Becoming a Divemaster was something I knew I wanted to do someday, but I wasn’t sure when. After I became the 2025 North America OWUSS Scholar, I realized that a great way to become a better diver would be to earn my first professional dive certification. So, I went to Stuart, Florida, and joined SDI at their headquarters with the goal of becoming a Divemaster.

This was the first course I took with SDI, and I was impressed by their high standards, excellent teaching methods and materials, as well as their growth story. Brian Shreve was my instructor, and through patience, lessons, exercises, and many dives, I became a Divemaster. I had to complete some challenging exercises, such as making a dive map of a site with less than five feet of visibility, guiding dives, briefing and debriefing dives, and demonstrating open-water and rescue exercises, among others.

The course taught me valuable lessons, from refreshing previous knowledge to learning new skills, and it also made me reflect on mistakes I’ve made in my diving journey and how to prevent accidents. Becoming a Divemaster made me a more cautious diver and encouraged me to be more intentional about actions that had become almost automatic. It also made me more aware of others while diving and more attentive to my surroundings. After the certification, I became a more skilled diver and feel better prepared to continue my diving journey!

After becoming a Divemaster, I went to Orlando to attend DEMA (the Diving Equipment & Marketing Association Show). Before becoming an OWUSS Scholar, I didn’t know what DEMA was, so I was very excited to attend for the first time. I learned that DEMA is one of the biggest diving events in the world, and when I first entered the huge convention center, I knew it was no joke. Hundreds of stands surrounded me, with many different aisles and booths, it was so much fun to explore! I also met some of my scholarship sponsors and was able to thank them personally for their incredible support.

One of the most important events at DEMA is the NOGI Awards. They’re often described as the “Oscars of diving” because every year they honor people who have made major contributions to the diving world. I attended as one of the Future Leaders invitees and was excited to learn about the winners’ stories and impressive achievements. Another highlight of DEMA was becoming an associate member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame. It was amazing to meet such inspiring women and to connect with a community of women supporting women in the industry.

The main reason I went to DEMA was to attend the OWUSS breakfast, where I presented my Mid-Year Video. It was crazy to realize that six months have already passed in this journey. Making the video helped me reflect on all the adventures and lessons I’ve experienced so far. It was my first time editing a video, and I learned so much! I was very proud to present it to everyone there, and soon it will be uploaded to YouTube so everyone will be able to watch it. One of the best parts of DEMA was being reunited with friends, hosts, and members of the OWUSS family, it was so much fun. My first DEMA was a success, and hopefully I’ll be back soon.

Thanks to Brian Shreve, Stephanie Miele, Brian Carney, Neil,  Noah, Jordyn, Amanda and everybody in the SDI Headquarters who helped me obtain my Dive Master certification. A big thank you to Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society for giving me this dream opportunity. Thank you to all my sponsors: Aqualung, Drysuits Unlimited International (DUI), Faith Ortins/Blue Green Expeditions, Fourth Element, and Backscatter for giving me the gear and tools I will need during my year.