By the NUMBERS More than $23 million raised in scholarship support since 1981

Total Swim With Mike scholarship recipients: 254 Total sports repres ented: 60 Recipient Total schools represented: 134 Updates Scholarship dollars awarded for 2019-20: $ 1,065,096 Campaign highlights 2019-20 Scholarships: 64 We could not have accomplished (49 universities nationwide) this without your help. Thank you! Satellite COMING UP report Loooking forward to our 40th

April 4, 2020 • USC

Hawaii - September 2, 2019 Wheelchair Basketball (In conjunction with Tournament Presented by UBS Summer 2019 Waikiki Roughwater Swim) April 3 & 4, 2020 Newsletter San Diego - TBA Rose Bowl Aquatics Center USC Homecoming March 30 - April 3, 2020 October 19, 2019 Jack Jablonski ......

Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund Hitting back! University of Southern California • Heritage Hall 203B • Los Angeles, CA 90089-0602 Please check out our website at www.swimwithmike.org to learn more about our fundraising activities, or to join our team as a Campaign Director! Design: Mike Navarro Mike Design: The essence of The Ripple Effect. achievement is Charting how and when our influence gratitude. creates waves to change lives

hank you to all our volunteers, Campaign after year who gladly do their part in helping Directors and contributors for your these young people create a new future for ith your help, the 39th Annual approval. Of the 30 new applicants, 23 were Tgracious efforts to make our 39th Annual themselves. USC Helenes, USC Hospitality, Swim With Mike Campaign raised eligible and approved for funding. Swim With Mike campaign a success, and USC Credit Union, USC Transportation, Wover $1,600,039, including $400,000 affording us all the opportunity to further our USC Athletics, USC Trojan Marching Band, in new endowment and brings our total In addition to the criteria listed above, mission to provide educational scholarships and of course . Gifts (truly) In Kind Endowment to over $4 million. Our total returning recipients also must complete a for more outstanding, deserving physically from our generous friends Bob McKnight raised going into our 40th year is over $23 grade and participation report. Renewals challenged student recipients. (Quiksilver), Joe Wirht (Topson Downs), Jeff million. We are most grateful for your loyal are accepted if they have over a 2.5 GPA Moore (Global Protein Group) Bob Steuber support and participationrticipation inin aandnd aactivelyct participated On behalf of all our recipients and their families, (Alta Water), Mike Navarro (Graphic Design), making this a realityality forfor ourour iinn pre-determined we would like to emphasize our appreciation Brian Kennedy (billboards), volunteers, cam- Physically Challengednged Ath-Ath- aactivitiesc to support for all your support and participation over paign directors and contributors all investing let es Scholarship FFund.und. oour SWM mission. our 39th year. Our combined efforts have time and resources to do their part. Many The assigned Board helped 15 of our scholarship recipients to of these volunteers are long-time, beloved The 2018-19 campaigngn member acts as a graduate this year, and I am pleased to share team members who have done their jobs for produced the re-- mentor through- sources for our oout the academic their letters of gratitude on the following so long that it has becom e their family tradi- Board of Directors yyear to encourage pages. tion, and we love it. to evaluate, interviewview aandnd nnom-om- theseh pursuits. inate Physically Challengedhallenged AAth-th- Our 39th Annual Swim With Mike is the All this is why we are able to continue to letes Scholarship F Fundund s studenttudent OnOn behalfbeh of the Board, culmination of months of planning and spread the SWM ripple effect – and we simply scholarship applicants. AApplicantsli are iinter- we are happyh to announce that volunteer activity. At 5am on event day, you could not experience our notable success viewed to determine their merit, dedication we have accepted our largest class of 64 will find USC Helenes, Friends of Helenes without this legion of friends who share and determination to successfully complete Swim With Mike Scholarship Recipients for and dedicat ed volunteers gathered around their heartfelt passion to accomplish our their educational and personal aspirations. the 2019-20 academic year. Twenty-three of the pool creating the Balloon Arch, posting SWM mission. I hope you will join us on this total are new and we have 41 returning Lane Donor signs, hanging banners, unloading April 4, 2020 to celebrate our 40 years of The USC Physically Challenged Athletes recipients. hundreds of boxes to set up the General supporting physically challenged athletes to Scholarship Fund received an incredible Store, Treasure Chest, Registration, Silent enhance their future wi th a life changing number of extremely qualified, talented, We are quite proud of these outstanding Auction, Hospitality, Special Guests, Massage educational experience. outstanding applicants again this year. As each individuals, and it is rewarding for us ALL to Center, Masters Swim and Swim Clinic, setting Board member contacted his or her assigned see the breadth of reach our program has up Pancake Breakfast and BBQ on the football With gratitude, scholarship applicant, they evaluated them achieved – we will now have Swim With practice field, preparing for the Wheelchair according to the strict guidelines set forth Mike scholarship recipients at 49 universities Basketball Tournament an d getting ready to by the stated requirements in our Bylaws. nationwide this year. And, the totals since welcome our many guests and participants. Each applicant is nominated and discussed our 1981 inception are 254 scholarship at our Annual Board of Directors meeting, recipients at 134 universities nationwide –– It’s rewarding and gratifying to see the annual Swim With Mike followed by the questions and votes for thanks to all of you. commitment from our loyal volunteers year Founder and Executive Director

