Luke Bergner, a student in the Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree program at Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), has been named the recipient of the Standard Process Scholarship at the University. Dr. Carl S. Cleveland III, CUKC president, recently awarded the scholarship check to Bergner in a presentation held on campus. The scholarship recognizes a student in the D.C. program who is academically strong and has also made positive contributions outside the classroom.
The scholarship is awarded to a student who holds a cumulative GPA of 3.0, with at least one trimester of study remaining at CUKC. Applicants were also asked to share how they support the chiropractic profession, the University, and the community. Finally, they were asked to complete an essay, with a topic put forth by the scholarship sponsor, Standard Process Inc., a leader in whole food nutrient solutions since 1929.
The topic for this year was: “Please give three reasons, with supporting information, why you believe that 90 years later, nutritional supplementation is more important than ever.” Students submitted their essay and other application materials to the Office of Financial Aid for consideration, and Bergner was chosen as the scholarship recipient.
The story of Bergner’s arrival at CUKC is one of discovery and hope. He suffers from a chronic illness, and after all medical treatment options provided little relief, he turned to chiropractic. The results were positive. And though he had been working in corporate construction for six years, he began to question if chiropractic might be his true calling.
Bergner consulted with Dr. Justin Grabouski, an Overland Park, Kan., chiropractor and a 2009 graduate of CUKC. Grabouski became a sounding board for Bergner and a “huge influence” in his decision to pursue a career as a doctor of chiropractic.
“Dr. Grabouski listened to my concerns and was able to meet them with encouraging and realistic reasons why I should move forward in my pursuit to become a chiropractor,” Bergner said. “I want to be able to pass on the benefits that I have received from chiropractic to others in the community who are suffering and may feel that the traditional medical path has failed them.”
When he applied for the Standard Process Scholarship, Bergner was familiar with their products. He was already using their supplements and was pleased with the quality.
“High-quality supplementation can have amazing benefits for people, and I think Standard Process is an elite group in terms of providing that service,” Bergner said. “My admiration for Standard Process and my passion for the benefits of nutritional supplementation led me to pursue the scholarship.”
Being named the recipient of the award is an honor for Bergner. But, while the scholarship will assist with his tuition expenses, it does more than that.
“Winning this scholarship means a lot to me,” Bergner said. “For the obvious reason, that it will significantly help me financially, but also because it’s somewhat of a confirmation for me that I am in the right place, and I am doing what I was meant to do.”
Standard Process Inc. is a leader in whole food nutrient solutions. Based in Palmyra, Wis., the company is a strong supporter of education, and grants thousands of dollars in scholarships each year to those pursuing natural health care professions.
