LIFE UNIVERSITY’S ALUMNI MAGAZINE
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Student-Athlete Mico Sjekloca Reaches High
Building a Chiropractic LIFEstyle
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SUMMER 2012 VOL. 5 ISSUE 2
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Anatomy of a LIFE Professor
PRESIDENT’S letter
Greetings LIFE Alumni! Anyone who knows me at all knows I am a diehard LIFE rugby fan. I can’t pretend I’m not biased (being the university president and all), but I can say this: if you had been in the PPL stadium in Philadelphia, Pa., June 2 and 3, you would have instantly felt why I and thousands of others who don’t share my bias, were cheering on the boys in neon green. The place positively vibrated with energy and excitement, and it all emanated from an electric green wave of LIFE rugby fans! Wearing brand new LIFE U T-shirts to match the players’ stunning new jerseys (designed especially for their debut in the Collegiate Rugby Championship), we showed the rest of the rugby-watching world exactly what LIFE is all about—power, performance and unleashed potential! I am so proud of our Sevens team, but I’m even more proud of LIFE’s incredible presence at the event. Now, everyone who attended the games, watched them live on NBC or witnessed the wave that rocked the rugby world knows about Life University—and knows that there is something truly powerful happening here. And you don’t have to be a sports fan to join the team. I encourage everyone who believes in the power of Chiropractic to recognize what this program of elite athletes is doing to help advance the message and mission of the profession. This is truly Chiropractic-driven performance in motion, and it’s grabbing the attention of sports fans, future patients and future DCs alike. So if you’re with us, join the team and wear the green! We’ve designed an expanding line of modern, eye-catching sport apparel that captures the energy and essence of Life University, and we’re offering it up to everyone who wants to show off their LIFE spirit! Find out how to get your LIFE U gear on page 4.
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Summer is a great time to kick back, take a break and recharge, and I hope you’ll take advantage of the slower pace and warmer weather.
You can also read about our favorite feathered symbol of the LIFE spirit himself, Doc the Running Eagle, on page 8. Learn the history and meaning behind your school mascot, and have a good laugh during his “tongue-in-beak” interview. (He even mentions yours truly.) Maybe the story will inspire you to share your own memories and photos with Doc, and to have your contributions published in a future issue of YEL. As always, this issue is packed cover-to-cover with content that matters to you—from the accomplishments of your fellow classmates and those here on campus, to ways you can engage with Life University at home and on the road, to opportunities to give back while increasing your own abundance. Summer is a great time to kick back, take a break and recharge, and I hope you’ll take advantage of the slower pace and warmer weather. I also hope you’re looking forward to fall, and to our second-ever offering of completely free CE. Our Fall CE event is already more than half sold out, and what remains of the original 1,300 free spots for early registrants is going fast. Get yours today, and get ready to end your summer with the absolute best continuing education experience in Chiropractic, right here at your alma mater, from Sept. 26–30. See you there! Yours in Chiropractic,
Guy F. Riekeman, D.C. President
2012 Your Extraordinary LIFE The Alumni Magazine of Life University
Contents
www.LIFE.edu
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FEATURES
6 Mico Sjekloca Montenegro native and LIFE student-athlete Mico Sjekloca has found success on and off the basketball court.
8 What’s Up, Doc? Everything you ever wanted to know about Life University’s mascot, Doc the Running Eagle. PLUS: Fun Photo Contest!
14 Building a Chiropractic LIFEstyle Alumnus Eric Plasker, D.C., on his lifelong love affair with Chiropractic and inspiring the next generation.
18 Anatomy of a LIFE Professor: NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC.
LIFE UNIVERSITY
Jamie Ryan Publisher
Guy F. Riekeman, D.C. President
Larry Lebovitz President
Greg Harris Vice President for University Advancement
John Hanna Vice President
Craig Dekshenieks Director of Communications
Gwyn Herbein Editor
Molly Dickinson Communications Coordinator
Amy Fine Production Coordinator/ Circulation Manager
Leila Tatum Alumni Relations Manager
Garon Hart Graphic Designer
Jen Lesshafft Alumni Relations Coordinator
Dr. Salman Afsharpour Iraq-born professor of anatomy and neuroscience Dr. Salman Afsharpour returns to LIFE after a gig with the U.S. government. DEPARTMENTS
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Your Extraordinary LIFE magazine is published three times a year by New South Publishing, 450 Northridge Parkway, Ste. 202, Atlanta, GA 30350. 770-650-1102; Fax: 770-650-2848. Postmaster: Send address changes to Your Extraordinary LIFE, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060-9854. It is the purpose of Your Extraordinary LIFE to promote the events, accomplishments, accolades and philosophies of Life University and its faculty, staff and students to current, prospective and former students, as well as the academic community at large. Life University is a private, nonprofit institution founded in 1974. For more information, write to Life University, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060, or visit LIFE.edu. Material in this publication may not be reprinted without written permission from the editorial offices in Marietta. All rights reserved. © Copyright 2012 Life University. Printed in the USA.
Around Campus: What’s New at LIFE? First baby born on LIFE’s campus; Kovacs to direct Sport Science Institute; Dr. Brian McAulay named vice president of ACC; Looking back and looking ahead: Octagon Conference 2012
Guy D’Alema Senior Photographer
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Athletics Life University the talk of the CRC; LIFE U gear is here!
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Lasting Purpose My LIFE; Dedicated to LIFE; Giving to LIFE
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UG Update What’s happening in the College of Undergraduate Studies; Dr. Michael Montgomery’s writing life
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News from Alumni Relations Blast from the past; LIFE career services and classified listings; LIFE on the road; LIFE rugby watch party, SRE and alumni gathering in Philadelphia
Reader Comments See something you are excited about? How about something that makes your blood boil? Write in and tell us about it! Please submit all comments to Alumni@LIFE.edu.
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Postgrad & CE The fastest spinal analysis; Fall CE registration almost sold out!
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Class Notes Mark Your Calendar Alumni Events
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What’s New at First baby born on LIFE’s campus On March 11, 2012, at 5:30 a.m., Noah Alexander Cohen became the first baby ever born on Life University’s campus. Proud parents Richard Cohen, 26, a 12th quarter D.C. student, and Lena Cohen, 24, a full-time student in the Nutrition
had been raising Lora [in] for the past two years, we couldn’t think of a better setting for our home birth.” Following a comprehensive birth plan and with the guidance of their midwife and assistants, Noah’s delivery was a truly natural experience. The Cohens continue to raise both of their children according to the same vitalistic values that led them to choose a home birth. “The way Noah entered this world is the way he has remained,” Cohen says, “no additives, no preservatives and no artificial flavors!” “It was so rewarding to finally know that my body was not only able to grow our baby, but also bring it into this world, particularly after having a C-section,” his wife adds. LIFE is thrilled to report that mom, dad, big sister and baby Noah are all healthy and happy!
Kovacs to direct Sport Science Institute Richard Cohen and his son, Noah Alexander Cohen. (Photo courtesy of Mel Burton Images.)
program, delivered Noah at their home in the LIFE Village Retreat, Life University’s green-certified, on-campus apartment complex. The couple’s first child, Lora Emilia, 2, was born in a hospital in Hamburg, Germany, via C-section. “We were determined to reclaim our parental power by having a home birth with our second child,” Richard Cohen says. “Considering how much the vitalistic philosophy of the campus had changed our lives and the safe environment we
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Mark Kovacs, Ph.D., FACSM, was recently hired to direct the Life Sport Science Institute, an on-campus facility dedicated to helping coaches, teams and individuals achieve optimum physical performance. With the growth of the sport health sciences enrollment and the expansion of LIFE’s intercollegiate athletics program, the need for an experienced professional focused on applied clinical research was necessary to address the growing needs of both athletes and students. Kovacs holds a doctoral degree in human performance and exercise physiology, and brings a wealth of
hands-on and managerial experience to the Sport Science Institute. He has served in various capacities for the United States Tennis Association in areas such as player development, coaching education and strength and conditioning. Kovacs has also authored or co-authored more than 50 research articles in peerreviewed publications on subjects ranging from biomechanics, to nutrition and hydration recovery, to speed and agility. Additionally, he has worked at the professor level at various universities and has been an entrepreneur in the field of human performance. John Downes, D.C., executive director of the Institute, says of the hiring, “We are very fortunate to have Dr. Kovacs join the Sport Health Sciences Department and become the Director of the Sport Science Institute. His passion for applied clinical research will benefit our athletes, our master’s students and our institution.”
Kovacs with a tennis trainee.
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Looking back and looking ahead: The Octagon Conference 2012 explores health care reform By Dr. Gerry Clum
Dr. Brian McAulay
Dr. Brian McAulay named vice president of ACC Life University Executive Vice President and Provost Brian McAulay, D.C., has been named vice president of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC). The recent announcement honors the ACC’s longstanding tradition of asking its officers, once elected, to continually step into the next highest office and continue to serve through the organization’s presidency. Previously, McAulay—who is the first Life University representative ever elected to an ACC office—served as the organization’s secretary and treasurer. The ACC is committed to advancing the chiropractic profession by enhancing and expanding chiropractic education. Life University is proud to support McAulay in his newest role.
