YEL - SP11

SPRING 2011 VOL. 4 ISSUE 1 LIFE UNIVERSITY’S ALUMNI MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT’S letter

Spring is always a wonderful time of year for all of

us at Life University – the grounds are green and

blooming; the weather warms enough for students

to haul their laptops and books outside to study in

the sunshine; and, of course, we graduate our lat-

est class of talented students, and welcome a

growing number of new students to their first quar-

ter at LIFE.

This spring however, the excitement seems

higher and our schedules seem fuller than ever with

numerous events being planned. Our Running

Eagles, arguably the best undergraduate rugby

team in the country, set out to prove just that with

the kick-off of the inaugural College Premier

League season on March 5.

LIFE will host the second Life Source Octagon

program April 14-16, which convenes thought lead-

ers in Healthcare and vitalistic philosophy on LIFE’s

campus to undertake the task of describing what a

new healthcare paradigm – one based on natural,

vitalistic principles of optimal health rather than

sickcare – would look like. I personally encourage

you to attend this program as it is sure to be one of

the world’s greatest conversations going on in

Healthcare today.

And, because LIFE can never be too busy when it

comes to promoting our mission and growing the

profession, our quarterly LIFE Leadership Weekend

and LIFEforce Training events will be held that same

weekend. We will also be introducing prospective

students to LIFE, and training our elite ambassa-

dors, the LIFEforce 1000, so that they are equipped

with the right tools to help us continue introducing

more future chiropractors to our campus and the

chiropractic profession each year.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that our lat-

est campus improvement project under the 20/20

Vision is now complete; the parking lots that once

stood in front of the administration building are

gone, replaced with a beautiful new central green

we call “Lyceum Park.” You can read about the

amazing transformation in this issue of Your

Extraordinary LIFE, but I also ask that next time you

are on campus (which I hope is very soon) you take

time to explore this incredible space for yourself.

After all, there’s no better time than springtime in

Atlanta for a walk in the Park!

Yours in Chiropractic,

Guy. F. Riekeman, D.C.

President

Life Alumni!Greetings

This springhowever, the

excitement seemshigher and our

schedules seemfuller than everwith numerousevents being

planned.

www.life.eduSpring2011

DEPAR TMEN T S

Running Away with the FieldOn the Run with Leo Kormanik

On-Site DCDr. Michael Sheps takes an active role in thetraining of today’s top athletes.

Lyceum ParkLIFE’s new green gathering space transformscampus culture and community

LIFE UNIVERSITY

Guy F. Riekeman, D.C.President

Greg HarrisVice President for University Advancement

Craig DekshenieksDirector of Communications

Molly DickinsonCommunications Coordinator

Leila TatumAlumni Relations Manager

Jenni BennettPublic Relations Coordinator

Guy D’AlemaSenior Photographer

Jen LesshafftAlumni Relations Coordinator

NEW SOUTH PUBLISHING, INC.

Jamie RyanPublisher

Larry LebovitzPresident

John HannaVice President

Austin HoltEditor

Amy SelbyAssociate Editor

Michelle SchlundtProduction Coordinator/Circulation Manager

Garon HartGraphic Designer

www.

life.ed

u

Spring2011

Your Extraordinary Life magazine is published three times a year byNew South Publishing, 450 Northridge Parkway, Ste. 202, Atlanta, GA 30350.770-650-1102; Fax: 770-650-2848. Postmaster: Send address changes toYour Extraordinary Life, 1269 Barclay Circle, Marietta, GA 30060-9854.

It is the purpose of Your Extraordinary Life to promote the events, accomplishments,accolades and philosophies of Life University and its faculty, staff andstudents to current, prospective and former students, as well as the academiccommunity at large. Life University is a private, nonprofit institution founded in1974. For more information, write to Life University, 1269 Barclay Circle,Marietta, GA 30060, or visit life.edu.

Material in this publication may not be reprinted without written permissionfrom the editorial offices in Marietta. All rights reserved.© Copyright 2011 Life University. Printed in the USA.

Reader CommentsSee something you are excited about?How about something that makes your blood boil?Write in and tell us about it.Please submit all comments to [email protected].

ContentsYour Extraordinary LifeThe Alumni Magazine of Life University

2 Around Campus: What’s New at Life?LIFE’s Mobile App Goes Live; Octagon Defines New Paradigm;Smart Moves Students; Team USA Training; LIFE Takes Bronze;Remembering Dr. Turnbull

4 AthleticsNo. 3 in Rugby; Welcoming James Isaacson; 200 in Cyclocross

8 Lasting PurposeCommitting Now to Give in the Future

14 Undergraduate NewsWhat’s happening in the College of Undergraduate Studies.

17 Faculty SpotlightFrances Roberson, Ph.D.

18 LIFE Research UpdateAlumni Speak, LIFE Listens

20 Alumni SpotlightAustin Cohen, D.C.

21 Alumni UpdateClass Reunions; Meet the Board;Alumni Discounts and Benefits

22 Class Notes

24 Mark Your Calendar

F EATURE S

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What’s New atgram. Students sipped cocoa in the TreeHouse, met our LIFE basketball players(some of them Marietta High Schoolalums) and discovered more about whatthe college experience –– and a collegedegree –– could do for their lives.

In keeping with LIFE’s commitment tosupporting these students throughouttheir higher education, each participat-ing student who graduates high schoolwith a GPA of 2.5 or higher will be eligibleto receive a $20,000, four-year scholar-ship to attend Life University.

Team USA chiropractorstrain at LIFEIn November 2010, LIFE, in conjunctionwith Maximized Living, hosted 86 DCswho will be in the pool of chiropractorshoping to be selected to be part of TeamUSA for the 2012 Olympics. Chiropractorscame from across the country to get furthereducation on extremity adjusting fromLIFE faculty members Drs. Keith Rau andMarni Capes. The attendees have beenworking with wrestling, weightlifting andjudo competitors as the athletes trainand compete in the lead up to the U.S.Olympic Trials prior to the summerOlympics in London. Many of the chiro-practors in attendance will be selected tobe official members of Team USA in 2012.

Rau hopes this will be the first ofmany sessions attended by these chiro-practors, as they help our Olympic ath-letes achieve optimum performance inthe greatest competition in the world.The outstanding education provided byLife University faculty in the areas ofExercise Science and Sport Health Sci-ence are a natural fit for chiropractorswho care for elite athletes.

LIFE’s mobile app goes live onApple App StoreLIFE’s brand new app, myLIFE-plus, is now availableto download (forfree!) from theApple App store.

Unlike one-dimensional appsaligned with a tradi-tional medical model ofhealth, myLIFEplus meas-ures users’ total wellnessvia the six dimensions of theWellness Portfolio –– physi-cal, intellectual, emotional,social, environmental and spiritual ––and provides multiple tools to help usersimprove their total health using a vital-istic approach.

“This app is absolutely the first of itskind,” says LIFE President Guy Riekeman,D.C. “We’ve been sharing some of thedetails of myLIFEplus with chiropractorsall over the country, and the excitementlevel is already phenomenal. This reallyis a tool that can not only help spreadthe message of vitalistic Healthcare, butcan actually help people start living trulyhealthier, happier lives from the firsttime they use it.”

Download myLIFEplus today and letus know what you think! For more infor-mation on myLIFEplus, please visitwww.life.edu/myLIFEplus.

LifeSource Octagon to definenew health care paradigmaligned with vitalismLife University is already the largest chi-ropractic college in the world, but ourgoal is to become a thought leader in

Healthcare. The LifeSource Octagon isone of many vehicles we are utilizing toachieve this goal.

The LifeSource Octagon is a uniquethink tank project designed to start vitalconversations about human growth,development, health andhealing. Since 2009, Life Universityhas been hosting an annual confer-ence to bring together people froma variety of health care profes-sions to discuss philosophies ofnatural health. The inauguraledition produced a consensus

statement on the philosophy ofvitalism, as well as a discussion abouthow to change the basic paradigm ofdisease-based health care in the UnitedStates.

April 14-16, 2011, the LifeSourceOctagon will take the next step in thelogical path toward moving this impor-tant conversation forward. We will bringtogether leading thinkers who will helpdefine a new health care paradigmaligned with vitalistic principles.

As a graduate and supporter of LifeUniversity, we would like to invite you toattend the conference. This conversationaffects you, your family and friends, aswell as your profession. Visit www.life.edu/octagon to learn more.

