Situated on the Sarasota Bay and only miles from the Gulf of Mexico, New College’s location lends itself to unique water activities, such as scuba diving. The Bull Sharks club is one of many long-standing organizations and was created to bring people together who have a common love for the water and an interest in scuba diving.
Photo courtesy of the Bull Sharks.
Thesis student Alyssa Borgschulte is one of the co-captains of the club. She explained the different certifications and resources the club has to offer in an interview over text message.
“We can do all sorts of courses thanks to our instructor, Kris Sheffer, who is thesis student Sara Sheffer’s mom,” Borgschulte said. “Kris flies from Pennsylvania on her own time to certify students for extremely cheap. She does open water, advanced open water, and rescue. Those are the most popular but she can do more.”
Bourgschulte explained that the New College Student Alliance (NCSA) aids with funding for certifications and rental gear. However, the club can provide basic gear like fins, mask and snorkel.
When it comes to deciding on diving sites, the club likes to guide its choice based on where the students would like to go.
“We’ve been to Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, the Florida Keys and more,” Bourgschulte said.
The Bull Sharks had their first meeting on Sept. 20 with Kris Sheffer, who talked about the process and the times to get the different scuba diving certifications throughout the year.