The Octagon 2012 Conference, held April 12–24 on Life University’s campus, focused on the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA). The conference highlighted two parallel efforts: the U.S. Supreme Court’s review of the legislation and ongoing efforts to implement various elements of health care reform. Faculty for the conference came from academia as well as the health care, business, legal, legislative and policy development communities. The effort was a unique combination of perspectives. LIFE’s president, Dr. Guy Riekeman, opened with a description of the demand for a new paradigm needed to approach the questions of health care and health care reform from a preventive, system-altering perspective. Speakers reinforced this view throughout the conference. The opening keynote addresses were presented by the father of worksite well-being, Dee Edington, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan, and Andrew Webber, president of the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH). Edington outlined the need for a complete rethinking of health care and well-being, especially in the workplace, while Webber emphasized the business community’s demand for a better, more effective return-oninvestment for the dollars being invested in health care. Both highlighted the value of Chiropractic as an important contributor to improved health and well-being. A series of reports were provided on the basics of federal health care reform: Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs), the essential benefits package, insurance exchanges, value-based design in health care and the Supreme Court issues. Other topics included expanding patient access, by Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn (Ret.-WA); the future of health care, by Clem Bezold, Ph.D., of the Institute for Alternative Futures (IAF); and a presentation by Darren White, D.C., of Redmond, Wash., detailing his company’s success in controlling business health care costs using a chiropractic-centered approach. All agreed that health care reform will continue to unfold despite what happens in the courts or politics. Complete video recordings of all presentations are available at no cost at LifeOctagon.org. The 2013 Octagon will focus on the health of millennials. Please visit yHealth.org and learn how you can help design the optimal health care system of the future!
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AROUND campus
Life University the talk of the CRC The LIFE Rugby Sevens team went into the Collegiate Rugby Championship (held June 2–3 in Philadelphia, Pa.) as relative unknowns and tournament underdogs. After their performance on the field and the activity in the stands, everyone who attended the games, tuned in for the live NBC broadcast or heard the buzz around Philly and the U.S. rugby circuit, now knows exactly who Life University is—a program, a school and a movement to be watched! On the field, LIFE blitzed through group play with three impressive wins against Penn State, Temple and Wisconsin, taking first place in Group A and a coveted top-four seed into the quarterfinals. LIFE dispatched a pesky team from University of Delaware in the morning quarterfinals on day two, setting up a semifinal against Arizona. Arizona jumped to an early lead by capitalizing on LIFE mistakes. In such short matches (two seven-minute halves with a running clock), every possession is critical. After a faltering start, LIFE began to close the gap. On the last possession of the game with time expired, LIFE was moving down the field looking to tie the match and send it into sudden-death overtime. It was then that an unfortunate knock-on ended the game and LIFE’s chance at the championship. Final score: Arizona 19, LIFE 12. Consolation matches are always tough for teams coming off disappointing losses in the semifinals. University of California (Cal) lost their semifinal to eventual and defending champion Dartmouth, and were looking for some payback against the Running
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Eagles. Thanks to some fortunate bounces and whistles, Cal scored three quick tries and conversions to score 21-0 at the half. In the second half, LIFE buckled down to dominate the line and play, but it was too late. Cal won by a final score of 26-7. Despite the disappointment of a fourth place finish on the field, LIFE takes comfort in the fact that in just over two years, Life University has become a major force in U.S. rugby; and in just over a year of existence, the LIFE Rugby Sevens team has won two prestigious championships, appeared live on network television, and earned the respect and admiration of rugby programs from schools 10 times its size. In the stands, the LIFE fan base was a force! Sending more fans than many other schools combined, the Life University fan base was loud, spirited and wore the most recognizable gear in the stadium. PPL Stadium in suburban Philadelphia echoed with the chanting and singing of the LIFE “crazies,” and the television cameras loved the neon yellow shirts fans wore to match their players on the pitch. By the end of day one, fans from other teams and youth rugby fans were
LIFE U gear is here! It wowed the crowd in Philly, now it’s turning heads at home. Official LIFE U gear is now available for purchase online! Visit LIFE.edu/lifeugear to order, or visit the Life University campus bookstore to score yours today.
asking where they could buy a LIFE U shirt. By the end of day two, the NBC cameramen were sporting LIFE U gear, and fans from eliminated teams were trying to squeeze into the LIFE section to root our boys on to victory. This was the event of the year for Life University! Those who didn’t make the trip should mark their calendars now for 2013. If LIFE rugby can garner this level of fan worship as a relative unknown with a fourth-place finish, imagine the chain reaction when we not only fill three sections of the stadium with diehard fans, but claim the 2013 title for LIFE! Win or lose, the weekend earned invaluable exposure for the University and our rugby program. We are incredibly proud of the LIFE Rugby Sevens players and their fans for showing the rest of the rugby world that Life University deserves to play—and we’re here to stay!
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Mico Sjekloca From the Black Mountain to the Foothills of the Appalachians BY CRAIG DEKSHENIEKS
The American dream is alive and well in Marietta, Ga., and it is personified in business administration student Mico Sjekloca (ME-cho See-uh-KLO-cha). It’s hard to miss Sjekloca, and not just because he stands 6’7” tall. He wears a smile shining with braces, and carries with him an aura of joy that’s impossible to ignore. He may be a long way from his birthplace of Cetinje, Montenegro, but he feels very much at home at Life University.
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7 Sjekloca’s journey to Marietta was a long one. He grew up in an emerging independent country that was formerly part of Yugoslavia. A talented athlete, he was spotted by a sports scout in Montenegro at age 19. It was this scout who first gave him the idea to go to the U.S., get an education and take his basketball skills to the next level. Here, he could learn a new language and a new culture, and test his mettle in American college sports. So, in 2008, Sjekloca made the long trek to Sacramento, Calif., for junior college. “It was tough,” he says. “I didn’t speak English at all, so I was taking ESL classes 10 hours a day for two or three months.” And it wasn’t just the classes that were difficult. “I was on my own for the first time in my life, so I had to learn to be strong and stay positive while missing my family, my friends and the food back home.” He enrolled in school and slowly adjusted to life in the U.S. The following summer, he attended an elite basketball camp in New York. There, he caught the attention of Dale Brown, a former University of Kentucky player and NBA veteran, and the head coach at Dillard University, an NAIA school in Louisiana. Brown offered him a full scholarship to play basketball at Dillard, which Sjekloca accepted. At Dillard, Sjekloca excelled in his classes thanks to the support of Dr. Freddye Hill, his sociology professor. “She took me under her wing,” he says. “She taught me how to work hard every day in the classroom and on the basketball court. She tutored me, she kept me motivated—she really changed my life.” Unfortunately, after he had played just one season for Dillard, the university cut back on the basketball program’s budget, which meant Sjekloca would no longer have a scholarship. Dillard assistant basketball coach Carlos Smith recommended Sjekloca look at Life University as the next place to continue his education and basketball career. Three schools in as many years might be too much for many young men to
handle, but Sjekloca thrived in his new environment. “The people at LIFE made me feel so welcome,” he says. “The campus feels like home to me. I enjoy being here and my friends, teammates and coaches have become my second family.” Life University seems to have been the final ingredient necessary for Sjekloca’s success both on and off the court. He completed his senior season averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per game, while leading the team in blocked shots. He was voted team captain, having earned his teammates’ respect with his natural leadership and work ethic. LIFE
“He works hard at everything he does. He’s a dean’s list student, an allconference player–but he’s an even better person. He represents us [LIFE] better than anyone, and he is the one [student-athlete] I am most proud to see graduate from Life University and the basketball program.” Sjekloca will graduate in March 2013. He has a few professional basketball offers from Europe, but feels his best opportunity lies in continuing his education. He wants to earn his master’s degree at Life University and someday open his own business. In keeping with
In the classroom, Sjekloca is a dean’s list student, carries the highest GPA on the basketball team and is on track to earn his degree in business administration next year. basketball Head Coach John Barrett credits Sjekloca as being the emotional spark that enabled the team to win the conference tournament, beating the No. 1 team in the nation by 30 points in the semifinals. In that game, Sjekloca suffered a broken nose, but instead of sitting out, he demanded that the trainers stop the bleeding, patch him up and send him back out on the court. He also played the following day in the finals, leading the team to victory and a place in the NAIA National Championship Tournament. In the classroom, Sjekloca is a dean’s list student, carries the highest GPA on the basketball team and is on track to earn his degree in business administration next year. He was recently inducted into Sigma Beta Delta, a business honor society, which is the highest scholastic honor a business student can achieve. He was further honored by the NAIA as a “Champion of Character” and awarded a Pattison Family Foundation Scholarship, an annual award given to student-athletes who are role models in leadership, academics and community involvement. Barrett has high praise for Sjekloca.