Smart Moves students get ataste of college lifeOn Thursday, Dec. 9, 2010 Life Universityonce again hosted freshman MariettaHigh School students for an afternoon ofhospitality, discussion and a slice of LIFEas they learned about opportunities forhigher education through the MariettaHousing Authority’s Smart Moves pro-

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www.life.edu Spring2011

AROUND campus

LIFE takes bronze at2010 Chiro GamesLife University finished in third placeoverall for the second year in a row atthe 2010 Chiro Games, held Nov. 6-7 inCocoa Beach, Fla. Second place went toLogan College of Chiropractic, whileParker College of Chiropractic took first-place honors.

LIFE entered the second day of gameswith undefeated women’s soccer, men’ssoccer, volleyball and softball teams. Inthe end, men’s and women’s soccer bothtook gold, remaining undefeated afterseven games each. The men’s teamscored 38 goals and only allowed threegoals the entire tournament.

Coed volleyball and softball bothremained undefeated until falling shortin their championship games behindParker. LIFE’s tennis team took home sil-ver after entering the tournament in thethird seed from preliminary games onSaturday.

The Running Eagles fielded teams inevery sport including: women’s soccer,men’s and women’s basketball, coedrelay and coed swimming, and fieldedtwo teams for men’s soccer, coed beachvolleyball, tennis, golf, flag football andcoed softball.

All of LIFE’s teams contributed pointstoward their final third place finish. Thestudent-athletes are already planningfor next year’s Chiro Games in hopes ofbringing home the gold.

LIFE community grieves the loss of Dr. Wilfred TurnbullDr. Wilfred Turnbull, professor of Nutrition at Life University, passed away

in his home on Oct. 19, 2010. He will be remembered not only for his

incredible leadership and presence as Director of the Nutrition depart-

ment, but for his great love for the institution, his students and the rest

of the LIFE community. He will be deeply missed.

Dr. Turnbull came to Life University in 2001. Though he had studied,

worked and lectured in countries all over the world, he counted his tenure

at LIFE as his greatest accomplishment. Owing in part to his many

achievements, Dr. Turnbull was selected as our faculty profile for the

Summer 2010 issue of Your Extraordinary LIFE.

“We were extremely fortunate to have Dr. Turnbull for these past nine

years,” wrote Dr. Guy Riekeman in a message to the LIFE community.

“Because of him I was never concerned with the quality or vision of the

nutrition program. I had complete faith

and trust in his work, and admired the

high standards he set and

adamantly adhered to in his teach-

ing and research. His commitment

was unmatched. The LIFE family

has experienced a significant loss;

we will miss him greatly.”

Dr. Wilfred Turnbull

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What’s New at

Rugby pre-ranking climbs to No.3 in nation for Premier LeagueRUGBYMAG.com recently published its2011 pre-season Collegiate PremierLeague (CPL) rankings: with LIFE’s under-graduate Running Eagles taking third inthe nation. This puts LIFE ahead of suchbig-name, big-game teams as Army,Dartmouth, Penn State, LSU and TexasA&M going into the CPL’s inaugural sea-son, which kicked off March 5.

According to the article,RUGBYMAG.com “could actually put LIFEat No.1, but then we’d get a gruff callfrom Dan Payne asking us why we’re put-ting all that pressure on the players. OK,No. 3 it is. LIFE is for real.”

Life Rugby welcomes new SuperLeague head coachDirector of Life University Rugby, DanPayne, recently announced James Isaac-son as the new head coach for LIFE’sSuper League rugby team. Originally fromNewcastle, England, Isaacson was signedout of high school to play professionalrugby for the Newcastle Falcons in theEnglish Premiership. He played nine yearsof professional rugby and coached fortwo years at the professional level.

Upon the suggestion of a friend whopractices in Chicago, Isaacson enrolledin Life University’s chiropractic programin January 2010 and began playing forthe university’s Super League team.

Isaacson is currently in his thirdquarter of the D.C. program. He creditschiropractic for prolonging his rugbycareer when physiotherapy and trainerscouldn’t correct his hamstring and hipflexor injuries. “I saw an American chiro-practor in the U.K. and I probably wouldn’t

have played in the 2003 season withouthim. Chiropractic gave me the opportu-nity to extend my contract four moreyears.”

Since January, Isaacson has been anassistant coach for LIFE’s Super Leagueand Premier League teams. “I am lookingforward to shaping the Super League sideand coaching these great athletes. I havea lot of ideas and the players are likesponges, so it’s the perfect combination.”

Coach Dan Payne says, “His value allalong has been his experience as aplayer-coach. With two teams, it’s aprime opportunity for James to jump intoexactly what he loves to do, which iscoach. As we continue to grow and buildour program, it is imperative we attracthigh-quality individuals to meet theneeds of our student-athletes. Jamesfits this bill perfectly.”

Two hundred compete in LIFE’s inaugural cyclocross raceOn October 31, approximately 200 cyclists competed in Life University’s firstever Cyclocross (CX) race, making it the largest Georgia Cross Series race lastyear in terms of participation and cash award payout. Many local riders tackledthe course alongside elite cyclists from all over the Southeast, as well as sev-eral professional competitors. The event was coordinated by the Life UniversityCycling Club (LUCC), who hopes to host another CX race in 2011.

“There was universal agreement from the participants I spoke with that theLife University CX coursewas among the best theyhave ridden in terms oftechnical challenge,intensity and layout,”says Dave Ward, directorof chiropractic sports per-formance at LIFE. “Theofficials from USA Cyclingdid not receive any com-plaints regarding thecourse, which is rare inthis type of event. Wereceived many compli-ments about the appear-ance of the campus fromboth participants andspectators.”

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STUDENT PROFILE

RunningAwaywith theField

BY JEN LESSHAFFT

Newly graduated DC and Master’s

student Leo Kormanik balances

Olympic and Chiropractic dreams.

www.life.edu

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Spring2011

Baseball. Football. Wrestling. Like manymiddle school kids, Leo Kormanik lovedsports and played on several school teams.But unlike many middle school kids, Leohad a distinct talent on the field, onethat was immediately evident to each ofhis coaches: This kid could run - fast!

Those same coaches encouraged Leoto start running competitively. When hewas in high school, Leo stopped playingother sports and committed himself torunning cross country and track andfield. He was All-State in high school inOhio for cross country. His successes inhigh school earned him a full athleticscholarship at Malone University in Canton,Ohio, where he was a six-time All-American.His impressive talent resulted in a two-year sponsorship deal with Mizuno shoesafter graduation.

To help supplement his income fromhis Mizuno sponsorship, Leo worked at alocal shoe store where he met Dr. GaryMinorik, a Palmer grad and local chiro-practor, who needed some running shoesuggestions. He told Leo about somepain he was experiencing in his feet andasked for his opinion. Impressed by Leo’sanalysis, Minorik began talking with himabout Chiropractic and gave him a copyof Life University President Dr. GuyRiekeman’s “Make Your Life Extraordi-nary” DVD. Leo was impressed with theconcept of vitalism and Life University’sapproach toward health and wellness.After watching the DVD and talking fur-ther with Minorik about the benefits ofChiropractic, Leo applied to LIFE. Hepacked his bags and moved to Atlanta inSeptember 2007.

Shortly after starting the Doctor ofChiropractic program, he tore his plantarfascia during a training workout –– oneweek before he was scheduled to com-pete in the U.S. Cross Country Nationalsin San Diego. In his first two years at LIFEhe faced injury after injury, ultimatelyleading him to quit running two or threetimes. Something always made himchange his mind, however, and he keptcoming back to the sport. During each

recovery process he received continuousChiropractic care. Before attending LIFE,he’d only had a handful of adjustments;none since he had made the decision tobecome a Chiropractor. Prior to 2010, heestimates that he was injured 60 percentof his running career. This is the first fullyear Leo has ever been 100 percent injuryfree. He attributes this to consistentchiropractic and injury care.

In early 2010, Leo recommitted him-self to running with two specific goals –promoting Chiropractic, and qualifyingfor the 2012 Olympics in London.

“I rededicated myself to trainingbecause I wanted to become an advo-cate for Chiropractic in the distance run-ning community and within USA trackand field,” says Kormanik.

