Chiropractic student leaders from around the country were on campus September 6-8 as National University of Health Sciences hosted the 2019 Student American Chiropractic Association (SACA) Leadership Conference. The theme was “Excellence is Our Standard.”

The conference is designed to develop successful leaders in the chiropractic profession and allow students the opportunity to begin networking with future colleagues. Approximately 150 students elected to SACA positions at universities around the country participated in the conference, which included a new feature called “SACA Talks.” Among the conference speakers were five selected students who addressed topics ranging from community health to perceptions and biases looking inward and out.

“SACA Talks provided student leaders with the opportunity to speak at a national conference on issues that matter to them,” explained Leadership Conference Co-Chair Alli Totzke.

Dean Smith, DC, PhD, (NUHS ’97), an associate clinical professor at Miami University who won the American Chiropractic Association 2018 Researcher of the Year award, served as keynote speaker. He discussed how to build a research repertoire and the impacts of chiropractic research. NCMIC sponsored his presentation.

NUHS faculty members Dana Madigan, DC, Nakiesha Pearson, DC, Daniel Strauss, DC, and NUHS President Joseph Stiefel, MS, EdD, DC, also educated and inspired students as conference speakers.

“Right now, the one thing that binds us all together is that you’re all looking to be doctors of chiropractic medicine, you’re all looking to help people,” Dr. Stiefel said. “You all have this gift that you’re learning, this art and science that you’re honing and soon you’ll have this amazing opportunity to help people. Know that’s what you have.”

The first SACA Leadership Conference was held at National University in 2008. Among the goals for the conference were for students to make professional connections with fellow students and future colleagues, learn about career paths and practice options, strengthen their advocacy for the profession, and build collaborative skills. Foot Levelers sponsored the Awards Dinner.

When selecting NUHS to host the conference, the American Chiropractic Association’s Leadership Conference Planning Committee noted that they were extremely impressed with the detailed information provided about the conference theme, goals and logistics. They also cited “tremendous support” from Dr. Stiefel, the chapter’s faculty advisor Dr. Madigan and university administrators.