LIFE’s philosophy of giving back and living a life of Lasting Purpose, Sjekloca wants to start a recruiting service in Europe to bring talented athletes to the U.S., so they can have the same opportunities he did. For now, he is working hard with that goal in mind, and also looking forward to a break: a trip home to Montenegro this summer. “I haven’t been home in over two years,” he says with a smile. “I miss my family the most: my brother, Milos; my best friend, Ivan; my dog, Royal. But I miss my mother the most.” His mother misses him right back. “I talk to my mother every day. We Skype a couple of hours each day, and all day on Saturday and Sunday. She doesn’t go to sleep until she gets a message from me or talks to me.” Sjekloca is a shining example of the endless possibilities that exist for those who take advantage of the opportunities given to them. His basketball career may be at an end, but we haven’t heard the last of this Running Eagle. With his determination and character, Mico Sjekloca will find success wherever he spreads his wings.
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FEATURE
What’s Up,Doc? People often ask about Doc the Running Eagle, the mascot of Life University… BY CRAIG DEKSHENIEKS “What’s a running eagle?” “Where did this mascot come from?” “Why is he called Doc?” You asked, we answered. Your Extraordinary LIFE’s team of investigative reporters tracked down Doc’s story, uncovering some interesting history and even scoring a rare and exclusive interview with Doc himself. Spirited Beginnings Back when the University was still known as Life College, founder and president, Dr. Sid Williams, decided to add intercollegiate sports programming. The first sport, men’s basketball, fielded its inaugural team in 1992. Every great athletic team needs a great mascot, so Dr. Williams sought a symbol that would be both meaningful and memorable. The campus of Life University sits on former Cherokee Indian land. Being part Cherokee himself, Dr. Williams was inspired to explore the traditions and lore of the tribe. He was fascinated with the similarities between Cherokee beliefs and the philosophies of vitalism and naturalism. According to Cherokee legend, all creatures work in harmony toward mutual helpfulness, and two species can
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actually merge in times of need. There is one Cherokee ritual in particular, in which man and eagle merge. The Adisi Eagle is a Cherokee who performs a peace dance wearing a headdress made from
the feathers, head and wings of an eagle. At the end of the dance, he is transformed into the Spirit of the Eagle, a messenger of the Great Spirit. Dr. Williams commissioned a statue of the Adisi Eagle to perch atop the Sport Health Science Center, where the LIFE basketball team plays their home games. The statue soon became known as the “Running Eagle.” Life University’s mascot was born. The costumed mascot of an eagle in an athletic uniform soon followed. In fact, he debuted even before the basketball team played its first game. He was christened “Doc” in reference to the Doctor of Chiropractic degree earned by LIFE graduates. Masked Man So who is the man behind the mask? LIFE undergraduate student William “Bill” Lamb, Jr., was the first to don the mascot costume in 1992. Lamb was tall, broadshouldered and muscular, and made for an impressive presence. A natural cheerleader, Lamb kept the cheering team loud and the DC Dancers in high spirits during the games. Doc was so integral to the LIFE basketball experience that he began traveling to away games and to the NAIA National Tournament with the team.
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YEL: Is being LIFE’s mascot your only job? Doc: No, I’m also a chiropractor. I have a practice in the mountains that specializes in exotic animal adjusting. How do you think all those formerly endangered species were able to repopulate? No subluxations! YEL: Are you superstitious? Doc: I would say I’m more a man-eagle of routine. For example, on game days, I always eat sashimi for breakfast, jog through the 19th Century Village and say a quick prayer at the feet of the Adisi Eagle statue. I also sharpen my talons before a really big game—just in case.
YEL: Sharpen your talons? Doc: Some of the other schools’ mascots have real attitude problems. I’ve had to teach more than a few lessons in integrity. The cougar from Mountain State University thinks he’s pretty tough, but kitty claws are no match for these babies. I keep my talons sharp in case he gets any funny ideas. YEL: What are some of the perks of being the mascot? Doc: I get to attend classes for free, which is great with all the degrees now offered at LIFE. President Riekeman takes me to the movies once a week and we share an extra large popcorn. I also get to attend VIP parties like the Alumni & Friends Party and Class Reunions during Fall CE. I can’t wait for this year’s ’70s themed party! It’s gonna be a scream. YEL: What’s on your iPod right now? Doc: The Byrds, The Eagles, Eagle-Eye Cherry—those types of bands. And I spend way too much time playing Angry Birds and checking my Facebook page—you should friend me! You know what they say, “Birds of a feather…”
Enter the Where’s Doc? Photo Contest! Show us where life after LIFE has taken you by bringing Doc along for the ride! Visit the Alumni & Friends website at raisersedge.life.edu, print out the Where’s Doc? cutout, snip it out, snap a shot and send it (along with your name, preferred email address, class year and a descriptive caption) to Alumni@LIFE.edu. Selected Where’s Doc? photos will be published in future issues of YEL and on the Alumni & Friends website, with prizes ER THE T awarded for funniest pic, coolest or craziest locale, longest distance traveled from your home address and most LIFE alumni in a single shot! Contest details and the official Where’s Doc? cutout are only at raisersedge.life.edu. ph o to c o nte Get yours today and snip it, snap it, send it to win!
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YEL: We all know you’re a Running Eagle, but can you fly as well? Doc: Of course I can fly—every eagle can. Not many eagles can run, though, and none can run as fast as I can. I can also jump, flip, read, write and carry a tune. How many eagles do you know who can do all that?
YEL: What kind of childhood did you have? Doc: I’m the youngest, so I had to learn things quickly in order to keep up. I still remember my mother pushing me out of the nest. I flew for a few seconds and decided to start running instead. My parents were excited to have an empty nest and flew west to retire in Eagle County, Colo. But I’ve found a new home here at LIFE and couldn’t be happier.
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When Lamb graduated, he cleared out the nest to make way for undergraduate successor Philip Gatcha. Gatcha was on site when LIFE won its first of three NAIA National Championships in basketball. In 1998, Dr. Williams’ grandson Sheldon Krantz assumed the title of Doc Jr., donning a miniature version of the costume. After Gatcha graduated, Dr. Lou Hilliard, a chiropractic student at the time, assumed the role and served as mascot until 2002. When the athletic program was restored in 2007, the search began for a brand new Doc. Before the new mascot was unveiled, it was decided that Doc needed a bit of a makeover. First of all, the costume was thick, heavy and smelled like feet. Secondly, thanks to the LIFE Sport Science Institute and philosophy of optimum physical performance, the new Doc would have the ability to perform gymnastics, fully participate with the cheerleaders and even do spectacular dunks during halftime to amaze the crowd. While a new and improved costume was being constructed, the hunt was on to fill the large talon marks left by Doc’s predecessors. Here’s where the story takes a strange turn. “New Doc” (whose identity remains a mystery) appeared out of the blue. According to the HR department, New Doc passed his drug test, aced the employee orientation and appeared at the first home basketball game, on time and in costume. Here is an excerpt from our exclusive interview with Doc, whom we caught noshing on carrion in the Socrates Café:
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LASTING PURPOSE
My LIFE: Sharing My Life By Giving Back Having spent most of my years as a chiropractor teaching full-time at LIFE, I have seen generations of new chiropractors come and go. They enter with stars in their eyes and leave to start a lifetime of service, bringing the power and promise of Chiropractic to the world. Had it not been for Life University, I would not be the kind of chiropractor—or teacher—I am today. I would not appreciate the unique value of Chiropractic and the vitalistic principles that form the basis of everything I say, do and believe as a practitioner, professor and individual. Life University connects me to a world of like-minded chiropractors. Seeing old friends every year at Lyceum is always a
I’ve been a longtime financial contributor to LIFE because, in so many ways, LIFE has supported my family and me since 1980. Even when I was living hand to mouth, I made it a priority to support LIFE financially. It wasn’t always much, but giving back always felt good. Now I give through the President’s Circle, which feels even better, and it’s easy to do. I’m proud to be a LIFE graduate and proud to be one of its many supporters. Please join me in helping to keep LIFE strong and vibrant. joy and sharing the uncommon knowledge of our amazing profession is extremely rewarding.
Jerry I. Hochman, D.C.
whether to our world-renowned Chiropractic program, or any of our vital health and science-based degrees. Referring students to Life University helps advance our objective in three ways: • Raises awareness of Chiropractic and Vitalism around the world. • Increases the number of vitalistic chiropractors and vitalistic-oriented
professionals worldwide. • Makes a difference with Lasting Purpose: To Give, To Do, To Love, To Serve, Out of a Sense of Abundance. Alumni & Friends who referred a student enrolling in the Winter and Spring 2012 quarters are listed below. These names were provided by students upon their application for admission.