While he was injured and not training,he focused solely on school, masteringthe art of studying and time manage-ment. He took a positive approach andused his time well by getting involved inorganizations on campus. He is the for-mer treasurer for the Sports ChiropracticClub and was the LIFE liaison for theAmerican Chiropractic Association sportscouncil in 2009.

Leo continues to train by runningapproximately 80 to 100 miles per week,most of which are logged on the runningtrails on campus in between classes.Although running is his primary focus atthe moment, he attends classes as afull-time student in both the Chiroprac-tic and Master’s programs. In addition tohis regular classload and his training, heis currently completing his PEAK intern-ship at the Life University Sports ScienceInstitute (LUSSI).

Now that he is back on a strict train-ing regimen, he uses the skills and expe-rience he gained while on the injured listto help him excel in the classroom.

“Adding running back into my sched-ule was easy. It actually helped bydistracting me and making me reallyfocus on school, because I knew I was ona tight schedule. I’m actually able tomeditate on my schoolwork while I’mtraining.”

In early 2010, Leo signed a sponsor-ship deal with Adidas and the AtlantaTrack Club. He’s participated in races allaround the world, including the 2010Atlanta Half Marathon (13.1 miles) onThanksgiving Day, where he beat out8,887 competitors to take home thegold. He finished in 1 hour, 6 minutesand 15 seconds, which equates to anaverage 5:03 minutes per mile; 11.86miles per hour.

Leo is currently training to run a sub1:05 for the half-marathon to qualify forthe U.S. Olympic Trials in the fullmarathon. He missed making the 2008Marathon Olympic Trials by just 29 sec-onds when he ran his first marathon in2006. If able to run a qualifier within thenext year, he will have to place in the topthree to advance to the Olympics.

Leo competed in the USA Track andField (USATF) Half Marathon Champi-onships in Houston on Jan. 29. He fin-ished with a time of 1:05:26,narrowlymissing the automatic qualifying timefor the 2012 USA Olympic Team Trials(1:05:00) and achieving a personalrecord in the process. He will continuetraining and has until Dec. 15, 2011, toqualify for the Olympic Trials.

“It would be a dream come true tohave the opportunity to represent theUnited States both as an athlete and achiropractor,” says Kormanik.

Leo graduates in March and plans tocontinue training with the 2012 Olympicsin sight. Although he is still unsure of hisfuture plans in Chiropractic, he is excitedto continue representing the professionin the distance running community.

Leo Kormanik

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them. They credit Dr. Joe Charboneauand Dr. Peter Fernandez among thosewho inspired them to realize thatchiropractic is bigger than one person,and to become a small piece of thelarger equation.

“The future of Chiropractic is abouteducating more students and aboutbuilding more practices,” says Dean. “Allchiropractors need to invest in trainingof future chiropractors.” He and Jenbelieve that Life University is the placewhere this will have the most impact.Says Jen, “At LIFE, the mission and visionis clearer than it has ever been. Givingmust be done as a moral exercise, ifnothing else.”

The DePice’s have been makingdonations to LIFE for many years, andencourage others to do the same. “Even

a thousand dollars a year goes a longway,” says Dean. “Just committing todoing it and having the follow-through isthe hump that everyone needs to getover. It’s not about me or you; it’s aboutall of us and about investing in thefuture. Skip the weekend getaway and dothe right thing.”

If you can’t give right now, there areother options. One such option is whatDean and Jen recently did, which is tomake provisions in your estate plans fora gift. Life University was in the DePice’soriginal will 17 years ago before they hadchildren. When they recently updatedtheir will, they made a new commitment.Says Jen, “Our will makes provisions forour kids and family, but also includesthe institution that gives us our purposeand the future of our profession. We wantto perpetuate what Life University is doing.”Dean adds, “Maybe you can’t write acheck today. But you can eventually.”

It’s always easier to give after onehas accumulated wealth. Making aplanned gift is a way to lend yoursupport while you are still here andcreate your legacy. Dean and Jen DePiceare creating their legacy today,tomorrow, and for time immemorial.

Planned giving provides an opportunityto make estate provisions for thesupport of Life University throughdeferred gifts such as trusts, charitablegift annuities, insurance policies, andbequests. Deferred gifts generate taxsavings for the donor immediately whileproviding a future source of income forLIFE in the future. Deferred gifts, bothlarge and small, help the University planfor the future. Donors are recognizedthrough permanent membership in LIFE’sLegacy Society.

CommittingNowtoGive in theFuture

“We have been incredibly blessed,”says Jen. “In our lives, we have an abun-dance of friendship, love, receiving, youname it. Did it come from anything spe-cific? I can’t put my finger on it, but itkeeps coming back.” The DePice’s believein giving until it becomes uncomfortable,or as Dean says with a smile, “’Til ithurts.” They do it because it alwayscomes back tenfold. They don’t do it toget it back, it just seems to happen.

The DePices live their lives for others.They provide health and wellness to theirpatients; they provide coaching for otherchiropractors through TLC 4 Superteams;they provide unconditional love andsupport to their kids and extendedfamily; and they provide for the futurefor others through giving. But givingdoesn’t just include money, it meansgiving time, giving knowledge or givingsupport. Says Dean, “We give in placeswhere virtue is being exercised. Thoseplaces include church, communityorganizations and worthy causes, and atLife University.”

This type of mindset has to be taughtand nurtured. Says Jen, “An attitude ofgiving needs to be instilled early. It’salmost like muscle memory. It’s part ofour routine, and it needs to be part ofeveryone’s routine: parents to kids,professors to students, DCs to patients.”Dean and Jen learned this philosophyshortly after graduation when they weresurrounded by people who encouraged

BY CRAIG DEKSHENIEKS

“It’s impossible to give more than you receive – especially in thisprofession,” says Dr. Dean DePice, Life University graduate,practicing chiropractor, and founder of TLC 4 Superteams. Thatphilosophy is shared by his wife Dr. Jen DePice, who is also a LifeUniversity graduate and practicing chiropractor. But these arenot just hollow words, it is something this husband and wifeteam believes and lives every day.

Drs. Jen and Dean DePice

LASTING PURPOSE

10 FEATURE

www.life.edu

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Spring2011

As Sheps grew up, he discoveredanother passion—track and field. Anaccomplished runner throughout highschool, and through his time as a pre-chiropractic student at New Jersey’sBloomfield College, Sheps took his loveof the sport and combined it with hislong-time appreciation for Chiropractic.This was the seed that would set off thisDC’s career as one of the country’s mostwell-respected go-to chiropractors forathletes.

Shortly after graduating from Bloom-field, Sheps had a decision to make: stayat the school and become a DC, or moveto Georgia. “I decided to go to LIFE. I likethe curriculum and philosophy muchmore,” he says. “The teacher colleagueswere like family. I completely indulged inthe studies and worked in the library atLIFE, and was able to take a lot of thepost-doctorate seminars. I came outwith a very good technique package anda very good philosophy of practice man-agement from my experience at LIFE.”

This diverse, multidisciplinaryapproach to Chiropractic, combined withSheps’ tenacity for self improvement andsuccess, has been a driving force. A tem-porary trip to California after graduationfrom LIFE turned into a life-changing one.“Originally, I intended to come out herefor a little while,” he recalls. “At that time,they had a preceptor concept in Califor-nia where you could actually practiceunder another licensed chiropractorbefore you actually got your license.I thought I would go back to New Jersey,

but I liked the weather and the scope ofpractice in California. So, here I am.”

Shortly thereafter, Sheps gained adiplomate from American Board of Chi-ropractic Orthopedists and one from theChiropractic Board of Rehabilitation.These credentials, combined with hisexperience in the Gon-stead, Nimmo, Thomp-son and Logantechniques, and cre-dentials in the McKenzieapproach (his office inWest Los Angeles is theonly credentialed,interdisciplinaryMcKenzie clinic in theworld), quickly earnedhim notoriety amongprofessionals in otherfields, setting the stagefor the rest of hiscareer—to use his skills to care for ath-letes who share his passions for sport.

“I ran track in high school and col-lege, and I had a coach about 15 yearsago who worked with some Olympic-gold-medal winners, namely FelixSanchez and Jerome Davis,” Sheps says.“With his referrals, it kind of blossomedinto other coaches like Bobby Kersey andJohn Smitt sending patients.