Photos by Dan Avila 2 3 hat a great day for Swim With Mike! Our SwimSwim WithWith MikeMike current and alum scholarship recipients, Wtheir families and friends, donors, volunteers and community friends joined us at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center for a terrific day of celebration and acknowledgement. 2019 The day’s activities included our Masters Swim Workout, Swim Clinic, Raffles and Silent Auction, Diving Exhibition, The Biggest Splash Contest, BBQ, Football Player/Song Girl Relay, Wheelchair Basketball Championship Game, and of course Traveler, the Trojan Marching Band, Song Girls and Spirit Squad. How could all that NOT be fun?

A very special highlight of the day was our annual recognition ceremony where we heard from two of our graduating SWM scholarship recipients and our 13th Annual Claire Snow Volunteer of the Year Award Many of our Swim With Mike Scholarship Recipients – both current and alums – joined in the fun-filled day of activities recipient, Yvonne Bogdanovich. Upon receiving her at the USC Uytengsu Aquatics Center for our 39th Annual event. $1,065,096 in scholarships have been awarded for 2019-2020. award, she told us of her gratitude for her rewarding experiences as a SWM volunteer, and how much each and every scholarship recipient means to her. Yvonne’s loyal dedication to SWM is legendary and we are so very appreciative of her devotion to our mission.

Jack Jablonski shared how his amazing time at USC impacted his personal, education and professional life. See more about Jack on page 7.

Molly Fausone (University of Michigan Medicine, 2019; Stanford University BS Human Biology, 2012) was thrilled to share her inaugural USC SWM event expe- rience. She expressed her profound appreciation to Swim With Mike for the 11 years of scholarship support. Swim With Mike Scholarship Alum Daryl Holmlund greets Masters Swim workout participants with UCLA Head Swim Her experiences in both undergrad and post grad Swim Clinic participants from Bethune Middle School. Coach Cyndi Gallagher and members of her Bruin swim team. studies have allowed her to pursue her dreams of medical school and achieve her goals as one of our scholarship recipients.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be at the famous USC Swim With Mike event for the first time this year – what an amazing event! It was especially fun to meet my fellow SWM scholarship recipients and learn how much we all have in common. Also fun to introduce my family to everyone and share our hard fought accomplishments. The future before me is full of the promise of rewards and success, and simply put, Swim With Mike made it all possible. I am forever grateful.”