Dedicated to LIFE Life University is dedicated to the idea of ensuring the world has access to vitalistic health care. This encompasses access to both Chiropractic and integrated care, and to an education rooted in chiropractic and vitalistic philosophy. To that end, we would like to recognize those alumni and friends who have assisted us with our mission by referring a student to LIFE— Dr. Daniel Abeckjerr - A Dr. Michael Adamets - A Mr. David Adamets Mr. Aric Adlam Dr. Thomas Aguero - A Dr. Heather Alday - A Dr Mark Amos - A Ms. Brandi Ancrum Dr. Erin Arnold - A Ms. D'Porche Ashford Dr. Amanda Austin - A Mr. Jordan Axe Mr. Justin Barnwell Mr. John Barrett - P Dr. Joshua Beaudry - A,L Dr. Joseph Belcher - L Dr. Vito Bianco - A Dr. Julie Blankenship Dr. Mark Botha - A Dr. Yvan Breton - A Dr. Louis Briegel - A,L Dr. Laurie Briegel - A,L Dr. Russell Brokstein - A Dr. Todd Brown - A Dr. Chris Brown
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Mr. Michael Bucknell Dr. Michael Burt - A Ms. Sara Butkovich Dr. Dawn Cadwallader - A,L Dr. Todd Cadwell Dr. Brett Caminez - A Dr. Pete Camiolo Dr. Christopher Cardwell - A Dr. Howard Carey - L Dr. Waldemar Carrasquillo - A Dr. Alan Cason - A Dr. Raphael Castro - A Dr. Jeffrey Chamberlain Dr. Aletha Chappelear - A Ms. April Chaney - A Dr. Todd Cielo - A Dr. Derek Clements - A Dr. Norman Colby - A,L,P Dr. Sherri Collett - A Dr. Jeffrey Conn - A Dr. Paul Constante - A Dr. Russell Cooperstein - A Dr. Louis Corleto - A Dr. Henry Cousineau - L,P Dr. William Crews - A
Ms. Miriam Croft Dr. Jeff Davenport Dr. Maureen Davis - A Ms. Carla De Jesus Dr. Roy Dedmon - A Dr. Henk DeGraaf - A Dr. Jacobus DeGraaf - A Dr. Glenn DeGraaf - A Ms. Jaleh Dehpahlavan Ms. Amy Dejohn Ms. Tania Demiray Dr. Michael DeRosa - A Dr. Lydia Dever - A Dr. Gisela Diaz Sola - A,L Dr. Joe Dispenza - A,L Dr. Michael Donaldson - A Dr. John Downes - A Ms. Jessica Eckman Dr. Linda Elkins - A Dr. Jed Emms - A,L Dr. Martin Eng - A Ms. Deedra Farmer Dr. Angelo Ferrari - A Dr. Neil Fico - A Dr. Brad Forbes - A
Dr. David Foti - L Ms. Lourdes Franco Cobian Dr. Catherine Franklin - A,L,P Dr. Russell Friedman - A Dr. Edward Frisbee - A Mr. Matthew Frisbee Dr. Kurt Froese - A,L Dr. David Fuller - A Ms. Simone Gainey Dr. Joseph Gamberdella - A Dr. Daniel Gambino - A,L,C Ms. Gabreila Garcia Ms. Kristina Garland Ms. Elizabeth Geisz - A Dr. Evelyne Gevers Montoro Dr. Hugo Gibson Ms. Carla Gibson Dr. Amanda Giles - A,L Dr. Greg Goffe - L Mr. Ricardo Gonzalez Mr. Antonio Gonzelez Dr. Sharon Gorman - A,L,P Dr. David Guzzardo - L Dr. Kenneth Hamilton - A Dr. Jerry Hardee - P
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Dr. Todd Hardison - A Dr. Jason Harkey - A Dr. Russel Harward Mr. Michael Hastings - A Dr. Chadwick Hawk Dr. William Hay - A Dr. Jeffrey Haynes Mr. Jeffrey Hedges - A Dr. Vanessa Helfrich Dr. William Henry Dr. Charmaine Herman Dr. Leslie Hernandez - A Dr. Jeremy Hess - A Dr. Amanda Hess - A Mr. Terry Hill Dr. Louis Hilliard - A,L Dr. Missy Holas - A Dr. Joseph Hornberger - A Dr. Anna Hughes - A Dr. Kevin Jackson - A,L,P Dr. Byron Jackson I - A Dr. Jennifer Jaffe - A Dr. Jorge Jarrot - A,L Ms. Thermie Jean Dr. David Jockers - A Dr. Junior Johnson - A,L Dr. Jeremiah Joseph Dr. David Kane - A Dr. Stuart Katzen - A,L,P,C Mr. Erik Kowalke - A Mr. Shane Kurth Mr. Kevin Kustarz Dr. Jay LaGuardia - A,L Dr. Reyna Lajiness - A Dr. Daryl Lajiness - A Mr. Soloman Lallouz - A Mr. Scott Lawrence Dr. Ellen Lazar - A Dr. Lamardra Lee - A Dr. Minsop Lee - A Ms. Ana Tegla Leite Mr. Lancelot Lewis Dr. Maegan Licht - A Ms. Janet Lindstrom Dr. Jay Liss - A Dr. Keith Liston - A Dr. Peter London - A
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Dr. Anna Loranger Dr. Brian Loranger Dr. George Lubertazzo - A,L Dr. Joseph Lupo - A,L,P Dr. Kyle Maddox - A Mr. Tom Magutu Dr. Dean Mammales - A,P Dr. L. March - A Mr. Ryan Marchman Dr. Dennis Mariano - L Dr. Eric Marshall Dr. Holly Martin-Riley Dr. Mark Mashike - A Ms. Danielle Matson Ms. Melody Matthews Dr. Karen Maxwell - A,L Mr. Anthony Maxwell - A Dr. Matthew McAlees Mr. Jacob McFadden Mr. Lloyd McGuffin Ms. Erin McKernan Dr. Bernadette Merricks - A Ms. Rahel Michael Dr. Kevin Michaels - A,L Dr. Michael Miller - A Dr. Joel Miller - A Mr. Salvatore Minicozzi - A,L Dr. Gary Minorik Ms. Rebecca Montilla Ms. Linda Niehaus Ms. Beverly Nixon Mrs. Tonya Norwood Dr. Kevin O'Dell - A Dr. Raphael Okonkwor Dr. Raymond Omid Ms. Alexandra Ortiz Javier Ms. Gisselle Ortiz Rugas Dr. Roy Ostenson Dr. Kyungshik Park - A Dr. Bill Pascoe - A Dr. Scott Paton - A Dr. Joshua Paxton - A Dr. Alan Payne - A Dr. Robert Peck Dr. Palmer Peet - A, P Dr. David Peltier - A,L Dr. Mark Pendergrass - A
Dr. Craig Penny - A Ms. Ashley Peplinski Dr. Michael Pfeffer Ms. Amy Philippi-Horn Dr. Renee Philpot-Bowen - A Dr. Ryan Pilsner - A Dr. Brock Pinelli - A Dr. Eric Plasker - A,L Dr. Edward Plentz - L Mr. Kerith Powell Dr. Tony Purdy - A,L Mr. Amoncia Raji Dr. Ben Rall Mr. Rafael Ramon Dr. Linda Rassel - L Dr. Denise Rassel - A,P Dr. William Reddy - A Mr. Samuel Riase Dr. Charles Ribley - L,P Dr. Harold Rinehardt Ms. Elizmarie Rivera Dr. Luis Rivera - A,L Dr. Corey Rodnick - A,L,P Mr. Ivan Rodriguez-Goire Mr. Nick Rodsater Dr. Havard Rognerud Dr. Gregg Rubinstein - L Dr. Rebecca Rumph - A Dr. Brian Ruocco - A Mr. Brendon Saffron Dr. David Saint - A Dr. Daniel Schaeffer Dr. Robert Schiffman - A Dr. Liam Schubel - A Dr. David Schwartz - A Dr. Brian Scolari - A Mr. Zachary Scott Dr. David Seeley - A Dr. Tijana Sefic - A Dr. Carlos Selles - A,L Mr. Christopher Shumate - A Dr. Elvin Siberio-Casanova Dr. Thomas J. Sidoti - A,L Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson - A,L,P Dr. Cheryl Skarbo - A Dr. Jean-Marc Slak - A,L Dr. Jessica Smiley
Dr. Michael Smith - A,P Ms. Lisa Stafford Dr. Bruce Stevens - A Dr. Rachel Stockwell Dr. Pamela Stucky LaGuardia - A,L Dr. James Stukes Mr. Logan Swaim Dr. Diane Tellier - A,L Dr. Scott Thomas - A Ms. Amanda Timberlake Dr. Mike Tumminello - A Mr. William Twyman Dr. Scott Van Wagner - A Dr. Kent Vanderslice - A Mr. Alex Vear Mr. Shaun Viernow Dr. Greg Waldrop - A Dr. Kevin Walsh - A Dr. Atlee Wampler - A Dr. Mary Jane Ward - A Mr. Parker Ward III Dr. Michael Warnars - A,L Dr. Liliana Warner - A,L Mr. Vonchristian Webb Dr. Edward Weller Dr. Stephen Welsh - A Dr. Claire Welsh - A,L Dr. Kristen Welsh - A Dr. David Wendel Dr. Matthew Westheimer - A Ms. Sara Weyer - A Dr. Nicole Whitehead Dr. Kathy Whitmore - A,L Dr. Linwood Whitten - A,L Dr. Gregory Wiles - A Dr. Bryan Wills Dr. Matthew Wolfertz - A Dr. Paul Zell - A Dr. Gregory Zwirn - A
A= L= P= C=
Alumnus LIFEforce 1000 Doctor President’s Circle Capital Campaign
Capital Campaign LIFE's capital campaign, Realizing The Vision, is a five-phase campaign that supports the University’s 20/20 Strategy Vision. In July 2012, LIFE began the third phase of the campaign, called Investing in Excellence—Academics, Research, Rugby.