“There is a lot of track and fieldtraining here in southern California—theyall seem to migrate to the same track atUCLA,” he continues. “When they cameback to the track with injuries, they wouldbe steered in my direction. Now, I take

care of most of the U.S. female gymnas-tic team, a referral from an orthopedicsurgeon.”

His experience with the gymnasticteam is one that has been of particularinterest. Sheps recently spent time inRotterdam, Holland at the world cham-

pionships. “I was there withMattie Larson, to take careof her in the event ofinjury, and to try to get herback into competitionshape,” he says. “Also, tooffer my services to theother national team mem-bers. It was a unique expe-rience.”

And the pace isn’tslowing down for Sheps. Herecently developed aclass-four laser with Bio-lase, which he uses in con-

junction with the Chiropractic treatmenthe provides. “I currently oversee UCLA’sBiolase laser therapy. They acquired oneof our lasers that the basketball teamhas been hogging lately,” he laughs. “Butwe’re hoping they’re going to begin touse it on the other teams, as well.”

And with 2012 just around the cornerwill come the Olympic trials. “At the lasttrials, I had 38 active track and fieldathletes, men and women, and I takecare of some of the other teams. GreatBritian sends a lot of their athletes tosouthern California to get away from theweather.”

BY AUSTIN HOLT

Dr. Michael Sheps

Dr. Michael Sheps is a man of commitment. At the age of 8, his lifelong interest in Chiropractic was

sparked when, as a young baseball player, he received weekly adjustments. Since he seemed to hit

home runs after each Saturday session, he figured something must be working right. “It stuck with

me. It’s a path I was so intrigued with,” Sheps recalls, “and one that I stayed on my entire life.”

largely completed by the year 2020) wasthe transformation of the existing park-ing lots in front of the AdministrationBuilding into a multi-use green spacethat would embody the 20/20 Vision’sultimate goal –– to create a “village”environment where students, faculty,staff, patients and visitors would beencouraged to interact and engage witheach other and the spaces around themin ways that honored vitalistic princi-ples. The result is Life University’s brandnew Lyceum Park.

The VisionAtlanta-based landscape architecturefirm Hughes, Good O’Leary and Ryan(HGOR) was tapped to conceive andrealize the architectural design of thespace (they had recently finished thelandscaping design for the Socrates Caféand the courtyard at LIFE VillageRetreat, both charter projects of the20/20 Vision). However, the true vision-aries of the expansive central green, nowofficially Lyceum Park, were a diversegroup of LIFE community members aptlynamed the “Visioneers.”

In 2006, fresh from accreditation andeager for change, Life University put pento paper on an ambitious plan to whollytransform its campus. The comprehen-sive master plan would encompass nearlyevery foot of LIFE’s 100-plus acres, fromits brick-and-mortar (constructing newstudent housing; revitalizing academicbuildings; installing an auditorium) toits community culture.

One of the most significant under-takings outlined in the plan (dubbedLIFE’s 20/20 Vision and slated to be

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ON CAMPUS

FromParkingLottoLIFE’s new green gathering space transforms campus culture and community

BY MOLLY DICKINSON

As part of the 20/20 Vision’s missionto create a campus culture infused withvitalistic philosophies of health andwell-being, the University instituted aninnovative development process inspiredby the LIFE Wellness Portfolio. One of thekey elements of LIFE’s institutional iden-tity, The Wellness Portfolio explores theconcept of optimal wellness as a synergyof physical, intellectual, emotional,social, environmental and spiritualhealth. Based on this model, six teamsof “Visioneers” were assembled, one foreach dimension of health, comprised ofLIFE community members with expertisein that particular field. These Visioneersare charged with envisioning proposedcampus projects through their assignedlens, and providing insight into how thatspace or facility might best be designedto promote physical health, environmen-tal health, social health, etc.

Bill Jarr, LIFE vice president of opera-tions and finance, was involved in the

Lyceum Park project from the very begin-ning, and was officially responsible formanaging the project from the Univer-sity’s standpoint. “Lyceum Park is a tes-tament to the Visioneering process,” Jarrsays. “The six Visioneer groups met inde-pendently to ensure that their specificfacet of The Wellness Portfolio would bereflected in the finished project. Thatwork was assimilated and provided tothe landscape architect who was thentasked with incorporating those specificfeatures that exemplified wellness. Thelandscape architects had never beenthrough a similar process and were verycomplimentary.”

The RealizationThe result is a 5.94-acre, $3.1 milliondollar mixed-use park that epitomizesLife University’s philosophy and newcampus culture. An open-air amphithe-atre is carved into a natural slope lead-ing down from the expanded entrance to

the Administration building –– aperfect place tohold lectures,student per-formances,

movie nights,and other educa-tional and culturalevents. Two reflec-

tion pools createpeaceful spaces formeditation and con-

templation. A symbolic fountain circledby granite markers engraved with theEight Core Proficiencies, a cluster ofPeace Poles (in which students candeposit their wishes and dreams for thefuture on scraps of paper) and a Path ofHeroes, to be lined with pavers bearing

the hand and footprints of Chiropractic’smost inspirational leaders, serve asphysical reminders of the University’sphilosophical and historical founda-tions. Walking paths have replaced park-ing spaces, as a continuation of LIFE’songoing transformation from a primarilycommuter campus to a walkable, live-able village –– a transformation which inaddition to lowering LIFE’s carbon foot-print, increases opportunities for physi-cal activity and social interaction.

Though the final touches are stillbeing made and the official grand open-ing will not take place until the spring(when many of the trees and plantsthroughout the park will be in bloom),LIFE’s new green gathering space is abeautiful sight to behold –– especiallyfor those who worked so hard and waitedso long to see a parking lot become apark. “I am extremely proud of theprocess used by the University and how itturned out,” says Jarr.

Dr. Guy Riekeman, Life Universitypresident, agrees. “It’s been very excitingand rewarding to see the transformation.First, the parking lots were torn up, thenthe amphitheater was graded in, thenthe fountains and all the trees and theplants went in. It was amazing to see thisincredible space that we had put so muchthought and care into designing takeshape before our eyes. This is going tochange the way people behave on campus.

“‘Lyceum’ is the Greek word for thegrove where Aristotle and his studentswould meet to discuss their revolution-ary philosophical ideas,” Riekeman adds.“That’s what we want this space to be; aplace for people to get together, tothink, to talk and to grow as individualsand as a community.”

www.life.edu

13

Spring2011

LyceumPark

14 UNDERGRADUATE NEWS BY CRAIG DEKSHENIEKS

Debbie LancasterDebbie Lancaster began working at LifeUniversity in 1989 when the College ofUndergraduate Studies formed. Whileworking full time, she also began takingclasses several years later. In 2006, shereceived her bachelor’s degree in businessfrom LIFE, earning valedictorian honorsin the process. She enjoyed the experienceso much, she decided to continue hereducation, earning an associate’s degreein coaching psychology from LIFE in 2007.

She has seen it all in her 22 years oncampus, having worked for all six deansof the College of Undergraduate Studies.Says Lancaster, “I’ve seen the campusgrow from three academic buildings tofive. I’ve seen the degrees offeredexpand. I’ve seen LIFE get more involvedwith the community through sports andcamps, and even with offering meetingspace to clubs andorganizations.”

Debbie wants tohelp push theundergraduate ini-tiative forward.She envisionsundergraduate stu-dents getting moreinvolved while theyare here, with stu-dent government,clubs, intramuralsports and campusevents. She envisions undergraduateshaving their own graduation ceremonyand honors convocation, orientation andassemblies. Debbie looks forward to ourundergraduate alumni becoming moreinvolved and returning to campus.

“Give me a call,” she says to under-graduate alumni. “Stop by and seewhat’s going on. We miss you and wewant to see you again.” The Alumni Asso-ciation has needed this representationon the board, and they knew Lancasterwas the right choice because of her pas-sion for Life University’s College ofUndergraduate Studies.

That passion is evident in the factthat her daughter chose to attend LIFEas well, and will be graduating from theCollege of Undergraduate Studies thisyear. “My family has been a part of LIFEfor the past 22 years, so its only naturalmy daughter would graduate from LIFE!,”Lancaster says.

