2019 Homecoming Celebrates 10 Years of Florida Site
Friday, September 6, 2019
NUHS alumni from around the country gathered in Orlando to
celebrate the 10th 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.
