitting with patients during difficult hours, learning to listen as much as to treat — confirmed everything she had hoped nursing would be. Clinical also brought something else she didn’t expect: lasting friendships. “This program is very tough, so you really stick together and create a bond that can never be broken,” she says. “These are friendships I’ll cherish forever.”
A Clinical Instructor Who Opened the ICU Door
One faculty member stands out above the rest. Dr. White served as Avery’s clinical instructor during her final semester and, crucially, believed in her enough to place her in the ICU. That decision changed Avery’s trajectory. “She really supported me and challenged me throughout all of my clinical experience,” Avery says. “Getting into the ICU really grew my love for nursing.” The placement wasn’t just an assignment — it was a vote of confidence that pointed Avery toward exactly where she wants to go.
Faculty Who Pushed Her to Be Better
The support didn’t stop with Dr. White. Avery credits The River’s nursing faculty broadly for preparing her to walk into the profession with confidence. “They have truly prepared me and challenged me to be a nurse,” she says. “I feel so prepared to go into the profession.” In a field where preparation directly affects patient outcomes, that kind of readiness matters.
Giving Back Through the National Student Nurses Association
Avery also stepped into a leadership role outside the classroom. As historian for The River’s chapter of the National Student Nurses Association, she documented the chapter’s community volunteer work — events where nursing students engaged with children, older adults, and families across the region. “We really get to make a difference in their lives,” she says. For Avery, it was practice for the work ahead.
Scholarships Kept Her Focused
Grants and scholarships also played a role in Avery’s success. The financial support let her put her studies first without the added pressure of worrying about costs. “They meant everything to me,” she says. “It really helped me focus on my studies and make that my priority.”
What Comes Next: PCU, Then the ICU, Then Beyond
Avery’s plan after graduation is clear and ambitious. She starts her career as a Progressive Care Unit (PCU) nurse, then works her way into the ICU — the environment Dr. White first put her in and where her passion deepened. Longer term, she sets her sights on becoming a nurse practitioner. “I am so excited to get to be that person who can be there for someone during the hardest times,” she says. “I’m really looking forward to the future.”
Advice for Anyone Considering Nursing
To anyone thinking about a nursing career, Avery has one piece of advice: see it through. “It’s so rewarding to get to be that person who supports someone at their lowest,” she says. The program is hard — she doesn’t pretend otherwise — but the reward on the other side is exactly what she signed up for.
Walking Across the Stage
When Avery crosses the commencement stage this May, her family, friends, and the support system that carried her through every difficult stretch of the program will be there cheering her on. She thanks them all, along with her instructors, for pushing her and preparing her every step of the way. The girl who loved people and loved science found exactly the right place to bring those two things together — and The River helped her get there.
YOUR FUTURE’S IN MOTION. ARE YOU?
College doesn’t have to be confusing or out of reach.The River gives you the clarity, support, and energy to move—on your terms.
The Indian River State College student nearly quit swimming altogether — then went on to shatter two national records and earn a Division I scholarship to Florida State University.
A Love for the Sport — Nearly Lost
Not every champion’s story begins with a standing ovation. Marcus Johnson’s begins with a near-quit.
Marcus Johnson bites his gold medal after a standout individual performance at the 2026 NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
Growing up in Coral Springs, Florida, Johnson spent years grinding in the pool, but by his senior year at Boca Raton High School, the passion had drained out of him. The long hours, the self-imposed pressure, the isolation from life outside the sport — it all caught up to him.
“I realized I don’t have to be as enclosed in my sport,” Johnson reflected. “I need to just branch out, just relax a little bit.”
By the time senior year ended, he wasn’t sure competitive swimming had a future in his life at all. “I was just like, I don’t really know if I want to do this anymore,” he said.
Finding Community at Indian River State College
With encouragement from his friends and parents, Johnson made a pivotal decision: he would walk on to the swim team at Indian River State College (The River) — home to the most dominant junior college aquatics program in the country.