News from the College ofUndergraduate StudiesThe list of goals and outcomes forenhancing the undergraduate experienceis too lengthy to show in these pages.However, here are some news and notesthat might interest you:

� Interim Dean Michael Smith, Ph.D.,has helped establish two honor societiesand hopes to establish more in the

future. Honor societies are thehighest honor a student canachieve at a university. It repre-sents scholarship and achieve-ment amongst your peers, whileexceeding national standards ofexcellence in one’s chosen degree.Sigma Beta Delta just inducted itsinaugural class of three businessstudents, and Kappa Omicron Nurecently inducted its inauguralclass of 12 nutrition students. Dr.Smith is in the midst of establish-ing a chapter of the Psi Chi honor

society for psychology students.

� Phi Beta Lambda, the student arm ofthe Future Business Leaders of America,chose Life University and its local chap-ter to host a regional competition in2010. Students from other Georgia PhiBeta Lambda chapters convened on thecampus to compete in business-relatedevents, where the winners advanced tothe next level. It was in this competitionin 2009 that Life University undergradu-ate student Tynaeshia Woods finishedsecond in the country in public speaking.

Life University’s 20/20 visionincludes a 2,000/2,000 vision aswell. The plan is to have 2,000 chi-ropractic students and 2,000undergraduate students by the year2020. For those readers who arealumni of the College of Chiroprac-tic, you might be asking yourself,“Why?” For those of you who arealumni of the College of Undergrad-uate Studies, you might be sayingto yourself, “It’s about time.”

Although LIFE started as a chiroprac-tic college, the expansion into under-graduate degrees made sense formultiple reasons. First, the vitalistic phi-losophy of Life University extends toother specific sciences like biology, psy-chology, nutrition, exercise science andeven to business. Second, almost everyundergraduate degree available at LIFEcovers the prerequisites for admission tothe College of Chiropractic, therebycreating a natural feeder system. Finally,LIFE is trying to create an authenticuniversity experience for all students,instead of a commuter college feel thatexisted until recently.

Enhancing the undergraduate experi-ence is an initiative that the administra-tion is taking seriously. A committee wasestablished to create goals and out-comes for the near and distant future.Construction was recently completed fora modern, on-campus housing facility, acampus café, and a central green calledLyceum Park (read more on page 12).And to make sure the needs of ourundergraduate alumni are represented,Debbie Lancaster, BBA (’06), has beenappointed to the Executvie Board of theLife Univesity Alumni Association. Theycouldn’t have picked a better person tocarry the torch!


Debbie Lancaster

15

� A dietetics internship at Life Univer-sity is one of the most competitive pro-grams to which a student can aspire.Last year 60 students applied for 16spots in the program. Job placementupon completion is becoming an easierprospect for graduates due to the lead-ing edge science and active learning theprogram offers. With the recently openednutrition wing in the College of Under-graduate Studies, LIFE’s entire nutritionprogram is emerging as a model otheruniversities are noticing.

� There are now 29 clubs and organiza-tions that undergraduate students canjoin. Everything from sports clubs suchas cycling and jiu jitsu, to student gov-ernment, to academic organizations likethe nutrition club. More clubs, are beingestablished each quarter, particularly byundergrads, as students with similarhobbies and interests create their owntribes on campus.

� LIFE’s intercollegiate sports programplans to expand as well. The accomplish-ments of our existing basketball, rugbyand ice hockey teams have been welldocumented in previous editions of YourExtraordinary LIFE. In the next couple ofyears, there are plans to expand athlet-ics. Under consideration are women’sbasketball, men’s and women’s crosscountry, and men’s and women’s tennis,just to name a few.

� The new Lyceum Park was completedin late fall. Now that the grass has grownin and the trees and shrubs are bloom-ing, this centrally located park hasbecome a focal point for students. Thehistoric universities throughout thecountry have a true campus look andfeel to them. Up until now, this area wasparking lots. Long term plans includeencircling this park with academic build-ings creating even more of a campuslook and feel.

� The authentic university experience isone of the main objectives at Life Uni-versity. Additions include concerts andfilm night in the outdoor amphitheater;lectures and speakers from variousindustries and backgrounds; studentparties and events; and off-campusexcursions to cultural events around theAtlanta metro area. With the stridesalready made, and the future strides inthe works, achieving the goal of 2,000undergraduate students is not only real-istic, but well on its way.

ResearchLife University has established itself asone of the preeminent centers for chiro-practic research, having enjoyed morepresentations and platforms at ACC-RACthan any other institution in recentyears. But the research being conductedhere is not solely Chiropractic. Many ofour undergraduate professors have beendoing studies, too.

� Humberto Dutra, Ph.D., in the Biologydepartment, conducted some researchinto invasive plants and their effect onthe environment. Specifically, Dr. Dutracollaborated with professors from otherinstitutions to study the bush honey-suckle, a common plant found in localforests that, due to its invasive nature,finds its way into many backyards.

What the study found was thatdespite its beauty and colorful berries,the bush honeysuckle can have adverseaffects on humans. Due to the densefoliage, the plant provides a naturalcanopy for deer, which are a naturalreservoir for tick borne diseases such asLyme Disease, Rocky Mountain SpottedFever and Erlichiosis.

The study further found that bushhoneysuckle provides shelter for mice,which may consume native plant seedsand seedlings and reduce biodiversity.The bottom line is that disease risk to

humans is augmented eightfold in thepresence of this invasive plant.

� Sudhanva Char, Ph.D., in the BusinessDepartment, and Cherry Collier, Ph.D. inthe General Studies Department, havecollaborated to study the inevitableinterface between economics and psy-chology. The reason they took on thisproject is because economics is a growingindustry, in part due to the recent down-turn in the United States and worldmarkets, as well as the fact that eco-nomics has a pervading influence onhealth care policy and decision making.

The key aspect of considering eco-nomics and psychology together is anotion called “rationality” when itcomes to intellectual discipline and wis-dom passed down through generations.In other words, taking the lessons of amarket downturn and the panic anddepression associated with it, while alsoconsidering a market uptick and theirresponsibility and unscrupulous behav-ior associated with it.

Char and Collier were prompted to goback to the roots of the discussion onrationality and call upon professionalsto update themselves and considerrewriting economic texts. Their paperwas recently published in the Journal ofEmerging Knowledge on Emerging Mar-kets. It has been downloaded and citednumerous times by economic scholars,which Char and Collier hope will generatediscussion and debate on the topic.

� Life University’s College of Undergrad-uate Studies is blazing its own trail inleading-edge natural science degrees.With faculty members like HumbertoDutra, Sudhanva Char and Cherry Colliereducating tomorrow’s leaders, Life Uni-versity will continue to emerge into thenational consciousness.


www.life.edu

17

Spring2011

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

GettingDown toBusiness:FrancesRoberson, Ph.D.Life University is most commonly knownfor its dynamic chiropractic program.With its top-notch facilities and excep-tional faculty, it’s pretty obvious why weare arguably one of the best chiropracticschools in the world. We all know aboutthe chiropractic program, but did youknow about the other 10 degree pro-grams LIFE offers?

LIFE is a comprehensive chiropracticuniversity, offering degree programsranging from biology and psychology tobusiness and nutrition.

When she joined the Life Universityfamily last year as Chair of the School ofBusiness, Frances Roberson, Ph.D., knewthere was something special going onhere. She actually spent some time as anadjunct faculty member before comingon full-time as Chair.

“As an adjunct faculty member I wasfortunate enough to see how special thisschool actually was. The students hereare so positive and cordial and the facultyis just wonderful,” says Roberson. “I havea lot of contacts in the community andwant them to know the assets Life Uni-versity has to offer.”

Before coming to LIFE, she worked herway up from a K-12 instructor to SystemOffice Administrator for Cobb CountySchools, where she started the first com-puter literacy program for K-12 schools.She trained principals and administra-tive staff on the use of computers andfocused the computer-related curricu-lum on things students could use. Rober-son was the Dean of the School ofBusiness and Technologies at Chatta-hoochee Technical College, a member ofthe Technical College System of Georgia.Transitioning to the system level in 2007,

she was responsible for the curriculum ofthe business and technology programsfor 32 technical schools across the state.

Roberson is using her experience tohelp transform the business program atLIFE. Although it’s one of our mostenrolled undergraduate programs, shehopes to increase involvement by imple-menting seminars and programs avail-able to the entire LIFE community. Theseseminars and workshops will focus onresume building, investing, interviewingand networking skills, in addition toother relevant business-related informa-tion. The focus of the School of Businessis to provide students of all majors andprograms a solid foundation of conceptsfor entrepreneurship and social changeas a result of experiences in the program.

