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 The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society has named Brenna Mahoney as the 2007 North American Rolex Scholar. Mahoney will visit DAN as part of her winning itinerary.
Mahoney, 24, of Bethesda, Md., earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Cornell University. She earned her PADI open-water certification in Hawaii on a family vacation and later continued to the level of rescue diver in Lake Cayuga, N.Y., where she "learned the value of a well-fitting 7mm wetsuit." Her scientific diving began with a research assistantship in Mexico, and she was recently certified as an American Academy of Underwater Sciences Scientific Diver.
Mahoney says she hopes that the Rolex Scholarship will help her explore global marine conservation. "As a conservationist, I am also interested in politics, policy, and societal and economic impacts of our decisions," said Mahoney, the oldest of a set of triplets. "I hope to be a knowledgeable advocate for our oceans and work toward knowledge that will result in solutions to marine conservation issues."
"We feel that Brenna will benefit from what the scholarship offers and that she has the potential to make a lasting contribution to the underwater world," said Robin MacFadden Parish, vice president of North American Operations and national coordinator for the North American Rolex Scholarship at the OW-U Scholarship Society. "Her application led us to believe she would enthusiastically embrace the scholarship, be a conscientious steward of the marine world and be an excellent ambassador for the OW-U Scholarship Society."
At the April 21 ceremony honoring the scholars in New York City, Donna Uguccioni, Research Coordinator at Divers Alert Network, presented Mahoney with a DAN membership and the Preferred Plan dive insurance, a DAN oxygen Rescue Pak, DAN fleece and a DAN Research T-shirt.
"DAN values the long-standing relationship that we have with the OW-U Scholarship Society because of the great experiences and knowledge that the scholars receive during their yearlong adventure," Uguccioni said. "The opportunities of the scholar are life-changing, and DAN is proud to be a small part of that growth and education of the scholar."
Each year DAN hosts the scholarship winner and regional director at the DEMA Show and at DAN Headquarters, where DAN supports the winner with training courses. The OW-U Scholarship Society also works with the DAN Research Internship Program.
The OW-U Scholarship Society made two additional scholar awards — a European scholar and, for the first time, an Australasian scholar.
The 2007 European Rolex Scholar is Igor Valente, 24, a Portuguese citizen born and raised in Mozambique. The 2007 Australasian Rolex Scholar is Matthew Kertesz, 22, of Sydney, Australia. Uguccioni presented Valente with a DAN ballcap and Kertesz with a DAN America Research T-shirt and membership from DAN Asia-Pacific.
Pictured: DAN Research Coordinator Donna Uguccioni, left, presents the DAN Rescue Pak oxygen unit to 2007 North American Rolex Scholar Brenna Mahoney.
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