The Diamond Learning Center presented Fresno State director of athletics, Terry Tumey, with the Community Partner Award and dedicated its Diamond Learning Gym to Fresno State Athletics on Wednesday.

The award was presented in recognition of Tumey being a valuable resource for the students at the center as well as at Fresno State.

“It just means so much,” Tumey said. “It’s a great statement for how the university affects people and how these people will affect our lives going forward.”

The Diamond Learning Center is a student center for children and adults with special needs. It is also an internship site for Fresno State School of Education and Family Sciences.

Tearing up, Tumey, who has a niece with Down syndrome, said that he was struck that the students named themselves Bulldogs after Fresno State.

“What we try to do in athletics is what we try to do at Fresno State, so for these young people to have the same aspirations that we do and even the fact that they have named themselves Bulldogs,” Tumey said.

Jami De La Cerda, founder of Diamond Learning Center located in Clovis, said that part of the reason why she founded it was because she herself has twins, one with Down syndrome.

“Having the visit in October which is Down Syndrome Awareness Month means more than words can say,” De La Cerda said.