“Entrepreneurs don’t fail becausethey don’t have skills in their area,”Roberson says. They fail because theydon’t understand business. We’re givingour students, no matter their program ofstudy, the opportunity to learn how torun a successful business.”

Roberson, along with some LIFEadministration, participated in a Busi-ness Summit with key business leaders todiscuss the future of the University’sbusiness program. Chaired byColumbus State UniversityPresident Dr. Tim Mescon,the summit included exec-utives from Greenguard,Microsoft, Wachovia (nowWells Fargo), The Centerfor Family Resources,Overby-Seawell Com-pany and HawthorneVisual. The plan isbased on the phi-

losophy that the individual student isthe main focus.

Another exciting development is afuture partnership with the TechnicalCollege System of Georgia. Says Roberson,“We are close to signing an agreementwith the Technical College System ofGeorgia that will provide students grad-uating from business programs in the 27technical colleges the ability to receivecredit for courses successfully takentoward requirements for the Bachelor ofBusiness Administration degree at LifeUniversity.” This will give more Georgiastudents an added incentive to not onlyturn their two-year technical degreesinto four-year Bachelor’s degrees, it willalso encourage them to pursue thosedegrees at LIFE.

It’s not surprising that Roberson isalso is involved in several communitygroups. She is a Board member for theCredit Union of Georgia, and for Cobb-Works. She is also Chair of One-Stop Con-sortium, and the Workforce DevelopmentPartners Council. She is an active memberof the Marietta Kiwanis Club, and theEducation Committee for the Cobb Cham-ber of Commerce. She is also a member ofMarietta First Baptist Church.

Roberson looks forward to a brightfuture for business at LIFE, and thenew challenges it will bring.

“I love the challenge that thisprofession provides,” says Rober-

son. “The process of takinga program to the next levelallows me to channel mycreative side while advanc-ing the University, its pro-grams and its students.”

BY JEN LESSHAFFT

18

LIFE research updateAlumni Speak, LIFE Listens:Your 2010 Alumni Survey ResultsOver the past two years, LIFE has sur-veyed alumni both informally andformally on such topics as Universityprogramming, LIFE’s place within theprofession and our communication withexternal constituents – including alumsthemselves. A formal survey in 2009revealed a few concerns (a desire formore communication, difficulty locatingcertain information on our website) thatLIFE staff have successfully worked toimprove. In late 2010, we asked almost7,000 alumni to participate in a surveyconducted by our educational researchpartner, Eduventures.

With increased survey participation,the latest numbers are even more repre-sentative of the alumni body, and we arepleased to report measurable improve-ment of alumni opinions about LIFE’sprogress in a variety of areas. Thanks toall of you who shared your thoughts withus and provided valuable insight intohow we can better serve you in thefollowing ways.

Your Opinion of Life UniversityA strong majority of alumni (83 percent)reported having a positive opinion of theUniversity (up from 67 percent in 2009);We are very excited about these resultsand believe that this is a strong indica-tion that our alumni like the directionLIFE is heading.

Your Event AttendanceA significant number (74 percent) ofsurvey respondents indicated that theyhad not attended a regional Alumni andFriends event in the past two years.

However, those who did attend indicateda high level of satisfaction with theevents. This year, the University willexplore how to create regional eventsthat provide additional value to alumni,and increase overall attendance.

Specifically, a large number ofrespondents indicated that they areinterested in attending events wherethey will learn what LIFE is doing to ben-efit Chiropractic and/or their individualpractices. This past fall, LIFE revised itsevent presentations so that 15 percentof the content relates to campus pro-grams and development and 85 percentrelates to what LIFE is doing to benefitour alumni. The next time LIFE hosts anAlumni and Friends event in your area,we encourage you to come see for your-self just what LIFE is doing, every day, toimprove your alumni experience. Our cal-endar of events can be found on page 24and on the LIFE Alumni and Friends web-site page at raisersedge.life.edu.

Our Website, Online Directoryand Job BoardAlmost three quarters of respondentsindicated that they had visited the LIFE

BY LEILA TATUM


15%17%

19%25%

24%

1970-19841985-1994

1995-19992000-2004

2005+

N

Survey respondents by class year

Negative Neutral

83%

5.8% 11.2%

Positive

1Opinion of LIFE university

What would motivate you to attend an alumniand friends regional event in the future?

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%Learn what theUniversity is doingto help my practiceand/or benefitthe profession

Receive sampleproducts fromLIFE Universitysponsors

Hear aboutopportunitiesto supportthe University

Hear thepresident ofLIFE University,

Dr. Riekman, speak

Other

19

website and the majority of those hadvisited the Alumni and Friends section.Following the results of the 2009 survey,LIFE’s Alumni Relations Departmentdeveloped a new Alumni and Friendssection which launched last October.The new section contains a calendar ofevents that includes alumni events, CEseminars, athletic events and campushappenings. In addition, you can findcurrent Life University news and alumniupdates, make a donation, update yourcontact information and view photogalleries. Alumni who register for accessto the site can explore enhanced features,such as creating a profile and searchingfor classmates.

The job board is a servicebrought to you by the StudentServices Office and is jointlymanaged by the Departmentof Alumni Relations. It wasoriginally designed with LIFEstudents in mind, but hassince been adapted toaccommodate alumni. Anyone(alumni, friends, students,donors, organizations andindividuals) may post a jobopportunity, practice forsale and/or equipment forsale/rent; you do not need analumni ID number to use thisfeature. However, to search

for jobs, you must be either a student oran alum, and you must use your alumniID number to access this portion. Foryour convenience, your ID number isprinted on the postage tag of thismagazine. You may also contact theDepartment of Alumni Relations torequest assistance with obtaining youralumni ID and registering for access. Inaddition, we are looking at ways to makethe job board more user-friendly for ouralumni. The job board can be accessedvia the LIFE website at www.LIFE.edu bychoosing “Classified Ads” from the QuickLinks menu at the top of the page. Thereis also a link to the job board from theAlumni and Friends website.

Your Gifts to LIFEThe survey revealed positive newsregarding your financial support of theUniversity.

More than 60 percent of the respon-dents who indicated they would considermaking a gift to LIFE would do so if theUniversity clearly communicated ourongoing efforts in supporting the profes-sion. Additionally, almost one in four ofthose who would consider a gift would doso if their gift could help improve thecampus.

With the exception of a couple dozenone-on-one gift meetings each year,LIFE has not asked alumni to make indi-vidual gifts in the past five years. Yourpositive survey responses have encour-aged LIFE to re-institute an Annual Fundcampaign in the coming year. We lookforward to working together to find thelevel and method of support that is rightfor you. LIFE is especially grateful for thepositive responses from alumni who grad-uated since 2005. Our youngest alumniplay a leading role in LIFE’s future, andwe will continue to work to engage youas we move forward with new andimproved Alumni programming.

We will also continue to update allour alumni on how we are using surveyresults to better tailor our services tomeet your needs. Thank you again for allyou do to support LIFE, and to help ussupport you in return. Remember, LIFE islistening.


Congratulations to theSurvey Prize Winner:Dr. Kevin Hay-Class of 1996

Participants of the survey

were randomly selected to win

a prize. Dr. Hay won free

admission to a Life University

CE Seminar.

No

Yes

29%

71%

Percentage of alumni who visited theLIFE website in the past 12 months

If they better understood our efforts to improve the profession

If their gift would improve the campus

If they were asked23.4%

61.4%

15.2%

Alumni surveyed indicated that theywould give for the following reasons

20 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

The words “Lasting Purpose” are fre-quently heard around the Life Universitycampus. Lasting Purpose refers to a keyprinciple on which the University wasfounded. It’s not just a phrase or amotto, but a call to action – “To Give, ToDo, To Love, To Serve out of a sense ofabundance.” The LIFE community isencouraged to live and act by thesewords, ultimately creating an environ-ment of value and purpose.

Since graduating from LIFE in 2009,Austin Cohen, D.C., has built his life andhis career on Lasting Purpose. When heopened his Atlanta-based practice inBuckhead in October 2009, he designed itwith service in mind. Through his practiceand his many commitments, Cohen notonly gives back to his community, butalso to his fellow chiropractors and cur-rent chiropractic students.

