December 24, 2010 — Thirty students from across the country received the doctor of chiropractic degree from Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010.
The commencement was a shared ceremony for both December 2010 and March 2011 graduates.
Michael J.B. Myers of Pennsylvania and Michael Thomas Rykse of Michigan, recipients of the Milton W. Garfunkel Award for the December and March classes, respectively, presented farewell addresses to their classmates.
The Garfunkel Award is the highest award given at graduation. Students receiving this honor must have a grade point average of 3.5 or above, and in addition, best exemplify those qualities Sherman would like to inculcate in all of its graduates: love of the profession, an understanding of the philosophy, willingness to share, and service to the college and community.
The Academic Achievement Award was presented to Myers for the December class and Michael Donald Knecht of Michigan for the March 2011 class.
This award is given to the individual in each graduating class who maintains the highest grade point average throughout his or her studies at Sherman.
The Service Distinction Award was presented to Katy M. Hughes of Pennsylvania. This distinction is not awarded at every graduation; rather it is given to special students who stand out for their significant and distinguished service contributions to Sherman throughout their course of study.
Myers received the Clinical Excellence Award for the December class, along with Taylor Jacob Van Quaethem of Washington, for the March class. This award is given to the intern in each class who has established a successful practice in the Health Center and has diligently worked to develop his/her skills in the art, science and philosophy of chiropractic.
Meghan Ruth Luttrell Palmer of Tennessee received the B.J. Palmer Philosophy Distinction Award, which is given in recognition of the outstanding student who has “that something” that exemplifies the profound philosophical understanding necessary to translate the universal principles of life into the workable philosophy, science and art which is chiropractic.
The commencement address was given by John Hilpisch, DC, of Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Hilpisch is chair of the Sherman College Board of Trustees and is well-known for his love and teaching of upper cervical chiropractic and the practice of the Blair technique.
R. L. Luttrell, DC, delivered the charge to the graduates. Luttrell is a chiropractor who has run successful chiropractic practices in several states, including Kentucky, Florida, Michigan and most recently in Tennessee.
Source: Sherman College of Chiropractic, www.sherman.edu