What he found there changed everything.
“I actually found my love for sport again,” Johnson said. The camaraderie with teammates gave him something to swim for beyond personal glory. “The friendships just gave me the drive for the sport that I didn’t have my senior year [of high school].”
One friendship in particular became a source of motivation. Johnson and his teammate Kito Campbell set a shared goal: one of them needed to break the national breaststroke records that had stood unchallenged for more than a decade. “Me and my friend Kito, we’ve been talking about it — one of us needs to break the record because it’s been there for 10-plus years,” Johnson said.
Training With a Mission
In his second year at The River, Johnson locked in. When he cracked the 53-second barrier in the 100-yard breaststroke at a meet in Fort Myers early in 2026 — a key benchmark for national-level competitors — he knew he was close.
“After that, I just put my head down and started training to the max every day,” he said. “I got this massive piece of paper. I stuck it on my door. I knew what every [record] time was.”
His coach, Sion Brinn, saw the dedication up close. “The man works so hard,” Brinn said. “Marcus is constantly in the pool practicing. He got what he deserves.”
The Moment: Rihanna, a Dead Earbud, and History
March 5, 2026. Day two of the NJCAA National Championships. Johnson was sitting in the tent behind the starting blocks, preparing to race, when his earbuds died.
He decided to play the song he wanted out loud anyway.
“I was playing ‘Please Don’t Stop the Music’ by Rihanna,” he said. “I’m jamming out in my head, and I’m like, ‘OK, I’m ready to go.’”
Minutes later, he shattered the NJCAA 100-yard breaststroke record. Then, that same evening, he did it again — setting the new national mark at an electrifying 51.72 seconds.
“As soon as I touched the wall, I looked at the scoreboard, and it’s just like, sigh of relief. I got it,” Johnson said.
He also claimed the NJCAA 50-yard breaststroke record with a time of 23.81 seconds, was named Swimmer of the Meet, and anchored the 400-yard medley relay squad — alongside teammates Noah Smith, Zackary Gresham, and Oliver Nell — to yet another record. The Indian River State College men’s swimming and diving team won its 52nd consecutive NJCAA national title, extending the longest active championship streak in collegiate athletics.
What’s Next: FSU, Sweden, and Beyond
Named the 2025-26 NJCAA Male Swimmer of the Year, Johnson is now preparing for his next chapter. He will compete as a Division I swimmer at Florida State University, where he plans to study sports nutrition.
There’s also an international dimension to his future. Through dual citizenship via his mother, Johnson is considering trying out for the Swedish national team — a prospect that could one day take him to the Olympic stage.
In the longer term, he hopes to stay in the athletic world as a trainer or physical therapist. But for now, his message is simpler — and aimed squarely at any young athlete who might be standing at the edge of quitting:
“No matter how hard things get, just don’t quit. I know, in my case, I almost did, and I’m very happy that I didn’t. And I have people around me to push me to get me to this point. So really, I would just tell that person just don’t stop. Just keep going.”
From a small island, a walk-on tryout, and a hard road nobody saw — to two Olympic Games, thirteen national championships, and a dynasty built at the only place that ever felt like home.
There is a moment Sion Brinn returns to often. He is 18-years old, arriving in Fort Pierce from Jamaica with little more than ambition and an unproven talent for the water. No scholarship. No guarantees. A walk-on, by every definition — someone who shows up and asks for a chance.
He got the chance. What he did with it rewrote the record books.
Indian River State College head swimming and diving coach Sion Brinn looks on intently from the pool deck during the NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
Brinn went on to compete at two Olympic Games — representing Jamaica at the 1996 Atlanta Games and Great Britain at the 2000 Sydney Games — becoming one of the rarer figures in sports history: an athlete who stood on the Olympic stage for two different nations. He claimed the ASA National Championship in the 100-meter freestyle in 1998. And then, after the competitive chapter of his life closed, he came back to the place where it all began.
