VIDEO: Watch UC s Down the Drive Cheer Performed Underwater

Members of the University of Cincinnati’s SCUBA Diving Club recently traveled to Key Largo, Fla., to work with The Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) in efforts to rebuild important coral populations where overall reef health has declined over the past three decades.

Club members dove at one of CRF’s nurseries where the UC students helped clean algae off of staghorn coral trees. They also worked on maintenance for replanted coral.

On Molasses Reef, six members of the club took a break to perform UC’s “Down the Drive” cheer, videotaped by their advisor, Brian Davies, associate professor in UC’s School of Architecture and Interior Design in the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP).

From left in the back row are

• DAAP student Lindsey Freson
• McMicken College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) student Riley O’Grady

From left in the front row are

• College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS) student Jake Seim
• A&S student Emily Walsh
• College of Allied Health Sciences student Ryan Boyer
• CEAS student Chris Tappel

In the future, the club intends to dive in many different locations to compare the overall health status of reef systems in various areas, specifically comparing marine protected reserves vs. non-protected areas. In addition, the club is currently seeking sponsorship for an international SCUBA diving trip in March of 2015.

• See more about UC's SCUBA Diving Club