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91 e 124 57, <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> HONORING DR. EDWIN MASSEY UPON HIS RETIREMENT <br /> AS PRESIDENT OF INDIAN RIVER STATE COLLEGE <br /> WHEREAS, for over 47 years, Dr. Edwin Massey has worked tirelessly to better the lives of Indian <br /> River County residents through his career at Indian River State College (IRSC); and <br /> WHEREAS, Dr. Massey came to Fort Pierce in July of 1973, from Laurel, Mississippi, with his wife, Jo, <br /> and their two small daughters for a teaching position at the college which was then called Indian River <br /> Community College. Dr. Massey and his family eventually moved to Vero Beach, had a third child and <br /> currently has six grandchildren; and <br /> WHEREAS, by 1978, Dr. Massey had moved from the classroom to the first in a series of <br /> administrative positions. In 1988, at the age of 41, he became the college's third president. During his <br /> tenure, the institution began awarding four-year bachelor's degrees and built 71% of the nearly 1.6 <br /> million square feet of classroom, lab and operational building space on five campuses in four counties. <br /> He also created programs at high schools in all three Treasure Coast counties and Okeechobee <br /> County to ensure that students are ready for post-secondary work, whether for an academic degree or <br /> a certificate toward a new career; and <br /> WHEREAS, Dr. Massey has won many awards for the college, including the 2019 Aspen Prize for <br /> excellence among community colleges, signifying it as the best among the 1,100 community colleges in <br /> the United States. He gained unanimous approval by the Florida State Board of Education to <br /> implement 20 Bachelor's Degree programs and received SACS accreditation for IRSC to become a <br /> Level II Baccalaureate-granting institution; and <br /> WHEREAS, prior to becoming president, Dr. Massey was lobbying legislators in Tallahassee for state <br /> funds, attending every legislative session in the state capital since the mid-1980s and meeting with <br /> Senate presidents and House leaders. The IRSC Foundation has seen its assets grow more than <br /> 1,700 percent to $116.3 million during his tenure. <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, <br /> INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA, that the Board applauds Dr. Edwin Massey's efforts on behalf of <br /> Indian River County and expresses their appreciation for the exemplary service Dr. Massey has given <br /> to the County for the past 47 years. <br /> Adopted this 18th day of August 2020. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br /> INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FLORIDA <br /> Susan Adams, Chairman <br /> Joseph E. Flescher, Vice Chairman <br /> Tim Zorc <br /> Peter D. O'Bryan <br /> Bob Solari <br />