President’s Circle When we turn our hands to the promotion of our chiropractic profession and the education of our neighbors, we turn our eyes to The President’s Circle for the resources—advice, wherewithal and influence—to reach out to the world. For more information, please contact Tom McCleskey, manager of constituent relations, at 770-426-2660 or Thomas.McCleskey@LIFE.edu.
LIFEforce 1000 The LIFEforce 1000 tribe is currently dedicated to two projects: looking for 1,000 committed members, and filling Life University with students who are passionate and will spread Chiropractic around the world, now and for decades to come. To that end, they have made a commitment to each other to accomplish three things: send five students to Life University in the next five years, host two Student Recruiting Events each year and attend a LIFEforce 1000 Weekend in Atlanta within the next year. For more information, please visit LIFE.edu/LIFEforce1000, or contact Dr. Kathryn Haag at 678-331-4331 or at LIFEforce@LIFE.edu. To submit a correction: If you see an error in our list, please contact Alumni Relations at Alumni@LIFE.edu or at 800-543-3203.
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LASTING PURPOSE
Giving to LIFE: IRA Beneficiary Designations Did you know that you can support Life University through your Individual Retirement Account (IRA)? Designating your alma mater as the primary or secondary beneficiary of your IRA or pension plan can provide tax savings and a legacy for you at LIFE. The monies in IRAs and pension plans are transferred at the owner’s death through a beneficiary designation. With the rare exception of an IRA transferred to an estate, an IRA is not governed by a will of the IRA owner. For this reason,
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completing the beneficiary designation correctly is very important. Often, the IRA owner will make significant long-term financial decisions with little thought given to the consequences of the decision. The beneficiary designation form allows for the selection of a designated beneficiary. Typically, the beneficiary is a surviving spouse and, if the spouse has not survived, a child or children. The form allows for a contingent beneficiary, also, and it is important not to leave this portion blank. For many individuals, it is desirable to select a charitable beneficiary—like Life University—as the contingent beneficiary. Depending upon the income
and estate tax rules in effect at the time the IRA owner passes away, the designated beneficiary may determine that there would be substantial tax savings by disclaiming and allowing the distribution to be made to the contingent beneficiary (Life University). Since IRAs can cause tax implications if passed to family, this is a favorable asset to pass to Life University. For more information about IRA designations, please contact Greg Harris, vice president for university advancement, at Greg.Harris@LIFE.edu or 770-426-2836; or contact your personal financial advisor to help you change your designation.
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ALUM CLOSE UP
Buildinga Chiropractic LIFEstyle BY GWYN HERBEIN
Eric Plasker, D.C., started living the chiropractic lifestyle when he was just a teenager. “When I was a sophomore in high school, I hurt myself playing football,” he explains. “Many different doctors told me to stop playing and take drugs.” Unsatisfied with their advice, Plasker ended up on the table of chiropractor Ernie Landi. “I got adjusted and played that day without any pain,” he says. Even as a teenager, “I saw the benefits of chiropractic care as part of a lifestyle … I understood the body’s ability to heal itself.”
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Because of that innate understanding, Plasker hasn’t looked back since his initial introduction to Chiropractic. A 1985 graduate of Life University’s D.C. program, he has spent his career living and breathing the chiropractic lifestyle. Plasker believes in lifetime care for everyone, or “LCFE.” The basis of his philosophy is: if you want to live a healthy life, you have to have a healthy spine and nervous system from the beginning of your life to the very end. After graduating from LIFE, the New York native stayed in Georgia and built two successful family practices that operated under these principles. “The vitalistic concept that LIFE taught … really prepared me for delivering great care,” he says. Plasker’s reputation for patient and community education quickly spread, as he treated families that utilized chiropractic care as part of a healthy lifestyle. He often counted several generations of the same family as patients. “My youngest patient was 15 minutes old, and my oldest was over 100,” he says. “We attracted people who had been in car accidents, athletes, moms with newborn babies.” By the year 2000, Plasker realized that other chiropractors could benefit from what he had learned in his years of practice. “There was a demand [from] chiropractors to know what [my practices were] doing,” he says. In response to that demand, he started The Family Practice, an organization that trains other chiropractors to be health care leaders in their communities. The organization, along with his 2005 book, A 100-Year Lifestyle, works to create a globally branded message of chiropractic principles in an effort to “deliver a benefits-driven chiropractic message
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Now, more than ever, Plasker says, chiropractors need to consider updating their messaging and marketing—without compromising the basic tenets of their practice.
Plasker and family.
and practice model in every community,” Plasker explains. Both his book and practice model have been endorsed by some of the world’s top athletes, as well as fitness leaders like the Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute, a think tank for health and fitness issues, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He also counts three-time Super Bowl champion Roger Craig as a friend and R&B music star Usher as a patient. Now, more than ever, Plasker says, chiropractors need to consider updating their messaging and marketing—without compromising the basic tenets of their practice. He uses the example of The Beatles’ song, “Let It Be” to illustrate: “The song was the No. 1 song in 1970 and it was sold on a vinyl record,” he explains. “In 2011, it was a top-selling song again, but it was no longer available on a record, but rather as a download. The words, artist, notes and melody were all the same. The only
difference was the packaging.” If chiropractors were to take on a similar approach to rebranding, Plasker believes the world would come to embrace Chiropractic in a way it never has before. To that end, he is working closely with LIFE to put a 100-Year-Lifestyle-affiliated chiropractor in every community. He is also actively involved in the University’s LIFE in Your City traveling experiential and educational program, in the hopes of attracting everyone from high school students to those seeking a second or third career to the chiropractic profession. This is particularly important because there are only between 55,000 and 60,000 chiropractors currently practicing in the U.S. “We act like that’s too many,” he says, “but we need greater numbers to be able to demonstrate the value of what we do.” Because more people are seeking drug-free types of health care, Plasker feels Chiropractic is in the perfect position to be a leader in
communities all across the world. Because educating chiropractors is just as important as educating the public, Plasker’s advice to current LIFE students is to embrace the profession’s philosophy and to work hard to become an expert at the skills Chiropractic requires. “We want to give chiropractors the resources to be health care leaders in their communities,” he says. Once those skills have been mastered, Plasker believes the key to advocating for the chiropractic lifestyle is simplicity. “We can communicate the value of lifetime chiropractic care in split seconds,” he says. Above all, Plasker practices what he preaches, and his love for Chiropractic comes through in everything he does. “I have been in practice for 27 years and I love Chiropractic more than ever,” he says. He and his wife of 24 years, Lisa, are proud to have raised their family in the chiropractic lifestyle. His oldest son, Jacob, will begin studying at LIFE this fall and his daughter, Emily, will start next year. The Plaskers’ youngest son is the member of a national championship high school soccer team. “Chiropractic definitely helped him with the championship,” says Plasker. Based on his personal experiences and his professional success, Plasker is confident that communities all over the world can benefit from a chiropracticbased lifestyle. He quotes a statistic published in the British medical journal The Lancet that reported more than 50 percent of babies born in industrialized nations since the year 2000 are expected to live to age 100. “The quality of [one’s] life and longevity is only 30 percent genetics and 70 percent lifestyle,” he adds. And for Plasker, the chiropractic lifestyle is 100 percent worth living.
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UG Update Master of Nutrition program launched The Master of Science program in Clinical Nutrition began in January 2012 under the leadership of Program Coordinator Kathleen M. Rourke Ph.D., R.D., R.N. Students retaining an undergraduate degree in nutrition or allied health sciences, as well as students from the College of Chiropractic, are engaged in classes on advanced topics in nutrition, nutrition research, counseling and public policy. Several of these students will be starting their thesis project research this summer session. Among the topics being investigated are collaborative projects exploring the impact of nutrition and chiropractic interventions on the health and well-being of subjects ranging from adolescents to pregnant women. Research projects investigating several variables impacting obesity are also planned. To aid students in their research investigations, Life University is planning to purchase a Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scanner. This machine has the ability to provide highquality assessments of bone mineral density, body composition and visceral body fat on each subject in a matter of minutes with minimal radiation exposure. The program looks forward to welcoming new students from throughout the state of Georgia to the summer session classes at Life University. Given the positive correlation between a highquality diet and health status, many students and health professionals alike continue to grow more interested in the study of nutrition. Rourke, who has
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assisted in the development and implementation of several major graduate programs in nutrition and the health sciences throughout the U.S., anticipates that enrollment growth in the M.S. Clinical Nutrition program will continue to grow substantially over the next few years. Interdisciplinary academic programming will be key to serving this growing student body and Life University offers a perfect environment for such growth. For more information regarding the M.S. program in Nutrition, contact Keith Jordan in Enrollment Services (Keith.Jordan@LIFE.edu; 678-331-4453) or Kathleen M. Rourke in the Department of Nutrition (Kathleen. Rourke@LIFE.edu; 770-426-2736).
Dr. Humberto Dutra tracks milestone hits on YouTube video series Undergraduate Professor Dr. Humberto Dutra has been uploading “mini-lectures� on YouTube as a way to enhance his classes, as well as to provide knowledge to the general public. His channel, hpdutra, recently reached 20,000 views of his various lectures! His channel can be found at youtube.com/user/hpdutra.