Every month, Cohen visits the AtlantaMission, a nonprofit organization gearedtoward helping Atlanta’s homeless popu-lation get back on their feet. He providesfree chiropractic care to those willing tocommit to six to 12 months in the shelterto better their lives and get the help theymay need. In December 2010, headjusted 51 people at the shelter, givingthem a head start toward a healthier,more fulfilling lifestyle.

“Fortunately, I learned at a young agethe importance of giving back and now ithas become a part of my life,” says Cohen.

Recently, Cohen created a “ChiropractorMentor Members” group on Facebook.

The group, which is open to anyone,allows chiropractic students and chiro-practors in practice to interact and dis-cuss chiropractic principles, askquestions and get advice.

“The goal of this group is to allowstudents to connect with successful chi-ropractors who are out in the real worldmaking a difference.”

Even while he was in school, Cohenwas continuously practicing the LastingPurpose model. Cohen was a co-founderof Innate Enterprise, a student-run per-sonal and professional developmentorganization that focuses on three mainvalues: leadership, communication and,you guessed it, service. Upon gradua-tion, Cohen received the Clinic ExcellenceAward, an award given for outstandingachievement in service and academicperformance related to the clinics, itspatients, and the University.Watching how he runs his ownclinic today, it’s obvious it wasrecognition well deserved.

Teaching his patientsabout the benefits of chiro-practic and a healthylifestyle are key com-ponents in Cohen’sBuckhead practice.He leads monthlyWhole Foods shop-ping tours, offer-ing suggestionson healthy mealsand food choices,

as well as educating patients on thevalue of healthy eating. He also inviteshis patients to attend “Dinner with Doc,”a free meal with him to discuss thepower of health and healing, and “Train-ing with Doc,” where he designs individ-ual fitness plans that work inconjunction with chiropractic care andnutrition to help patients attain optimalhealth.

Even as a young alumnus, Cohen iscommitted to giving back to the Univer-sity. As a LIFEforce 1000 member, Cohenworks to enhance the Chiropractic pro-fession by participating in special quar-terly seminars, hosting StudentRecruitment Events (SRE’s) and referringstudents to LIFE. The 1000 share thesame passions, goals and aspirations forthe profession, and strive to do every-thing they can to advance chiropractic inaccordance with core values they sharewith Life University.

“Being a LIFEforce 1000 member hasprovided me with an opportunity to giveback to my school and the professionthat I love,” says Cohen. “The cama-

raderie within this group is amazing.”We are proud to have Austin

Cohen as the newest board mem-ber of the International AlumniAssociation of Life University(IAALU). He joins the group as the

D.C. Student Recruitmentand Engagement Repre-sentative, where he’llwork directly with theUniversity to pro-mote programsgeared toward stu-dents and recentgraduates of theD.C. program.

L i v ing to ServeHow Austin Cohen, Buckhead DC and newestboard member of LIFE’s Alumni Association,lives his life of Lasting Purpose.

BY JEN LESSHAFFT


Austin Cohen

21


ALUMNI UPDATE

Meet the Board of Directors:Your Life UniversityAlumni Association

Elected Officers:Dr. Lorenzo E. Marchese, Jr. FICA (’83)President

Dr. Stuart E. Katzen (’97)Vice President

Dr. David Eugster (’84)Representative,Philanthropy/Community Service

Deborah Lancaster (’06)Representative,UG Student Recruitment & Engagement

Dr. Austin Cohen ('09)RepresentativeDC Student Recruitment & Engagement

Appointed Officers:Robert LoveStudent Council President

Leila TatumAlumni Relations Manager

Jen LesshafftAlumni Relations Coordinator

Greg HarrisVP for University Advancement

Ex-Officio:Dr. Guy F. RiekemanPresident of Life University

Class Reunions

On October 1, 2010, the Department ofAlumni Relations and the Alumni Associ-ation hosted reunions of 78 alumni forLIFE University class years 1980, 1985,1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005. The event tookplace at the Hyatt Regency in Marietta.Alumni Association Board Members, LeilaTatum, Larry Marchese, D.C. and DaveEugster, D.C., were on hand to greetalumni, award door prizes and mingle withthe crowd. Revelers enjoyed scrumptiousfood, live music and a full bar.

Attendees were also able to have a“prom-style” picture taken during theevent. Many alumni took advantage ofthis opportunity to strike a pose with old(and new) friends, and generally have agood laugh.

The current rugby team and a numberof rugby alumni attended the reunion aswell, before hosting an awards ceremonyin a nearby room.

This year, class reunions will behosted on campus during the Fall CEWeekend (formerly known as Homecom-ing). The class reunion years for our 2011event are 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001and 2006. LIFE plans to host a VIP recep-tion for these reunion members in closeproximity to a larger event for all alumni.That way, attendees can cross-mingle.Please visit the Alumni & Friends websitefor up-to-date information.

The LIFE Alumni Association is cur-rently looking for reunion chairs. If youare a member of one of the reunion yearsand would like to help get the word outto your former classmates, please con-tact Jen Lesshafft or Leila Tatum [email protected] or 800-543-3203.

BY LEILA TATUM

Alumni Discounts and Benefits

As a member of the Life UniversityAlumni Association, you are now able toenjoy a variety of different discountsand benefits. Upon graduation, you areautomatically inducted into the alumniassociation. Membership in the associa-tion is completely free.

As an alumnus, you’ll have completeaccess to the University library and ourcareer services department, as well asour online alumni directory. Continuingeducation opportunities are also avail-able. Additionally, you should also bereceiving alumni and campus publica-tions such as the bi-weekly alumni e-newsletter and our alumni magazine,Your Extraordinary LIFE.

Discounts offered to alumni includelower rates on car rentals with Hertz anddiscounted auto insurance provided byGEICO. We’ve partnered with severalInternet retailers including Brookstone,Overstock, ProFlowers, Red Envelope andShari’s Berries. We also have relation-ships with local organizations like theFernbank Museum of Natural History,which has offered discounted admissionto all LIFE alumni. You can even stock upon LIFE memorabilia by utilizing alumniassociation discounts in the Life Univer-sity bookstore on campus.

WE ARE ALWAYS WORKING to bringyou more discounts and benefits.For more details, please visit thenew Alumni & Friends website byclicking on the “Alumni & Friends”tab on the LIFE homepage.

22 CLASS NOTES

Dr. Corey Mote (’08) travelled to London tocompete in the Musclemania Britain pro-fessional bodybuilding competition. Notonly did Dr. Mote win his weight class (mid-dleweight), he also took home the overalltitle and has now earned his status as aMusclemania professional bodybuilder, thehighest level for any natural bodybuilder.His next show will be the Mr. Universe com-petition in Miami in June 2011.

We would like to extend our condolencesto the family of Dr. Frans Leeuwen, aformer LIFE rugby coach in the mid-1980s, who passed away in Septemberafter suffering a heart attack. He leavesbehind his son, Francie, and hisdaughter, Anine.

Dr. James Eaton (’92), China ClinicDirector, LIFE Chiropractic Clinic inZigong China, travelled to Beijing topresent at the Shi Ao conference. As theInternational Chiropractors AssociationRepresentative from China, he presentedon the necessity of proper healthy sleepand how crucial it is in relationship togood health. He emphasized his presen-tation with visuals of X-rays taken in theZigong Clinic of the consequences of notsleeping well. Dr. Eaton is one of fewerthan 20 chiropractors in a country of 1.4billion people. He can be reached in theZigong Clinic at [email protected]

Dr. Darin Cundiff (’02) was namedHealthcare Provider of the Year by theLiberty/Casey County (Kentucky) Cham-ber of Commerce. After graduating fromLIFE, he opened Cundiff Chiropractic inLiberty, Ky. Although a May 2 floodclosed the practice for several months,Cundiff and his staff were overwhelmedby the generosity and support of themembers of the Chiropractic community.Other doctors offered office space,

equipment and words of encouragement.Cundiff is married to Rachyl HoskinsCundiff and they have two children, Karisand Karmen.

Dr. Perry Chinn (‘86) has written a newbook, “Symphony of Wellness: How NitricOxide Can Help You Orchestrate YourHealth.” After years as a chiropractorhelping people to acquire wellness intheir own lives, he wrote his new bookrevealing how nitric oxide benefits health,including the heart and circulation.

