Preparing for the future with a nod to the past, Cleveland Chiropractic College (CCC) celebrated Founders Day on June 7. The day recognized the founders of the institution, while providing a day of alternative education offerings for the student body. The event was coordinated by the CCC administration.
The day included distinguished guest speakers, breakout sessions and interaction with alumni and product vendors, all geared to help current students achieve professional success. The keynote speaker for the morning was Dr. Michelle Robin, a 1992 graduate of the College. Robin spoke to the audience about how to achieve career success while remaining true to one’s self.
Following the opening address, the students took part in the various breakout sessions held throughout the morning. There were four sessions with topics designed to touch on different elements of the chiropractic profession. From business marketing, to rehabilitation, the subject matter was as varied as the presenters.
The topics included: “A Glimpse at Different Types of Practice,” led by Dr. James Anderson ’66, Dr. Eugene Lockrow ’83 and Dr. Clark Beckley ’75; “The Anatomy and Physiology of Cervical Adjusting,” led by Dr. Steve Agocs and Dr. Paul Barlett; “Functional Assessment of the Lumbar Spine and Exercise-Based Rehabilitation,”led by Dr. Mark Pfefer ’88 and Dr. Jon Wilson ’03; “Patellar Tracking Disorders: Is it the Root of all Knee Pain?” led by Dr. James Bond ’87 and Dr. Deborah Denno; “Diagnosis & Management of Selected Disorders of the Shoulder,” led by Dr. Jason Bartlett and Dr. Michael Whitehead; “Marketing Your Practice Through Effective Communication,” led by Drs. Stephanie De La Torre ’97, Patrick Hammond ’97, Bruce Swickard ’90 and CCC Community Outreach Representative, Linda Gerdes,. “Life After Cleveland: A Users Guide,” which included perspectives from Drs. Peggy Brown-Grantham ’97, Jeff Spencer ’97, Sarah Kucera ’06 and Thomas Murray ’11.
Jalonna Bowie, director of student services, was one of the coordinators of the Founders Day event. She indicated that the student response to this new offering was overwhelmingly positive.
“Overall, we were very pleased with the entire day,” Bowie said. “The presenters were great, the students were enthusiastic, and there was just a good feeling surrounding the whole event. We look forward to building on this success to make the next Founders Day celebration even better.”
Students began with their first session, and then rotated classrooms throughout the morning allowing them to attend four different sessions. After the morning sessions, students joined faculty, staff and administrators for an outdoor, barbecue lunch. The group then re-convened in the Dining Hall for an all-school assembly featuring Dr. Carl S. Cleveland III, president, and George McAndrews, one of the plaintiff attorneys in the landmark Wilk vs American Medical Association court case. McAndrews shared his thoughts on the case and what the victory meant for the chiropractic profession.
Cleveland spoke about the humble beginnings of the College, and saluted those who made it possible. Begun in 1922 by Dr. Carl Cleveland Sr., his wife Dr. Ruth Cleveland and Dr. Perl B. Griffin, the College was originally based out of the Cleveland family home at 436 Prospect Ave. Continued growth necessitated a move to a new location on Troost Ave in Kansas City in 1929. This was followed by yet another move to Rockhill Road in the early 1970s, before moving to its current location on Lowell Ave., in Overland Park, Kan. Cleveland ruminated about the long journey that took the College from its early days to now where its educational impact is felt around the world.
Drawings for door prizes and an ice cream social closed out the festivities for the day. Students registered for a wide range of items, and had to be in attendance to win. The grand prize went to George Stanton, who took home a 42-inch RCA HDTV. Kara Thomas won a Kindle Fire and Aaron Lawson won $100 cash. Others received products or gift certificates donated by chiropractic vendors, the campus bookstore or area retailers.