Our recognition ceremony brings it home to all of us Tyler Hoog (USC MFA Screenwriting, Spring 2019) and his Volunteers Elyssa Romo, Kathleen DeCristo, Mara Hunter Kevin Schallert (USC Marshall School of Business MBA, and truly renews our faith in the goals of our mission. family at the USC SWM event. Pictured l-r Thomas Hoog, Redden, Patrick Stanton, James Hawk and Avi Bernard 2018) joined us on April 6 for his first event as a Thank you again to all our friends who make this day mom Kim and dad Michael, Cassie Palmisano, Sandy Hoog, getting ready to set up for our 39th Annual Swim Swim With Mike alumnus. – and the incredible outcomes – a possibility. Carly Palmisano, Michele Hoog, and Tom Hoog. With Mike event at the USC Uytengsu Aquatics Center. 4 5 Remembering Jack Jablonski Oscar Mendoza (1939 - 2019) was everyone’s friend, and an espe- cially generous and loyal friend NHL was always the goal to Swim With Mike. He was with us from the start in 1981, and initiated our famous BBQ offering Oscarca that is a highlight of each annual “All this is because Swim With Mike has afforded me the opportunity to celebration. His efforts over the attend USC and intern with the Kings for the past four years. With just years have been legendary. one more semester left of classes to finish up my degree I am now in the Each and every year, Oscar would process of working with the Kings to finalize a full-time job. Hockey recruit volunteers to help out at has always been my goal, and will always be in my life. The opportunity the BBQ, and the majority of with the K ings is part of that long-term goal.” them were his family members – his wife, Rebecca, his children – Jack Jablonski and grandchildren, uncles and cousins – who also deserve our e was on track to reach his goal of playing his sheer determination and competitive nature. appreciation. in the NHL as a high school sophomore He began an intensive rehab program 10 hours Hplaying varsity ice hockey at the legendary a week and pushed himself, his family and Oscar worked all year ’round to Benilde-St. Margaret High School. His coaches colleagues to move forward, thinking that “let get food and beverages donated projected him to be a Division I college prospect. the bad days come as they will and enjoy the to cook and serve at the BBQ. Just Ice hockey is a big deal in Minnesota, and Jack good moments – you are going to have both.” think of all the chicken, beef, and his school were the biggest of deals in 2011. baked beans, salads and drinks Jack left Minnesota and started at USC Annenberg that were consumed over his many Then, itt hhappened.appened. DDecemberecember 330,0, 22011.011. IInn a SchoolSchool ofof CommunicationsCommunications inin 2015.201 Life in years of volunteering for Swim rivalry ggame,ame, JJackack wwasas hhitit bbyy ttwowo oop-p- CaliforniaCalifornia waswas completelycompletely differentdiffe from With Mike! All this while he was ponentsts wwithith a ddirtyirty hhitit ooff eelbowslbows t too hishis MinnesotaMinnesota upbringing.upbringing. InIn addition a full-time USC employee run- the neck.ck. HHee ccrashedrashed ddownown oontonto toto thethe geographicgeographic changes,changes, he didn’t ning the iconic Faculty Center. In the ice aandnd llayay mmotionless.otionless. HHisis knowknow anyoneanyone atat USCUSC whenw he fact, the Faculty Center staff parentsts aandnd tteammateseammates started.started. SoSo hehe joinedjoined TKETKE fraternity adopted SWM as a community rushed ttoo hhisis ssideide andand andand attendedattended allall thethe SwimSw With service to give back to students. Jack said,d, “Dad,“Dad, I can’tcan’t MikeMike activities,activities, wherewhere heh quickly feel myy legs.legs. I can’tcan’t maadede ffriendsriends aandnd sstartedtarted enduring Mike Nyeholt with Oscar Mendoza on the pool deck at a Swim With Mike Oscar was our inaugural SWM feel anythingthing.” He hadhad rrelationships.elationships. event. Oscar supervised the barbeque at each year‘s event for many severedd hishis spinalspinal years, setting a high bar for all who would follow. Claire Snow Volunteer of the Year Awardee in 2007, setting cord andnd frfraacturedctured JJackack hhasas hheldeld onon toto hishis passionpass for ice the high bar for those to follow. two vertebrae.rtebrae. Physi-Physi- hockey;hockey; itit continuescontinues toto motivatemot him. “I would say that our success is because of volunteers like In 2009, the new USC University cians atat thethe emer-emer- HeHe hashas beenbeen anan internintern atat the Los Oscar and Rebecca Mendoza. Since the very beginning, we Club honored Oscar with the gency roomroom toldtold hishis AngelesAngeles KingsKings forfor fourfour years,years, where he have never had to ask Oscar if he would be willing to cook for “Oscar Mendoza Fountain and parents,s, LeslieLeslie andand Mike,Mike, thatthat worksworks inin publicpublic relationsrelations andan on the the 1,500-2,000 participants, donors and volunteers. In addition, Courtyard”, and he received the Jack coulduld bebe a paraplegic,paraplegic, butbut KIngsKIngs podcast.podcast. ThisThis internshipinter has USC Staff Club Member of the most likelyikely a quadriplegicquadriplegic ledled toto a full-timefull-time opportunityop he gets all the food donated from his various friends in the food Year Award in 2008. for thee restrest ofof hishis whenwhen JackJack finishesfi up and beverage business. He recruits the volunteer cooks and servers life. andand receivesrec his and we do not have to worry about anything. Everyone looks In Oscar’s m emory, SWM hosted CommunicationsComm forward to the “Oscar BBQ” including the entire football team a Memorial Reception at the His conditionndition degreedeg from soon lit a firefire USCUS later this following their Spring Practice and Swim With Mike.” USC Uytengsu Aquatics Center. His family and friends gathered and stirredrred year.ye to remember our wonderful, – Ron Orr gracious friend. He will always September 2008, USC Emeriti Center Newsletter remain in our hearts. 6 7 The Campaign Directors Wheelchair Basketball presented by UBS Raising Funds and Awareness Final Game Brings on the HEAT! for Swim With Mike

