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As stated on our main page, "Scuba at UVa was founded by UVa undergraduates with the assistance of Dive Connections and PADI to promote scuba diving, awareness of and appreciation for our underwater world. We work to develop local diving, dive travel and dive training opportunities for all members of the UVa community." PADI X is the name given by PADI, the premier worldwide scuba certification agency, to its initiative to create marketing internships available on university campuses throughout the country. These internships would allow undergraduates to share their passion for scuba diving by creating and operating marketing programs to promote scuba diving. PADI has been successful in helping to make many of these programs qualified for internship credit with various departments within a number of universities. In exchange for internship efforts directed to scuba, PADI and additionally Dive Connections provide resources, services and products to support the marketing effort and to provide scuba training to the interns. Dive Connections, a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Dive Center, has worked almost from its inception to support students at the University who wanted to promote scuba diving. One such individual was Andy Nosal, now a UVa Alum, who started the current version of the Scuba Club at UVa. From initial mailings, sponsoring formative meetings, "Jaws" movie night at the Aquatics Center, to the helping Andy Nosal reach a critical mass for the club's COI submission; Dive Connections has lent its resources, enthusiasm and support to encourage scuba diving activities on grounds and the activities of the Scuba Club at UVa. Dive Connections' goal within the program is to elevate a continuum of undergraduates to the instructor level, so that undergraduates actually operate and teach the scuba programs; from marketing, staffing and instructing. It is only by empowering the next generation of scuba professionals can we pass on the legacy of our sport and the stewardship of our aquatic resources. To that end Dive Connections provide training credits to all participating PADI X participants. The composite program which we have named Scuba at UVa, is aimed at promoting scuba diving, making it more visible on grounds and to making it more accessible to all UVa students and staff. We actively support all aquatic awareness and conservation initiatives and all scuba related activities that may be available to the UVa community. We teach scuba diving on our own schedule, but with all the local resources of Dive Connections and PADI We encourage you to take advantage of what we offer and also to join us in sharing your passion. Consider becoming a part of Scuba at UVa. If you would like to know more about us, please click through to the PADI X detail page. Add your name to those listed below who have and are actively supporting our love of diving and the aquatic world.
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