Mexican University dedicates new library honoring Fabrizio Mancini

April 1, 2011 — A public university near Mexico City, the Universidad Estatal Del Valle de Ecatepec (UNEVE), the first institution in the world to offer a Spanish-taught chiropractic program, recently dedicated its new campus library to Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker College of Chiropractic.

The new building is the official library for the entire university and supports the education of five distinctive careers including acupuncture, chiropractic, gerontology, humanities, and multimedia communication.

UNEVE’s rector, Jose Angel Fernandez Garcia, along with the university’s board, students, faculty, and staff recognized Mancini for his generous contributions to the university.

“We are pleased to name our library after Dr. Mancini — someone who has been extremely devoted to extending opportunities for our students,” said Garcia. “This is the first time in Mexico’s history, which we’re aware of, that a building has been dedicated to a non-national person or person while living. This new library is crucial for our students’ learning and will be a significant part of our campus,” said Garcia.

In 2009, Mancini donated more than 1,200 books from his personal library to the university, saying, “books are meant to be shared, not stored.”

“I’ve always been an avid reader, and for more than 20 years I’ve saved the books that have impacted me most,” said Dr. Mancini. “When I saw that UNEVE did not have many books, I felt inspired to share all this wisdom with their students for generations to come.”

During the ceremony, Mancini and Parker executives presented UNEVE with more than 10 donated computers, scanners, and other computer accessories, which will be housed in the library for students’ use.

Mancini, a native of Colombia, has assisted in the growth of chiropractic in underserved countries in Latin America. He was also instrumental in helping establish UNEVE’s chiropractic program—the first institution in the world to offer a Spanish-taught chiropractic program. Today, more than 180 doctors of chiropractic have graduated from the program since its inception in 2001.

Parker College is also active within the UNEVE community through a student exchange program that gives Parker students hands-on clinical experience in addition to Spanish classes and a total immersion experience in Mexican culture. In turn, UNEVE students who participate in the exchange program receive hands-on experience at Parker College.

Source: Parker College of Chiropractic, www.parkercc.edu