Karma rides again!

The annual Swim With Mike Wheelchair Basketball championship game proved Katie Pasichuke gathered friends and to be a fierce battle to the classmates to celebrate Swim With Mike's finish – the final basket 39th Annual event during USC SWM Week. proclaimed the winner of the 40-39 contest! Katie’s 2019 Campaign What a set-up for next atie Pasichuke (USC Interna- year's Tournament. Ktional Relations, Global Business, Spring 2020) gathered her friends, his year's SWM Wheelchair Basketball Joining Team Rohan was scholarship recipient classmates, fellow Kappa Alpha TTournament boasted six teams of five Tommy Venos (University of Alabama, Thetas and USC Panhellenic mem- players each. Competition started Friday of Kinesiology 2022), who flew in to play Recipient Natalie Buchoz, who organized the fourth Annual Spin With Mike Karma Ride, with bers to celebrate Swim With Mike USC SWM Week with elimination games. in our tournament after playing with his fellow SWM scholarship alum Marty O'Connor, who delivered an inspirational message at Rock & Reilly’s in USC University Participating teams included USC Rec Sports, Alabama team to win the 2019 National about how Swim With Mike has helped him to achieve his goals. Village. A crowd of about 150 Phi Kappa Tau, Women’s Club Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball Championship. joined in the fun and raised a USC Helenes, Team SWM and Team Rohan. wim With Mike alum and him to pursue his graduate healthy amount of newfound In an epic game, Team Rohan and Team new Board member Natalie degree. He tells us: S awareness and support for SWM. After a delicious Jersey Mike’s lunch, the SWM battled back and forth for the victory. Buchoz (USC Public Relations 2015) Tournament tipped off at noon in the Lyon Ultimately, Team Rohan prevailed in the organized her Fourth Annual “All of our lives are character- “Lots of USC athletes and Greek Rec Center. A wildly spirited afternoon of game’s final seconds, 40-39! Spin With Mike Karma Ride at ized by challenges, choices and members were in attendance to competition whittled the contest down to Costa Mesa’s Gritcycle. The highly outcomes. I firmly believe that support my 5-10pm fundraiser! two teams to meet for the championship. A grateful thank you to our presenting anticipated event was again sold the challenges or adversities that I advertised to lots of sororities sponsor – UBS – for three years of helping out within an hour after the we face can be used to propel us and fraternities through social Team SWM and Team Rohan beat out their us expand this exciting event. Clearly, UBS’s event details were announced. forward in ways we could not media leading up to the day, and rivals to play in the Championship Game on investment is providing rewarding returns have imagined. In 2012, I suffered so many came to meet me for Saturday at the 39th Annual Swim With to us all. Natalie’s fellow Swim With Mike a spinal cord injury that left me both after-class dinner and drinks Mike Event. Zack Wentz, Team SWM Captain, alum Marty O’Connor (Chapman paralyzed from the shoulders later.” is our WCBB Founder and SWM alum recip- We would also like to thank student volunteer MBA 2017) came along for the down. From that point on, I have ient (USC Economics 2018.) Zach Pickett, Miles Kay, his dedicated committee members ride, and gave an inspirational been on a relentless pursuit of Thanks to Katie, her friends and Team Rohan Captain, is also a SWM alum and USC Rec Sports for their tremendously message to the group about professional development and the good will of Rock & Reilly’s recipient (USC Business 2018.) successful efforts to arrange for donated how much Swim With Mike has Swim With Mike has helped me management for sponsoring this adaptive wheelchairs and for the transport impacted his life and allowed to achieve my goals.” event and for their generous 20% to/from USC for the tournament. donation of the evening’s proceeds. 8 9 Swim With Mike across the United States Colleges and universities attended by Swim With Mike recipients