Sigma Beta Delta business honor society inducts new members In May, 11 junior- and senior-level undergraduate business students were inducted into the Life University Chapter of Sigma Beta Delta. Membership in Sigma Beta Delta is the highest national recognition a business student can receive at a college or university with a Sigma Beta Delta chapter. To be eligible for membership, a business student must rank in the top 20 percent of the junior, senior or master’s class and be invited to membership by the faculty officers. The purpose of Sigma Beta Delta is to encourage and recognize scholarship and achievement among students of business, management and administration, and to encourage and promote personal and professional improvement and a life distinguished by honorable service to humankind. The installation ceremony was presided over by Life University Chapter President of Sigma Beta Delta, William Vincent, and Secretary/Treasurer, Yvonne Troutman, as well as Tasha Griffin and Deborah Lancaster. The guest speakers were Sigma Beta Delta members Joseph Artzner and Yvonne Troutman. The new lifetime members of Sigma Beta Delta will be distinguishable during graduation ceremonies as they will be presented with an honor cord during the Honors Convocation held the evening before graduation. The new inductees are: Tamara Clark, Hawa Djikine, Benita Jackson, Sarah Lewis, Alfred Qaranivalu, Garrett Rappaport, Parham Sabetazm, Hailey Sible, Mico Sjekloca, Maggie Waddell and Clinton Whittler. Congratulations new members!
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A Writing Life: Michael Montgomery, Ph.D. BY MOLLY DICKINSON Dr. Michael Montgomery, professor of English, has taught in the General Studies department at Life University since 1996—the same year his daughter was born. So, if you remember taking a composition, literature, creative writing, philosophy or even cinema course with the Minneapolis native, you probably also remember Ada. “She was a true Life College kid,” Montgomery says, “caring for the animals at the 19th Century Village, tagging along with me around campus, selling her Girl Scout cookies. So, to any alum out there who remembers her, she’s doing fine; a junior in high school and budding photojournalist currently on a summer trip to Italy.” As for Montgomery, he’s been busy putting pen to paper and fingers to keys. Since joining the LIFE community 16 years ago, he’s published more than 130 individual works of poetry and prose, and six books comprising collections of poetry and short fiction—and that’s just in the past five years or so. His most recent poetry collection, What We Did with Old Moons, publishes this November, and he’s currently devoting his early morning hours (his favorite time to write) to Clickerland, which he calls a micro-fiction/speculative fiction work-inprogress. His work has earned him two PEN/Faulker Award nominations this year alone, for 2011 books Dream Koans and Antigravitas, as well as numerous other nominations and awards from the likes of the Pushcart Prize and our own Life University. Still, he says, “I’m prouder of a funeral requiem I wrote for a friend’s father, of documents I’ve prepared in support of another friend’s legal appeal and even of some letters I’ve written on behalf of colleagues and students, than I am of my publications.” This comes as no surprise to those who know him well—his friends, students and recently expanded family included. When he’s not teaching or writing, he’s spending time with his new wife and stepson, as well as his now 16-year-old daughter. He counts his wife, daughter and his sister Molly among his muses. “In both my poetry and
fiction, I’m a surrealist, but my poems are usually more autobiographical and spiritual, and my fiction tends to be more ironic and avant-garde. It’s kind of a nice balance,” he says, of the work he’s been inspired to write since emerging from graduate study (he earned an M.A. in English and a Ph.D. in rhetoric, composition and the teaching of English from the University of Arizona) and returning to the writing life he began to cultivate in high school and college. When it comes to passing his knowledge and passion on to his writing students, the now 50-year-old professor, author, poet and new stepfather has a few simple words of advice: “Good writing demands a good work ethic, and practice at every stage of the process.” Clearly, he practices what he teaches.
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MEET THE FACULTY
Anatomy of a LIFE Professor D R. S A L M A N A F S H A R P O U R BY JEN LESSHAFFT
It was just like any other day in his hometown of Karbala, Iraq. Six-year-old Salman Afsharpour joined his friends for a play date to fly kites from the rooftop. He had no idea the direction his life would take when he climbed onto the roof that day. Afsharpour doesn’t remember much from that day. While flying his kite, he fell backwards off the roof, breaking his leg and lapsing into a coma. The fall was so severe that witnesses thought he was dead. When he awoke from the coma, he could no longer speak. It wasn’t until after his high school graduation that he finally regained this ability, and even then he still had speech difficulties. “I wanted answers,” says Afsharpour. “My accident helped me realize what I wanted to do with my life. That’s when I knew that I wanted to study the brain.” And that’s just what he did. He didn’t let his loss of speech hold him back. In fact, he learned how to speak in multiple languages. After earning a high school diploma in his own Arabic-speaking hometown of Karbala, he earned a second high school diploma at an Iranian school in Baghdad, where Farsi was the primary language. (Afsharpour needed to learn Farsi in order to eventually attend college in Iran and earning a second dipoma from a Farsi-speaking high school enabled him to be fluently bilingual.) In 1974, Afsharpour graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in biology from Azarabadegan-Tabriz University in Iran.
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“My accident helped me realize what I wanted to do with my life. That’s when I knew that I wanted to study the brain.” — SALMAN AFSHARPOUR
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As a regular patient and proponent of Chiropractic, he knew LIFE was the right place for him. Continuing on his mission to learn more about the brain and his injury, Afsharpour came to the United States in the mid-1970s seeking higher education opportunities. After completing an intensive, six-month English course (and adding a third language to his resume), he enrolled in a six-year joint master’s and Ph.D. program, studying anatomy and neuroscience at Michigan State University. He graduated in 1983. He followed his mentor and former Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at Michigan State, Dr. Stephen Kitai, to Memphis, Tenn., where Afsharpour did his postdoctoral research at the University of Tennessee’s Neuroscience Center of Excellence. “Research on the brain is never-ending,” Afsharpour says. “The central nervous system is the master control system of the entire body—all of the other systems work for your brain. It made perfect sense for me to choose this field of study. I love the nervous system!” Throughout his career, Afsharpour’s research has been published 16 times in various journals and abstracts. “Knowledge is power,” he says. “You have to have knowledge in any field you study. You need that power for your living.” Alongside Kitai at UT Memphis, Afsharpour worked as an instructor and research assistant in a world-renowned laboratory. He hosted scientists and doctors from all across the globe, including citizens of France, China, Canada, Mexico and Japan. He eventually left UT Memphis to accept an assistant professor of biological sciences position at nearby LeMoyne Owen College, where he worked until 1991.
At that point in his career, Afsharpour was ready for something new. His fascination with the neurological system led him to Life University. As a regular patient and proponent of Chiropractic, he knew LIFE was the right place for him. He signed on as LIFE’s newest associate professor of anatomy and neuroscience. “I’ve always been a generally healthy person and have been under regular chiropractic care for years, even before coming to LIFE,” Afsharpour says. “But I wanted to learn more. When I saw the opportunity to come to LIFE, I jumped on it! I wanted to be a part of the chiropractic family.” Since he’s been at LIFE, Afsharpour has taught numerous courses including Spinal Anatomy, Gross Anatomy, Neuroanatomy (CNS & PNS), Osteology, Introductory Anatomy and Physiology. One of his favorite projects is his 12-volume dissection video series. The video series shows detailed, in-depth dissections, filmed right here in the gross anatomy lab at LIFE. “The students have a lot to learn while they’re here. Although we would still do the dissections in the lab, I wanted to give them more. I created the video series so they could study and reference the material even when we weren’t in the lab,” he says. In 2004, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself to Afsharpour. The Iraq War had just begun, and he received a unique phone call. On the other end of the line, a representative of the U.S. government was asking for his help. The government had discovered Afsharpour’s ability to speak both Arabic and Farsi. This, coupled with his familiarity with his native country of Iraq, made him a sought-after resource. “It was such an
honor to be asked to help. I couldn’t pass up this amazing opportunity.” After being a part of the LIFE community for more than 13 years, Afsharpour left for Washington, D.C., to aid the government during the war, signing on for a six-month contract. He soon traveled overseas and met with important U.S. and Middle Eastern leaders. Because he was involved in many top-secret meetings, he cannot discuss the details of his assignments. Afsharpour’s knowledge and skill set were so valuable that the government continuously extended his contract. Finally, after seven years of service to our country, he made the decision to return to LIFE. “I was ready to come home,” Afsharpour says. “I checked the LIFE website and saw that my old position in the Basic Sciences department was available. I applied and now, here I am!” Afsharpour just completed his first quarter back at LIFE, and he’s not wasting any time getting back into the swing of things. He taught four courses this past quarter—Osteology & Arthrology, Spinal Anatomy, Visceral and Musculoskeletal Gross labs, and several weekend seminars. He is fully immersing himself in the LIFE experience yet again. He has been a huge fan of the Running Eagles basketball team since first coming to Life University, often traveling to away games in support of the team. He was even a member of the 2002 faculty basketball team. Now, instead of looking forward to another government assignment overseas, Afsharpour is excited for basketball season. For him, it is a very welcome change. “I’m so happy to be back. I really missed my LIFE family.”