Dr. Tim Kelly (‘85) joined former SurgeonGeneral David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., andDirector of the Office of Health andSafety for the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention Casey Chosewood, M.D.,during Leadership DeKalb’s Health andWellness Day to discuss ways to improveU.S. health. The day-long programincluded a wide variety of presentationson the current status of health care inthe Atlanta community, as well as rec-ommendations for improving it. Dr. Kelly’spresentation was on natural healing.

Dr. Robert Champagne (’80) is the currentpresident of Chiropractic for the WorldFoundation (CFTWF), a registered Cana-dian charity whose vision and purpose isto bring the gift of chiropractic to theworld. In addition to Dr. Champagne,CFTWF’s current leadership also includesLIFE alumnus, Vice President Dr. JanelleBohemier (‘01). Also on the board for theorganization are LIFE alumni Drs. JoelBohemier (‘00) and Alain Desaulniers (‘02).The group explores different regions ofGhana and, as a gift, provides free chi-ropractic care to thousands of Ghanaians.To honor the law of exchange, they askfor a small donation (approximately$1 to $2) and in return, the donationsare given to a school project in Offinso,

Ghana or to a local project in whatevertown or city where they are adjusting. Ifsomeone cannot give anything, the groupwill adjust them anyway.

Dr. William Brady (’90) was awarded the2010 Hall of Fame Award for Health andFitness from World Martial ArtsMagazine. A black tie event in Orlando,Fla., recognized and honored those whoare outstanding in their efforts in theMartial Arts industry. Dr. Brady is a TaeKwon Do 5th Degree Master of 30 years,member of the Michigan Association ofChiropractors and owner of Lifecare Mar-tial Arts and Lifecare Chiropractic clinicin Algonac, Mich. His daughter, Cortney,is a current student at LIFE.

Drs. Jeffry Michael Smith (‘83) andMichelle Zuback Smith (‘88) celebratedtheir 20th wedding anniversary inDecember. Dr. Jeffry Smith was a LIFEfaculty member for nine years and he andhis wife now practice in Brunswick, Ga.

Dr. Wendy J. Jacobs (‘94) of Arlington,Va., was named the recipient of severalawards, including The Professional of theYear in Chiropractic for 2009-10, 2010Expert Resource in the Field of SportsChiropractic Care for Cambridge’s “Top101 Industry Experts,” 2010-11 NAPWWoman of the Year, and National HonorsSociety Who’s Who for Exemplary Contri-butions to the National Standards ofProfessionalism.

Dr. Parker Zarbuck (’98) was electedpresident of the Illinois Prairie State Chi-ropractic Association in the fall of 2009and is serving a two-year term. TheIPSCA’s mission is to protect and pro-mote the chiropractic adjustment tocorrect vertebral subluxation.


Keep in Touch with LIFE Graduates

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Bob Rabin Inducted into Academy of FellowsBY LEILA TATUM

On Dec. 17, 2010, Dr. Bob Rabin became the 15th person to be inductedinto the Life University Academy of Fellows. The Academy was estab-

lished in July 2004 as a means ofrecognizing devoted leaders of thechiropractic profession who havemade significant contributions tothe success of Life University.Rabin was honored by PresidentGuy Riekeman, D.C., during the Fall2010 graduation ceremony.

Dr. Bob is a familiar face tomany in the LIFE community. He isa gregarious and affectionateindividual and an outspokenadvocate for Life University andChiropractic. In fact, Rabin’s loveof LIFE and its philosophies is solegendary, that when Dr. Riekemanasked him to come work for the

University, Rabin asked, “What do you want me to do?” To whichRiekeman responded, “I just want you to walk around the campus and beBob Rabin.”

Rabin was born in New York in 1928. He enrolled at Life College in1978 and was part of the 13th graduating class in 1980. He was also afounding member of the Georgia Council of Chiropractic.

At the induction ceremony, Dr. Riekeman had this to say about Dr.Bob: “He lights up a room, lights up the profession, he’s lighted up mil-lions of people’s lives.”

Dr. Jeff Zaika (’92) of Mansfield, Ohio,has been named Ohio Chiropractor of theYear for 2010. He is the former president(’09-’10) of the Ohio State ChiropracticAssociation (OSCA) and is the 2011Chairman of the Board for the OSCA. Dr.Zaika was selected to be included in “TheBest Doctors in America” list for 2009-2010, the third time he has appeared on


the list. Dr. Zaika is actively involved inhis local community. He is a board mem-ber of the Appleseed Youth Soccer/ FlamesSoccer Club and is also a long-time soccercoach at Mansfield Christian School.

Dr. Leona (Fischer) Di Amore (’98) is aformer Navy Corpsman and was sta-tioned with the Special Operations unit,

Explosive Ordnance Disposal in VirginiaBeach from 1987 to 1992. She travels tomilitary bases in California to adjustactive duty soldiers returning from warwho suffer from Post Traumatic StressDisorder. Dr. Di Amore continues herwork in Chicago and in her Napervilleoffice, The Healing Place, adjusting vet-erans returning home. The travel andservices she provides are at no charge;instead she is rewarded by the value andeffectiveness of her work, and by sup-porting a cause she strongly believes in.

We would like to extend our condolencesto the family of Dr. Eddy Cohen (’82) whodied Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at OwatonnaHospital in Minnesota. Dr. Cohen taughtat LIFE in the early ‘90s. His son Danny isalso an alumnus. Our thoughts go out tothe Cohen family.

Congratulations to Dr. Brian McKenna(’02), who won a free drop table fromSunshine Tables for attending a regionalLIFE alumni event. Dr. McKenna attendedthe LIFE alumni breakfast during theMassachusetts Chiropractic Society’sannual spring conference. Every sixmonths, the Department of Alumni Rela-tions randomly draws a name of regionalevent attendees. The winner receives acustom drop table from Sunshine Tables.

“I went to the Massachusetts Chiro-practic Society’s annual spring confer-ence with the intent of obtainingcontinuing education, and came awaywith much more. Thank you to both theLife University Alumni Association andSunshine Tables.” – Dr. Brian McKenna ‘02

DON’T BE SHY!We’d like to include your personaland professional news and photosin upcoming editions of Class Notes.Send your information [email protected].

24

Alumni EventsFor more information or to register please contact the Life University Department of Alumni Relations at [email protected] or 800-543-3203.

Date Event/Venue Location Day/Time

APRIL8-10 New Beginnings for a New Future Chiropractic- Ocean Place resort & Spa, Longbranch, N.J. TBD

Philosophy Weekend

15-17 North Carolina Chiropractic Association Hilton Riverside Hotel, Wilmington, N.C. Friday 6p.m.-8p.m.

29-May 1 Unified Virginia Chiropractic Association Hilton Dulles Airport, Washington D.C. TBD

MAY13-15 Michigan Association of Chiropractic Radisson Plaza, Kalamazoo, Mich. Saturday Noon-2p.m.

Spring Convention

JUNE10-12 Alabama State Chiropractic Association Auburn, Ala. TBD

Mark Your

PG & CE Seminar ScheduleFor more information or to register, visit http://www.life.edu/Continuing_Education or contact the Postgraduate Programs Office at 800-543-3406.

Date Seminar Title Location Instructor(s)

APRIL2-3 Transition To Wellness Life University Anthony Carrino, D.C.

9-10 Lower Extremity Life University Kevin Hearon, D.C.

16- 17 Pelvic and Cervical Analysis for Life University Jerry Hochman, D.C.Confident Adjusting

MAY7-8 Practical Neurology: Proposed model Life University John Minardi, D.C.

for VSC and its Clinical Application

21-22 Foot Gait Orthotics Life University Kevin Hearon, D.C.

JUNE18-19 Neuro Sensory Integration Life University Monika Buerger, D.C.

*Mod. 1 NSI Certification

JULY23-24 Rehab Life University Paul Hetrick, D.C.

30-31 Sacro-Occipital Technique: Spinal Life University Martin Rosen, D.C.


Life University1269 Barclay Circle

Marietta, GA 30060

www.life.edu

Important Contacts

Update Your Information:Office of Alumni Relations800-543-3203

Make a Gift:Office of Development800-543-3436

Order a Transcript:Office of the Registrar888-423-5547

Volunteer with Student Recruiting:Office of Recruitment800-543-3202

Place an Ad on the Website:770-426-2700 oremail [email protected]

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