Schools attended by SWM Recipients: Arizona State University Chaminade University Davidson College John Paul the Great University Oregon State University Southwestern School of Law University of Central Florida University of New Haven University of Virginia Auburn University Chapman University Dominican University Johns Hopkins University Pacific University Stanford University University of Colorado Boulder University of North Carolina University of Wisconsin Azusa Pacific Claremont Graduate University Drexel Sacramento Loyola Marymount University Penn State Williamsport Syracuse University University of Connecticut University of North Dakota Utah State University Barry University College of William and Mary Drexel University Maryland Institute College Pepperdine University University of Alabama University of Denver University of Notre Dame Utah Valley University Bethel College Colorado State University Fairfield University Mayville State University Portland State University University of Arizona University of Hawaii University of Oklahoma Vanderbilt University Boise State University Columbia University Florida International University Metropolitan State University Quinnipiac University University of California Berkeley University of Illinois University of Oregon Vanguard University Bucknell University Concordia University, Chicago Fordham University Middle Tennessee State Univ. Ramapo College University of California Davis University of Iowa University of Pennsylvania Virginia Tech Brigham Young University CSU Dominguez Hills George Mason University Massachusets Institute Randolph Macon College University of Colorado Boulder University of LaVerne University of Puget Sound Washington State Univ. BYU Hawaii CSU Fullerton Georgetown University of Technology Regis University University of Denver University of Maryland University of Richmond Western New England Cal Poly San Luis Obispo CSU Long Beach Gonzaga University Montclair University San Diego State University University of California Irvine University of Michigan University of San Diego University Cal West School of Law CSU Los Angeles Grand Canyon University Nebraska Wesleyan University Savannah College University of California University of Minnesota Duluth University of Western State Law Calvin College CSU Northridge Harvard Extension School New York University Seattle University Los Angeles University of Missouri Columbia Southern California Western University Capella University CSU Sacramento Hawaii Pacific University North Central University So. Connecticut State University Univ. of California San Diego University of Nevada Reno University of Texas of Health Sciences Cedarville University CSU San Marcos Iliff School of Theology Ohio State University So. New Hampshire University Univ. of California Santa Barbara University of New Hampshire University of Texas Arlington Whitman College Our In their Graduates Own Words

Abigail Bennett Gregory Gardner Brigham Young University University of Southern California B.S. Physiology and Developmental Biology Viterbi School of Engineering (Spring 2019) M.S. Com puter Science (Spring 2019)

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your “I am happy to inform you that I will be graduating this Spring 2019 support that allowed me to attend Brigham Young University. semester from USC. My family and I are so grateful for the support I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology and of this amazing organization over the past year. Your support has Developmental Biology last week! I know without a doubt helped me graduate on time and allowed me to pursue a great that this achievement would not have been possible without career opportunity at the company I’ve been working at part time, the support I receiv ed from Swim With Mike.” and will start next month as a Data and Information Systems Specialist. Again, thank you for all your support. !”

