2019 Homecoming Celebrates 10 Years of Florida Site

Friday, September 6, 2019

NUHS alumni from around the country gathered in Orlando to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the Florida site during Homecoming 2019 from August 22-25.

"This year's homecoming was a celebration of National's past, present and future.  While we celebrated 10 years of the Florida site, we also brought together the people that make a homecoming successful - alumni from Illinois and Florida as well as current faculty, staff and students.  While talking to a group of students, they were so impressed by the recent grad panel because they could see the linear relationship of where they are now and what they are working hard on becoming," said NUHS President Joseph Stiefel, MS, EdD, DC.

During the mentor panel, NUHS graduates discussed their practices and how they found their niches. In addition, the panelists covered marketing tactics and how to thrive in practice while paying off student loans. Panelists included Dex Alvarez, DC; Sue Bedair, DC; Bethany Dixon, DC; Daniel Johns, DC; and Guarav Reshamwala, DC.

As part of the first graduating class at the Florida site, Dr. Alvarez said the event was extra special for him because it was held in Florida. He also enjoyed reconnecting with past friends and staff.

"It's great to see how everyone is doing after school and to be able to sit and talk with past professors on more of an even level," Dr. Alvarez said.

Throughout the Homecoming event, alumni helped raise funds to create a scholarship for current students enrolled in the DC program at the Florida site.  As part of the Florida Celebration Fundraising Campaign, donations will be combined with institutional funds for the creation of an endowed scholarship. 

"We were thrilled to surpass our $10,000 fundraising goal thanks to the generosity of so many donors," said Tracy McHugh, MBA, NUHS Vice President for Administrative Services. "We are grateful to all the alumni who participated and helped make Homecoming a success." NUHS Alumni David Preston DC, ARNP, and Michael Shaffer,DC, PA, helped push the total past $10,000 in the final hours.

Held in tandem with the Florida Chiropractic Association's "The National" convention, this year's event allowed for additional networking opportunities. NUHS sponsored Kristine Tohtz, DC, LAc, (NUHS '99, '01, '14) as one of the convention's speakers. She hosted multiple sessions on the benefits of pediatric acupuncture and risk management.

President Stiefel also celebrated several faculty and alumni with various awards.

Daniel Strauss, DC, Dean of the College of Professional Studies at the Florida site, received the Distinguished Service Award.

Debbie Brown-Hagan, Florida Chiropractic Association CEO, and Ken Dougherty, DC, chairman of the NUHS Board of Trustees, were awarded the President's Medallion.

For their varying years of service, Randy Swenson, DC, MHPE, NUHS vice president for Academic Services, NUHS faculty Kristine Aikenhead, DC, and Raymond Nietzold, DC, a member of the Board of Trustees, and Rita Nietzold, DC, received the President's Cabinet Internationale Awards.

Mike Whitmer, vice president of NCMIC Chiropractic Insurance Programs, received the President's Quality Service Award.

NUHS sponsors China Gel, Inc. and Erchonia Corporation were awarded the Senior Steward Recognition.

This year's Homecoming sponsors included Erchonia Corporation, NCMIC, Standard Process, China-Gel, Core Products, International, Inc., Protocol for Life Balance, Foot Levelers and Gordon Flesch.