A new nationwide nonprofit emerges with a long-standing history of providing scholarships to physically challenged student-athletes. The event known as Swim with Mike has been inspiring and offering hope for student athletes for over 40 years.

In 1981, USC Swimmer and All-American Mike Nyeholt was injured in a dirt biking accident, leaving him paralyzed but not without a strong support system of family, friends, and fellow swimmers. Organized by childhood friend and USC swimming teammate Ron Orr, the first event Swim For Mike, raised $58,000. The funds were more than enough to purchase a specialized van for Mike to continue his studies at USC. Mike was so moved by the support from the community and the Trojan Family, he pledged to swim in the next event, Swim With Mike, to help other student-athletes who had experienced similar catastrophic accidents. The event grew with powerful momentum, offering hope and inspiration to hundreds of scholarship recipients and an opportunity to pay it forward with what Co-founders Ron Orr and Mike Nyeholt refer to as the Ripple Effect.

Over the past 40 years, 256 physically challenged athletes have been touched with the gift of scholarships to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees at 136universities across the nation. With continued support from loyal Swim With Mike supporters and grassroots campaigns, over $1 million has been raised every year for scholarships.

Since its inception, creating a foundation with a vision for nationwide outreach has always been a goal for Nyeholt and Orr. The timing of the foundation launch synced with Jersey Mike’s CEO Peter Cancro’s philanthropic vision. In 2021, Cancro pledged a $1 million donation with a unified vision to support Orr and Nyeholt continue the Ripple Effect.

The main Swim With Mike event will continue to be held at the Uytengsu Aquatics Center at USC every April, and across the nation at satellite events throughout theyear. Mark your calendars for April 9, 2022!

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