Jack and Jean Fielden, authors of Throw me the Bottom Line … I’m Drowning in E-mail!, are credited with planting the seed for the Pioneer River Press. The Fieldens approached the Indian River Community College (IRCC) Foundation with a manuscript that clearly aligned with the mission of IRCC — communicating in the workplace and training students to be better communicators.

They generously offered the proceeds of this manuscript to IRCC because of its strong commitment to excellence and the fact that it lives up to its motto, “Where the student is the most important person on campus!” The authors were excited to provide this entrepreneurial approach to raising funds to provide students with greater opportunities to receive a college education and we are deeply grateful to them.

Nola Maddox Falcone, Managing Principal at NMF Asset Management, is recognized as the lead pioneer for providing the initial start-up costs associated with the development of the Pioneer River Press. Her assistance allowed the Pioneer River Press to move from conception to realization. Her ongoing commitment to support students is greatly appreciated and serves as a philanthropic model to the educational community.

IRCC is a comprehensive community college serving 40,000 students a year in the communities of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties on the east coast of Florida. IRCC prepares students for transfer to four-year universities and provides two-year degrees that prepare students to immediately enter the workforce.

For over a decade, IRCC students have typically achieved 100% on state and national licensure exams and have earned top passing scores on required State of Florida academic skills tests. In 2003, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) gave IRCC a nearly perfect accreditation review. Student learning is a top priority at IRCC, where 75.4% of state revenues go directly into instructional costs, the highest percentage in the state.