Bear Hugs Aquarium Volunteer Swims with the Fishes (and Sharks and Turtles …) Veteran diver Alan Schussheim ’90 uses his scuba expertise to help clean tanks, feed marine life, and make visitors smile “Bear Hugs” celebrates heartwarming stories of Cornellians on the Hill and around the world. Have an idea? Email us at cornellians@cornell.edu! By Melissa Newcomb Once a month, Alan Schussheim ’90 scuba dives with fish, sharks, eels, stingrays, turtles, and more—all without putting a fin into the ocean. Schussheim is a volunteer at the Newport Aquarium in Newport, KY, where he helps clean tanks, feed marine life, and more. “We’re the housecleaners for the fish and the water,” Schussheim says of himself and his fellow volunteers. “You don’t really think about, ‘Who cleans the windows in an aquarium?’” On a dive trip. Schussheim’s duties include helping to clean a 60,000-gallon, warm-water tank—filled with vibrant corals and tropical fish—that forms a tunnel around visitors. Many of the tools he uses to wash the tank’s glass walls and carefully remove algae from coral are the same ones found in homes—like vacuums, cleaning mitts, and Mr. Clean “magic erasers.” At meal times, Schussheim not only gets to hand-feed puffer fish and starfish, but finds himself popular with many of the aquarium’s other inhabitants. “You squeeze the food out of a bottle, and you’re swarmed by 150 coral reef fish,” says Schussheim, who majored in operations research and industrial engineering on the Hill and was a member of the Big Red Marching Band. Schussheim’s volunteer gig also makes him a de facto ambassador for the aquarium. He’s encouraged to engage with visitors through the glass—and he loves to make the most of it by waving, making funny faces, and even playing games of rock, paper, scissors. You don’t really think about, ‘Who cleans the windows in an aquarium?’ “I’ve interacted with countless children, teens, and adults,” he says—noting the time that one of his granddaughters visited while he was in the tank and proudly exclaimed to everyone within earshot that the scuba diver was her grandpa. “Not only does this bring me joy, but I’m able to give others joy—and that has been awesome. I’d love to see all the photos people have taken of me in my scuba gear, making others laugh.” Schussheim lives in southwestern Ohio, driving 150 miles round-trip to the aquarium roughly once a month. Cornell days: In the Marching Band, and displaying his diploma. He started volunteering around four years ago, having retired after a long career with Procter & Gamble, most recently as its global director for cybersecurity. He has more than three decades of experience in scuba, and is a certified rescue diver through the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI), the sport’s governing body. Schussheim has swum with giant mantas in Micronesia; with blacktip reef sharks in the Caribbean; and with stingrays—who, he says, are surprisingly playful—in Mexico. I’d love to see all the photos people have taken of me in my scuba gear, making others laugh. Back home in Ohio, he dives in quarries—where he has encountered a host of submerged items over the years, including an airplane, a boat, and a toilet. “Volunteering with the aquarium allows me to help, and also to dive more frequently and in different environments,” he observes. “I can dive with stingrays, sharks, coral reef fish, Caribbean fish—all within a 75-mile drive of my house.” Greeting a special visitor: his granddaughter. Sometimes, when Schussheim is cleaning or doing other tasks, he has to gently guide the sea creatures out of his way. It’s usually no big deal—but there was one time when a large sea turtle named Denver took exception, and gave him a light smack on the head with his flipper. “That turtle,” he says with a laugh, “is the owner of the tank.” Top: Schussheim on duty at the aquarium. (All photos provided.) Published July 9, 2025 Comments Mary (Vallett) Mariska, Class of 1992 17 Jul, 2025 Fantastic to see a fellow Cornellian so close to home! I live in Cincinnati, and my kids have always loved the Newport Aquarium! Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Alumni Money May Not Grow on Trees—But These Plant-Based Wallets Did Alumni Joseph Bruchac ’64, BA ’65, Explores the Native American Experience Ask the Expert Puppy, It’s Cold Outside! How Can You Keep Your Pets Safe in Winter?