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NEWS FROM ALUMNI RELATIONS BY LEILA TATUM
Alumni & Friends Party and Class Reunions: Blast from the past! Bell-bottom pants, afros, disco balls, lava lamps, black lights … No, you did not fall through the rabbit hole and exit in the 1970s, but it may seem like it when you attend the annual Alumni & Friends Party and Class Reunions during LIFE’s free Fall CE program. This year, we chose a ’70s theme in honor of the first graduating class (1977). You’ll experience live music, wacky entertainment, plenty to eat and drink and lots of opportunity to mingle with your long-lost classmates. This party, held on Saturday, Sept. 29, and open to all Fall CE attendees, will be out of sight! For more information or to register, please visit the Fall CE site at LIFE.edu/Fall_CE_Event_2012.
Life University career services and classified listings The career services website is brought to you by the Department of Career Services and is jointly managed by the Department of Alumni Relations. When you first access the Career Services website, you’ll have two user options: Students/Alumni or Employer. If you want to search career listings, you’ll need to click on the Students/Alumni link. If you want to post an opportunity, please click on the Employer link. Anyone (alumni, friends, students, donors, organizations and individuals) may post a job opportunity, practice for sale and/or equipment for sale or rent. However, to search for jobs, you must be either a student or an alum. You must use your alumni ID number to access this portion. For your convenience, your ID number is printed on the postage tag of the alumni magazine, Your Extraordinary LIFE. You may also contact the Department of Alumni Relations to request assistance with obtaining your alumni ID and registering for access. The career services site can be accessed by clicking on the Alumni tab of
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the new Alumni & Friends website. You can also access the job board by visiting the main LIFE website at LIFE.edu and choosing Online Career Services under the engageLIFE tab at the top of the page.
LIFE on the road California Jam In February, several members from the LIFE community were in Southern California representing the University at the Dead Chiropractic Society’s
California Jam 2012. More than 1,600 people were in attendance at this rockin’ convention, held at The Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, Calif. Advancement team members Leila Tatum and Tom McCleskey and traveling recruiter Cristina Stellino hosted a booth in the exhibit hall. Tatum and McCleskey hosted an Alumni & Friends luncheon for more than 60 people, where Life University President Dr. Guy Riekeman gave a presentation, sharing updates and pictures of the campus as well as updating the group on what LIFE is doing to advance the profession. On Saturday, Stellino hosted a successful Student Recruitment Event (SRE) in San Diego. Make sure to check our event calendar on the Alumni & Friends website to find out when we’ll be hosting an event near you. Florida In March, several members from the LIFE community were on the road representing Life University. Alumni Relations Manager Leila Tatum and development team member Tom McCleskey were in south Florida representing the University at the Florida Chiropractic Society’s 20 Hour
Flex Express. Several hundred people were in attendance at this convention, where we sponsored lunch for all attendees on Saturday afternoon. During the luncheon, LIFE’s VP for University Advancement, Greg Harris, gave a presentation. Tatum and McCleskey also hosted a booth in the exhibit hall. North Carolina Alumni Relations Coordinator Jen Lesshafft and traveling recruiter Cristina Stellino were in Asheville, N.C., last March, where they represented Life University at the North Carolina Chiropractic Association’s Spring Convention. On Friday night, they hosted an Alumni & Friends reception for 40 people where VP for Alumni Affairs, Dr. Rob Scott, gave a presentation. Lesshafft and Stellino also hosted a booth in the exhibit hall.
LIFE Rugby watch party, SRE and alumni gathering in Philadelphia Drs. Stu Katzen and Jay Zimmerman hosted a comprehensive Life University event on Saturday, March 3, at the Bards Irish Pub in Philadelphia. More than 30 people were in attendance. The group was comprised of alumni, friends, families, prospective students, local rugby coaches and even a representative from USA Sevens Rugby. The day started off with a Student Recruitment Event (SRE) with four prospective students and their parents in attendance. Mingling began at noon before the LIFE rugby game against Texas A&M was streamed live. Attendees watched LIFE win 72-3! Katzen and Zimmerman were very pleased with the turnout of the event and plan to host one each spring. Their hope is for similar events to be planned throughout the country. If you are interested in hosting an alumni event or SRE in your area, please contact Alumni@LIFE.edu.
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Fall CE registration more than 50 percent sold out! Register now to ensure you are a part of Life University’s biggest event of the year! Look at this speaker line-up: Drs. Ted Carrick, Dan Murphy, Deed Harrison, Donald Glassey, John Donofrio, Jerry Hochman, Keith Rau and Marni Capes … and there’s many more quality speakers to come! Thanks to our generous sponsors who have allowed us the opportunity to continue to provide the sought-after, experienced speakers you want to hear. At this five-day event Sept. 26–30, you will have the opportunity to earn more than 30 hours of CE credit, with 15 different tracks covering all your favorite topics including Neurology, Biomechanics, Technique, Research, Clinical Studies, Philosophy and Practice Management. Additional courses will be offered in topics such as Nutrition, Sport Health Science, Business and Psychology. As of the time of this writing, we are already more than 50 percent sold out! We sold out last year and expect to sell out even sooner this year. The first 1,300 people to register can attend Fall CE for FREE! You will still be able to register after we meet the 1,300 free registrants, but please note that the registration fee increases to $300 at that time. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity. Vist LIFE.edu/Fall_CE_Event_2012 to learn more and to register.
Don’t forget! If you’ve already registered for Fall CE 2012, don’t forget to register in advance for any parties or lunches during the event: • Boxed lunches available Thursday–Saturday for $12 each • Class of 1977 Dinner (for class of 1977 graduates and their guests only) • Class of 1982 Breakfast (for class of 1982 graduates and their guests only) • League of Chiropractic Women Breakfast • Alumni & Friends Party and Class Reunions (everyone is invited!)—only $20 per person
Helpful hints: Please plan to arrive early as we are expecting more than 1,500 people on campus that weekend. Parking will be available for everyone, but it may not be right in front of your destination. We encourage you to use our friendly and frequent shuttle service! Also, due to high demand, many classes may fill up quickly. Make sure to arrive early to reserve your spot and be on time for each class. It’s recommended that you choose a second option in case your first-choice session is full. Please contact Postgrad@LIFE.edu or 800-543-3406 with any questions.
Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner Program Life University is proud to offer the Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner (CCEP) program as part of our on-campus CE offerings. The CCEP program was established by the Council on Extremity Adjusting (CEA), founded by Dr. Kevin Hearon, and is designed to teach doctors how to evaluate, diagnose, adjust, stabilize and rehabilitate subluxations of the extremities. As stated by the CEA: “The Council on Extremity Adjusting recognizes that treatment of the whole body requires synchrony between the nervous system and the mechanical control system of the kinetic chain. Subluxations of any joint have both neurological and mechanical components. Many patients suffer repetitive subluxations and nerve entrapments because the mechanical component is ignored, leaving root causes
undiscovered and untreated. The goal of the Council is to provide doctors with the tools necessary to easily diagnose and treat these injuries, incorporating both neurological and mechanical treatments.” The full designate course is comprised of 105 total hours; the 15-hour classes are spaced over seven weekends, usually a month apart. All classes must be completed within 25 months in order to qualify for the practical exam. Courses to be held at Life University through the remainder of 2012: 2012 CCEP MOD 5 Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner: 15 CE hours Rehabilitation of the Extremities Instructor: Dr. Edward Sinclair Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012
2012 CCEP MOD 6 Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner: 15 CE hours Extremity Soft Tissue Diagnosis & Treatment by Manual Methods Instructor: Dr. Greg Bruno Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 2012 CCEP MOD 7 Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner: 15 CE hours Global Assessment of the Extremities Instructor: Dr. John Downes Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 For course descriptions and additional information, please visit kevinhearon.com/CEA/cea.html. To register, please visit: raisersedge.life.edu/ccep.
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CLASS NOTES
Keep in Touch with Dr. Paul Silcox (’78) has just celebrated his 34th year of practice since graduating from LIFE. In addition to Manipulation Under Anesthesia training, Silcox recently completed his Diplomat program with the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture. He is practicing in Perrysburg, Ohio. Silcox will be focusing on lighter chiropractic techniques, acupuncture, nutrition and detoxification. He’d love to hear from his fellow classmates! Contact him at plsilcoxdc@sbcglobal.com. Dr. Andrew Kirk (’79) of Savannah, Ga., celebrated his patient appreciation day May 3. To celebrate, they hosted a fundraiser supporting Soles4Souls.org, a non-profit organization whose mission is to collect and distribute shoes to millions of people around the world. Partnering with a new local business, they hope to develop this program into a city-wide project and collect 25,000 pairs of shoes for those in need. To date, they have collected more than 425 pairs of gently used shoes. Dr. Dan Batchelor (’80) of Roswell, Ga., continues to add credits to his 32-year resume as an actor and renowned chiropractic expert. He was interviewed as Atlanta’s foremost expert on back pain for CNN, and was recently filmed as the treating doctor for an A&E channel documentary featuring one of his patients. Batchelor will also appear as a fighter-pilot-turned-DEAagent in upcoming feature film, “Against the Wind.” A consultant for Runners World magazine, Fit magazine and the Georgia Runner, Batchelor has published more than 500 articles. He is the overall winner of the 2004 Subaru Challenge Triathlon and the 2003 Atlanta Six Flags Half Marathon, in July 2010 was ranked No. 1 in the Georgia State Championship Mountain Bike Race Series XCGM, and is a six-time overall winner of the Roswell Road Race.