Austin Charters Tyler Hoog Arizona State University University of Southern California W. P. Carey School of Business Cinematic Arts - John Wells Division of B.S. Business Administration (Fall 2018) Writing for Screen & Television M.F.A. Screenwriting “Without your financial – and emotional – support, I would not (Spring 2019) have been able to make it through my sophomore year. Although I missed a lot of school, I was still able to finish off the semester with “I want to thank you for the support you’ve given me over the a 4.0 GPA. Though my health issues have been lingering ever since, last six years from my journey to UNC and all the way out here at I’m thankful that I was able to attend the recent swimming event USC. It has truly been the greatest experience of my life getting at USC. It was an amazing event and I can’t wait to do my part in to be a part of Swim With Mike and attending USC!” raising even more funds for next year’s event.”

Spencer Fox Joseph Hunsaker University of Southern California Oregon State University Viterbi School of Engineering B.S. Business Management M.S. Materials Engineering (Spring 2019) and Supply Chair & Logistics Management “I have been a recipient of the Swim With Mike scholarship for the (Spring 2019) past five years. In that time, I have learned so much, grown as a person in countless ways, and achieved two degrees. I was supported “This June I will be graduating with two bachelors degrees. and propelled forward by the SWM family at every turn. I would I wanted to take the time to thank you all for the amazing never have been able to achieve the level of success that I have gift you provided me in allowing me to be part of the without the help of each member of the Swim With Mike family.” Swim With Mike family.”

12 13 Our In their Graduates Own Words

Jack Jablonski Ronan Nelson University of Southern California University of California Los Angeles Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism B.A. Political Science B.A. Communications (Fall 2018) (Fall 2019) “I want to sincerely thank all of your for allowing me to be a part of the “As a quadriplegic in college, though different from the norm, I have Swim With Mike scholarship family and for providing almost 4 years of thoroughly enjoyed my time at USC. Attending such a prestigious support during my time in Westwood. Although my time at UCLA has college halfway across the country from my home in Minneapolis come to a close with my graduation, I can honestly say that I would not has been made possible because of Swim With Mike. I’m beyond be in the desirable position I am without your dedication and support.” grateful for my scholarship and how it’s allowed me to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Jake Olson Thomas Kidd University of Southern California Seattle University Marshall School of Business Albers School of Business and Economics B.S. Business Administration (Spring 2019) B.A. Business Analytics (Spring 2019) “Swim With Mike is one of the biggest support systems that I have had. They have helped me to be graduating from the “I would like to thank you all once again for supporting my best university in the world. They have given me the hope and education. I hope that I can give back to Swim With Mike in the encouragement to go attack life and its challenges. They have future and help provide opportunities to people with disabilities allowed me to play my passion in life, football. Every step of the and access to an education they might not otherwise have had.” way, Swim With Mike has been there with never ending support. People like you make this all possible and I cannot thank you enough. Thank you for changing our lives on a daily basis.”

Kendra Muller-Taylor Joshua Pollard Brigham Young sity Univer University of Southern California B.S. Neuropsychology Viterbi School of Engineering (Spring 2019) B.S. Mechanical Engineering (Spring 2019) “I so appreciate the Swim With Mike Scholarship that has provided for my academic success and career path options. I have enjoyed sponsoring an annual bike-a-thon, collecting for Swim With Mike “Thank you very much for your generous donations to Swim and discussing how I was able to attend BYU with the help of my With Mike. Your support has helped me pursue my dream of scholarship. I am truly grateful for the Swim With Mike scholarship becoming a mechanical engineer. I greatly appreciate your support I am receiving for my education.” kindness and generosity.”

14 15 Our Join the wave of support.

Graduates There are many ways to support Swim With Mike, and we welcome your participation as we help change the lives of our outstanding scholarship recipients and their future prospects of success. We start counting for the 40th Annual Campaign on July 1, 2019, please join the Wave of Support!