Today, Sion Brinn is the Head Swimming & Diving Coach at Indian River State College. Under his leadership, The River has claimed 13 NJCAA national championships. In March 2026, hosting the national meet at their home pool in Fort Pierce, the men’s program won their 52nd consecutive title. The women’s team captured their 48th national championship — without losing a single event across four days of competition. Brinn was recognized as the 2026 NJCAA Swimming & Diving Men’s Coach of the Year.
It is, by any honest accounting, the greatest sustained dynasty in American collegiate sports. And at the center of it is a man who never forgot what it felt like to be the long shot.
A Kid from Jamaica Who Had Something to Prove
Brinn was born in Jamaica. Swimming was not a given. Resources were not a given. The path to elite athletics — for a kid from an island without the infrastructure that produces Olympic swimmers — required something extra. He found it.
Sion Brinn swims the 100-meter freestyle at the ASA National Championships
“I came from a place where if you wanted something, you had to go get it yourself. Nobody was going to hand it to you. I think that’s shaped everything about how I coach and how I live — the belief that the work is what matters, and that the work is always enough if you commit to it completely.”
Arriving at Indian River State College as a walk-on, Brinn quietly built a competitive career that would eventually take him to two continents and two different Olympic delegations. That journey was not without turbulence. The years between his first competitive strokes and the Olympic podium were marked by the kind of hardship that either breaks an athlete or forges them.
“There were times I wasn’t sure how the next chapter was going to go. Times when the circumstances of life — money, opportunity, belonging — weren’t lining up the way I’d hoped. But I never stopped moving forward. I’d learned very early that the only way out is through.”
He competed for Jamaica in Atlanta in 1996, then navigated the complex and rarely traveled path to representing Great Britain in Sydney in 2000 — one of the few athletes in Olympic history to compete for two nations. In 1998, he claimed the ASA National title in the 100-meter freestyle. It was, by any measure, a remarkable athletic biography.
But the chapter Brinn seems most connected to — the one that means the most — is the one still being written in Fort Pierce.
Coming Home
After his swimming career ended, Brinn moved into coaching. He served as head coach at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio — learning the craft, building his philosophy, finding out what kind of coach he wanted to be. Then, in 2013, Indian River State College called.
“When the opportunity came to come back here, it wasn’t a difficult decision. This place made me. It gave me a chance when I was just a kid who showed up with nothing but belief. That’s not something you forget. That’s not something you walk away from when you have the chance to give it back.”
Head coach Sion Brinn rallies the Indian River State College swimming and diving teams during prelims at the 2026 NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
The homecoming was sentimental, yes. But it was also something more. Brinn arrived at a program already steeped in tradition — a program that had been winning national championships since before many of his current athletes were born. The challenge was not to build from scratch, but to sustain and extend something almost impossible to maintain.
He has done exactly that.
“Every year, I tell this team: the streak is not a gift. It’s not something we inherited and get to keep by showing up. We’ve earned it, year after year, because of a culture that doesn’t allow for shortcuts. The moment we start protecting a legacy instead of building one, we’ve already lost.”
2026: A Championship at Home
In March 2026, Indian River State College hosted the NJCAA Swimming & Diving Championships at the Anne Wilder Swimming and Diving Complex at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce. The timing felt almost scripted. In front of their own community — friends, family, the Fort Pierce faithful who had watched this program define excellence for decades — The River delivered one of the most dominant performances in the meet’s history.
Indian River State College swimmers launch off the blocks during finals competition at the 2026 NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships, hosted at Indian River State College.
The men’s team captured their 52nd consecutive NJCAA national title. The women’s program won their 48th national championship without dropping a single event across the entire four-day competition. Sophomore Marcus Johnson of Coral Springs, Florida, set new NJCAA records in both the men’s 50-yard and 100-yard breaststroke. The men’s 400 medley relay team broke the national record by more than two seconds. And tied the 200-medley relay record that was set last year.