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Dr. Steve Koc (’80), formerly known as Dr. Akal Singh Khalsa, has traveled the world as a personal chiropractor to celebrities such as Michael Jackson and members of The Grateful Dead. These experiences have inspired him to create his own music, the latest being a new relaxation music CD. The album, “Radhe’s Dream: Music for Relaxation, Healing, Bliss,” is Koc’s fourth with his band Martyrs of Sound. This latest project is the result of decades of study into sound and mantra, and their effects on the neuroendocrine systems. For more information and to listen visit martyrsofsound.com.
Graduates Dr. Gary Lett (’86) of Hattiesburg, Miss., published a novel about football in the South, in which one of the main characters is a Chiropractor. Lett grew up in Glencoe, Ala., and was a member of their 1973 2-A State football Championship team. He played football at Jacksonville State University (Ala.) and earned a golf scholarship. Lett has had articles published by the Hattiesburg American, Chiropractic Economics and several others. He’s also been asked to do a recurring feature, “Ask the Doctor,” in Southern Golf Journal magazine.
Dr. Bob Rabin (’80) and his wife Barbara recently moved back to New York to be closer to their family. Although they are excited for this new venture, they already miss their LIFE family here in Marietta. He’d love to hear from his fellow classmates at drpops74@bellsouth.net. We’d like to extend our condolences to the family of Dr. Terry Magdovitz (’81), who passed away on Saturday, March 10. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Magdovitz family. Former state House Representative Dr. Art Argenio (’84) will be in the running for a newly drawn House seat in St. Lucie County, Fla., this election cycle. Argenio, a chiropractor from Fort Pierce listed as a no-party-affiliated candidate, served in the House as a Republican for a year in 1999 in the Martin County-anchored District 82. We’d like to extend our condolences to the family of Alumni Association representative Dr. Dave (“Ike”) Eugster (’84) after the passing of his mother, Patricia Eugster, on Feb. 28. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Eugster family. Dr. Perry Chinn (’86) just released the second edition of his second book, Symphony of Wellness. In Symphony of Wellness, Chinn reveals the healing effects of nitric oxide, how it functions within the body, the development of the product Acctrix after years of scientific research and its successful contribution in returning people to health.
Dr. Christopher Bruno (’91) was named the Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association’s (VCA) Chiropractor of the Year for 2011. The committee described the final selection of Dr. Bruno as “fast and easy,” due to his relentless work on behalf of Chiropractic in northern Virginia and throughout the state. We’d like to extend our condolences to the family of Dr. Tom Paulos (’91), who passed away in April. Dr. Paulos was a member of the LIFE community for several years as Clinic Director and Faculty Clinician. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Paulos family.
23 elected as a district director in 2006. District V includes Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida and Puerto Rico. The NBCE Board of Directors also elected him as president. Previously, he served as vice president of the NBCE from 2010–2012.
Dr. Heidi Bockhold (’92) was an instructor at LIFE for almost eight years, in addition to also working in a private practice. In 2000, she became certified in Animal Chiropractic by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA) and the International Veterinarian Chiropractic Association (IVCA). Shortly after, she completed advanced animal chiropractic training and would later become an international instructor and co-owner of Options For Animals College of Animal Chiropractic. She also co-founded the International College of Animal Chiropractors and has conducted research on using Chiropractic Manipulative Reflex Technique on animals, which she presented to the Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conferences. She often lectures to lay audiences on a variety of topics including Animal Chiropractic, Integrative Animal Health Care, and Equine and Canine Management. She owns and operates a full-time animal chiropractic practice. Dr. Karen Callaghan (’92) and her husband, Dr. Anthony Holvick (’92) were named to the list of “top docs” in New Jersey by NJTopDocs.com. The team of managing partners and practicing doctors of chiropractic at Atlantic County Family Spine and Rehabilitation in Galloway Township, N.J., were screened and certified as top-rated Doctors of Chiropractic based on a specific set of criteria, including a review of their licenses and credentials, their dedication to continuing education and overall patient satisfaction. Dr. Norman Ouzts, Jr. (’92) of Greenwood, S.C., has been re-elected to a three-year term as District V director of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE). Ouzts was first
For the past nine years, Dr. Sal Minicozzi (’94) has hosted a charity golf tournament, Doctors Against Hunger. This year’s tournament, which benefits the Atlanta Community Food bank, was on May 17. Drs. Dawn (’96) and Rob (’96) Cadwallader were recognized by Madison magazine in Madison, Wis., as their practice was named one of the Top 20 Best Places to Work in Madison. These rankings came from extensive surveys completed by at least half of their employees that measure six areas of employee engagement: trust, management, development, rewards, connection and lifework balance. This year, they also had to fill out additional surveys measuring two new factors, diversity and sustainability. This isn’t the first award for the Cadwalladers. The Sun Prairie Star named them Best Doctor in 2011, Best Chiropractor in 2012 and Best Customer Service citywide for two years running. Dr. Steven Shoshany (’96) was invited by Dr. Mehmet Oz to appear in a special segment about Chiropractic on his Emmy awardwinning NBC show, “The Dr. Oz Show.” In the segment, Shoshany and Oz’s dialogue centered on important topics such as the significant advantages of Chiropractic for the treatment of chronic back pain, and as a safe and effective alternative to surgery. Shoshany and Oz also discussed dealing with inaccurate negative perceptions about the chiropractic profession and closed the segment with an on-camera adjustment by Shoshany on a patient suffering from back pain.
Dr. Patrick Greco (’98) was named regional developer of Atlanta for The Joint Corp, a franchisor of chiropractic clinics. In addition to his practice, Greco owns two Massage Envy clinics in the Atlanta area. As part of this new role, he will be responsible for opening 30 new clinics in Atlanta and the surrounding counties. Dr. Alex Hernandez (’01) of North Bergen, N.J., celebrated his seventh year in his own practice May 9. He is also celebrating the addition of acupuncture to his practice. Dr. Lou Hilliard (’04) continues to pound the pavement in the name of Chiropractic. Working in the metro Atlanta area, Hilliard spends much of his time at the Georgia Governor’s office in a relentless push to have the chiropractic voice heard and celebrated in the state. In March, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued a proclamation declaring March “Georgia Chiropractic Month.” Gil Braum (’11), a graduate of LIFE’s Business Administration program, reports from Thailand that he has completed the three-month meditation training program he embarked on in January, and is now a certified meditation instructor. The experienced videographer has been documenting his experiences on film with the help of a camera crew, and he plans to share video and other impressions of his experience on his website, combustagil.com, following his return to the U.S. in May. We’d like to extend our condolences to the family of former Board of Trustees Member Dr. Rebecca Ray, whose husband, Howard Ray, passed away in April. The family will accept flowers or donations to a charity of choice. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ray family.
DON’T BE SHY! We’d like to include your personal and professional news and photos in upcoming editions of Class Notes. Send your information to Alumni@LIFE.edu.
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Mark Your Alumni Events DATE
EVENT/VENUE
LOCATION
ALUMNI EVENT TIME
AUGUST 17-19 23-26
Florida Chiropractic Society Florida Chiropractic Association
The Breakers, Palm Beach, Fla. The Peabody, Orlando, Fla.
Friday night reception, 7-9 p.m. Saturday luncheon, noon-2 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 26-30 Fall CE 2012 29 Alumni & Friends Party and Class Reunions 28-30 Michigan Association of Chiropractors
Life University Life University Hyatt Regency, Dearborn, Mich.
Multiple events 5:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m.
OCTOBER 4-7 5-7 12-14 18-21 27-28
Ocean Plaza Resort, Long Branch, N.J. Hilton at Easton, Columbus, Ohio Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Va. Crown Plaza Ravinia, Atlanta, Ga. Hilton East Brunswick, East Brunswick, N.J.
Event sponsor, Saturday lunch Saturday gala sponsor Speaker sponsor Saturday lunch, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday lunch, time TBD
Hilton Westchester, Rye Brook, N.Y.
Speaker sponsor, Saturday lunch
New Beginnings for a New Future Ohio State Chiropractic Association Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association Georgia Chiropractic Association Association of New Jersey Chiropractors
NOVEMBER 2-4 New York Chiropractic Council
For more information or to register, please visit RaisersEdge.LIFE.edu or contact the Department of Alumni Relations at Alumni@LIFE.edu or 800-543-3203.
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Important Contacts: Life University 1269 Barclay Circle Marietta, GA 30060 www.LIFE.edu
Update Your Information: Office of Alumni Relations 800-543-3203 Alumni@LIFE.edu Make a Gift: Office of Development 800-543-3436 Order a Transcript: Office of the Registrar 888-423-5547 Recruit Students: Office of Recruitment 800-543-3202 Search/Post Opportunities: Office of Career Services 770-426-2700 Careers@LIFE.edu