Kristina Ripatti The Centofante Anniversary Club - $4,000 University of Southern California Started by Al Centofante at the 10th Anniversary of Swim With Mike to honor each anniversary year Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work with a $100 gift since the Fund has been in existence. As we enter our 40th year, the donation level is M.S.W. Social Work $4,000, and is in keeping with Al’s tradition. The Centofante Family Foundation matches all new (Spring 2019) increases and Club member gifts. Sponsor a Lane at All Swim With M ike Events - $1,500 “I would like to sincerely thank you for providing me with the Sponsor a Lane at our USC Swim With Mike event and all SWM Satellite events. incredible opportunity to attain my Master’s Degree in Social Work at USC. I am proud to be a recipient of the Swim With Lane Sponsor - $1,000 Mike scholarship and part of the Swim With Mike family.” Sponsor a Lane at the upcoming 40th Swim With Mike event. Donations are recognized at the pool on the day of the event and in our Annual Yearbook.

Swim With Mike Wheelchair Basketball 6th Annual Team Sponsor - $1,000 Be a Team Sponsor at our quickly expanding Swim With Mike event. Cecilia Villarruel Western University of Health Sciences The M iller Challenge - $400 The G. Willard Miller Foundation has contributed over $500,000 to Swim With Mike. Through the M.S. Physician Assistant (Summer 2019) generosity of Stephen Miller and Board member Michael Thomas, the Foundation matches all $400 contributions; $10 for each year since our inception. “I am grateful and proud to be a part of an organization that uplifts and empowers people with disabilities to pursue their full The Tod Spieker and Masters Challenge potential. It is uplifting to have a group of people, many of whom International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame member Tod Spieker will match all monies raised from you have never met, rooting for your success. In the very near swimme rs participating in the Swim With Mike Masters Challenge. future, I hope to be in a position to return the generosity I have experienced and pay it forward to future students. I look forward ENDOWMENTS to becoming a mentor. I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you An Endowment Fund may be created with a minimum $100,000 gift for either scholarship or operating funds and is payable over a five-year period.The principal of the gift remains intact while the interest for joining me on this wild journey of mine.” funds generated are distributed to the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund.The Swim With Mike Endowment Fund currently h as more than $4 million; our goal is to reach $10 million to support our mission in perpetuity. We encourage endowment gifts to current accounts, or if you are interested in establishing your own account, please let us know! Tyler Vitiello Montclair State University M.A. Industrial/Organizational Psychology Become a Campaign Director! (Spring 2019) Your support activities make us stronger and allow us to share our SWM mission with more outstanding scholarship recipients each academic year. Campaign Directors can create any “I would like to take this moment to thank each and every one sort of activity they choose to raise support for their campaign. Your campaign does not of you who has helped contribute to my academic goals and need to be a large, complicated event…how about getting sponsors to support you for a few dreams. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone in life laps in the pool, walks around the block, walking your dog? How about skipping the fancy is an education, and you have all done that for me. Had it not coffee and put that amount in a SWM CD piggy bank? Each and every dollar counts. been for you all believing in me and choosing to help me keep Your campaign can all be done online and promoted through social media. my academic dreams alive, I would not be where I am today.” Join us today at www.swimwithmike.org to register – see you there!

16 17 Swim With Mike

Swim With Mike is an amazing charity that we at the Rose Satellite events Bowl have been privileged to be part of for the past nine years. I have met personally with many of the recipients and have been impressed and inspired to help these youths in their” pursuit of excellence. I hope that through our diligent service we can build up a continuing foundation of hope and fraternity for these students. – Head Masters Coach Chad Durieux ” ROSE BOWL AQUATICS

