Promoting Saint Edward’s and Vero Beach

Photo: Dr. Hirstein smiles for an early morning selfie with the Vero Beach Sunrise Rotary Club.

On Wednesday morning at 6:30 a.m., I was invited to the Vero Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meeting as their guest speaker. This group of community activists is improving Vero Beach through various outreach programs. Our very own Jason Fykes is a member of this group, who sat next to Ryan Goldfarb from Saint Edward's and me.

One of the aspects of my job at Saint Edward's is to promote our school within our local community. I have also spoken at the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce Business at Breakfast meeting. I have been on Cindy Goetz's Beauty and the Beach radio show. I have presented at John's Island to the Franklin Society at a lunch meeting. It doesn't end with group presentations. I spend a lot of time with individual leaders within the Vero Beach community, meeting to discuss Saint Edward's. I also look for ways to partner with local organizations to help advance Vero Beach.

I have learned from these interactions that the connections made through these various engagements extend far beyond the promotion of our school. Each opportunity to speak, present or engage with community leaders has provided excellent insights into the broad needs and interests of the Vero Beach community. Through conversations with business leaders, radio show appearances and intimate discussions with community figures, I've come to appreciate the interconnectedness of Saint Edward's and community development. It's not just about showcasing our school; it's about building meaningful relationships, understanding the unique challenges our community faces and working collaboratively to contribute positively to the growth and well-being of Vero Beach. These experiences have reinforced the belief that a strong partnership between our school and the community is essential for fostering a thriving Vero Beach.

You may recall on Monday, we sent a letter to our community urging everyone to get involved in the master planning for downtown Vero Beach. Of course, my first thought is how this can benefit Saint Edward’s as well as the local community. The idea of more housing options where our teachers and other local professionals can find affordable places to live seems like a good thing.

If you have a chance to get involved locally, I strongly encourage you to do so.

I look forward to seeing you around campus!

Stuart