2026 NJCAA National Champions: Indian River State College Men’s Swimming & Diving Team
“We talk every year about not taking anything for granted, and I think that mindset is what keeps this program going. This group worked incredibly hard all year long. To do it at home, in front of our community, in front of friends and family — this one is very special.”
The atmosphere at the Anne Wilder Swimming and Diving Complex that weekend carried a weight that went beyond scorelines and record splits. For Brinn, it connected to something deeply personal.
2026 NJCAA Champions: Indian River State College Women’s Swimming & Diving Team
“When I was swimming here, we were going for the 18th and 19th championships. To have now won 52 is something I’ll never quite be able to put into words. This is what we work for every single day.”
Indian River State College President Dr. Timothy E. Moore, who has watched the program’s culture up close, put it plainly: “This is an extraordinary culture of excellence that this coaching staff and these student-athletes live every single day.”
Indian River State College head coach Sion Brinn receives the NJCAA Men’s Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year award on stage during the 2026 NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships awards ceremony.
Champions in the Classroom
The excellence Brinn has helped build at Indian River State College does not stop at the pool’s edge. The athletic department has placed a deliberate, sustained emphasis on academic achievement alongside athletic performance — and the results speak for themselves.
This past fall, Indian River State College athletics achieved record-breaking academic performance, with a 3.4 overall GPA across all athletic programs. Three teams finished with a GPA of 3.51 or higher, including the women’s swimming and diving team — a reflection of a program that takes the student side of student-athlete seriously.
“We recruit competitors, but we’re developing people. These athletes are going to leave here and build careers, start families, and lead communities. What happens in the classroom shapes all of that. We hold ourselves to the same standard academically that we hold ourselves to in the water—excellence is the expectation, full stop.”
That philosophy has taken root across the program. The women’s team, which swept the national championships without dropping a single event in 2026, also stood among the top academic performers in the entire athletic department. For Brinn, that dual standard is not a side note to the dynasty — it is part of its foundation.
Members of The Indian River State College Swimming and Diving Team receive the Academic All-Stars Skull Award for their high academic achievement in 2026.
What Actually Drives Him
Ask Brinn what motivates him — what gets him on deck before dawn, what fuels the recruiting conversations and the hard conversations and the thousand decisions a season demands — and he comes back to the same place every time: the walk-on who got a chance.
“Every student-athlete who comes through that door, I see myself in them. I know what it means to need someone to believe in you. That’s the job. That’s the real job. The championships are the result. The work is in the people.”
That philosophy — meet athletes where they are, demand everything they have, believe in them before they believe in themselves — has produced Olympians, national champions, and, by all accounts, people who carry their time at The River with them long after they’ve left the pool.
“Swimming teaches you things that have nothing to do with swimming. Discipline. Accountability. How to fail and get back in the water. I want every athlete who comes through this program to leave with those things – to leave here knowing what they’re capable of. The trophies and recognition are great. That’s what lasts.”
The numbers are staggering. The streak is historic. But the thing Sion Brinn seems most proud of — the thing that makes him lean forward when he talks about this program — is simpler than all of it.
“I came here as a kid with a drive and a dream. And this place gave me a life. If I can do that for even a handful of the young people who come through here, then I’ve done my job. That’s the whole thing, right there.
Indian River State College Swimming & Diving Head Coach Sion Brinn
Sion Brinn: By the Numbers
2 Olympic Games represented (1996 Atlanta for Jamaica; 2000 Sydney for Great Britain)
13 NJCAA National Championships as Head Coach at Indian River State College
52 Consecutive men’s NJCAA national titles at Indian River State College — the longest active streak in collegiate sports
48 Women’s NJCAA national championships at Indian River State College
About Indian River State College: Indian River State College serves Florida’s Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties, offering high-quality, affordable education to over 24,000 students annually through traditional and online courses. The College provides more than 130 programs leading to bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and technical certificates. Visitirsc.edu.
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