he Ninth Annual Swim-A- The Rose Bowl Aquatics event Thon at the Rose Bowl raised $10,000 for our 39th Swim With Mike at the University of California San Diego. Front row L-R: Jonathan Jimenez, Jennifer McCallson, Jessica T Duhon Rodriguez, Mike Thomas, Kie Fujii, Spencer Fox, Tyler Warnock. Back row L-R: Laurielynn Barnett, Aquatics Center kicked off Annual Swim With Mike and Nancy Phillips, Alex Ruiz, Betsy Thomas, Jeff Wood, Blake Steinecke, Ron Orr, David Kobrinetz. their “Swim With Mike Kurt Knop, President/Executive Week” of fundraising lead- Director of the RBAC, tells us SAN DIEGO ing up to the 39th Annual “Mike’s story and commit- USC SWM event at the ment to helping others is re- ur San Diego friends and volunteers led by Management 2009 and 2011, B.A., M.A.) and Uytengsu Aquatics Center. markable. It’s an honor to OBetsy and Mike Thomas and Nancy Phillips al- Jessica Duhon Rodriguez (Concordia University, support his worthy cause, es- ways offer a jam-packed day of fun and fundraising. Health and Human Performance PhD, 2020). As Head Masters Swim Team Coach Chad pecially as he is a longtime RBAC lap And, they did it again at their ninth Annual Swim each was introduced, they shared a little bit about Durieux leads the way and encourages swimmer. I know that all members of the With Mike event at the UCSD Aquatics Center. what they are currently doing and their plans swimmers of all ages to “swim in the RBAC community look forward to p artic- going forwar d – which was very inspirational and morning, at lunch or in the evening – ipating every year to help this great The day’s activities were kicked off with the UCSD informative for the crowd. whenever it is convenient. Bring your effort.” Masters Swim Team workout, followed by their school group, club or even swim with the Famous Pancake Breakfast, always a crowd favorite! We met two future SWM scholarship recipients in Masters Swim Team! Reduce stress, get in Culminating the RBAC SWM Week is an Pool activities included a Diving Demonstration by Sam Hussin and Alex Ruiz. The two high school shape and help a worthy cause at the annual Friday morning event, where Dive San Diego, an appearance by Surf Dogs Cori football players each experienced a debilitating same time!” swimmers glide through a full 10,000 and Richochet, a Wacky Relay Race, the Biggest leg injury this year while playing in a football meter workout in which all swimmers are Splash Contest and Kayak jousting. game with their respective high school teams. They Participants were encouraged to obtain welcome. Then, Saturday morning is USC each found SWM and discovered the strength of sponsors who may pledge a flat rate or an Swim With Mike day and Coach Durieux We were happy to see our local Swim With Mike the relationships between recipients. Sam and Alex amount per lap with no minimum re- brings his team to our Masters Workout Scholarship Recipients, Blake Steinecke (USC San Marcos, met each of our scholarship recipients in atten- quired. Those who raise a minimum of and Famous Pancake Breakfast. Business 2021), Spencer Fox (USC Materials Engi- dance, and discovered the boundless support of $50 received a BBQ ticket for the USC neering MS 2019), Beatrice Lasnier deLavalette SWM, the support you just cannot put a price on. SWM event, and those who raised $100 or We are incredibly grateful to our many (USD Entrepreneurial Business 2022), Jonathan more received a Nike goodie bag filled friends at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center Jimenez (San Diego State, Marketing 2020), Kie A bountiful silent auction and raffle attracted with special items, including gift certifi- and their dedicated support of SWM over Fujii (Seton Hall, MD 2025), Jennifer McCallson quite a bit of activity as guests generously partici- cates and commemorative items. the years. (USC MSW 2017), Tyler Warnock (USC Entertainment pated in support of the Swim With Mike program. 18 19 By the NUMBERS More than $23 million raised in scholarship support since 1981

Total Swim With Mike scholarship recipients: 254 Total sports represented: 60 Recipient Total schools represented: 134 Updates Scholarship dollars awarded for 2019-20: $ 1,065,096 Campaign highlights 2019-20 Scholarships: 64 We could not have accomplished (49 universit ies nationwide) this without your help. Thank you! Satellite COMING UP report Loooking forward to our 40th

April 4, 2020 • USC Uytengsu Aquatics Center

Hawaii - September 2, 2019 Wheelchair Basketball (In conjunction with Tournament Presented by UBS Waikiki Roughwater Swim) April 3 & 4, 2020

San Diego - TBA Rose Bowl Aquatics Center USC Homecoming March 30 - April 3, 2020 October 19, 2019 Jack Jablonski ......

Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund Hitting back! University of Southern California • Heritage Hall 203B • Los Angeles, CA 90089-0602 Summer 2019 Please check out our website at www.swimwithmike.org to learn more about our fundraising activities, or to join our team as a Campaign Director! Newsletter