Whenever I attend alumni events, I’m often asked about the College’s future plans.
But I also often hear, “How can I help?” I wonder how many other colleges and
universities hear that from their alumni.
Having dedicated and devoted alumni is truly gratifying. It’s also essential for the success
of Palmer and the alumni program. We’re currently in the midst of recruiting alumni to
join one of a number of focus groups, each representing a different region of the U.S. and
Canada. Input from these groups will be used to help us determine what we need to do
to better serve our alumni, their practices, the College and, ultimately, the chiropractic
profession. In this way, we’re making our alumni true participants in the alumni program.
Recruiting got underway at Homecoming on both the Davenport
and West campuses, and will continue at the Florida campus
Homecoming in January. If you would like to take part in one of
these focus groups, please contact me at (800) 722-2589, Ext. 3,
or mickey.burt@palmer.edu.
We’re also helping alumni recruit new students to the College.
During the Davenport Homecoming, prospective students had
the chance to meet with Palmer alumni and talk about what the
College can offer them. We also introduced a new networking program
called Practice 2 Practice which allows alumni to meet with
students to discuss their practice and the type of practitioner they’d
like on their staff—whether as an associate or a partner. Our goal
is to eventually match all of our students with doctors who share
similar interests in technique, style of practice and location.
While more and more alumni are stepping up to help with the
success of our future graduates, I’m also encouraged by the support
the College itself is receiving from organizations that aren’t
directly connected to Palmer or chiropractic.
Recently, The Kresge Foundation awarded Palmer College a challenge
grant of $750,000, contingent on us successfully completing
our current capital campaign. Last year, The Kresge Foundation
awarded more than $131 million in grants to non-profit organizations.
However, this is the first time The Kresge Foundation has
ever granted money to a chiropractic college.
Outside support like this is making it easier for the College to
undertake innovative projects like the construction of the
Chiropractic Learning Resource Center on the Davenport campus.
When completed, this pioneering clinic will improve the delivery
of chiropractic care not just at Palmer but in chiropractic clinics
around the world.
Pioneering is what Palmer is all about. Along with introducing
chiropractic education to the world, it has introduced the art,
science and philosophy of chiropractic to people around the
world through its graduates. In our features section, you’ll
learn about two Palmer pioneers who are clearing the path for
chiropractic care in Saudi Arabia and China.
Recently, while at a convention, several non-Palmer chiropractors
came up to me and said, “I’m embarrassed that I’m a chiropractor
and I’ve never been to Palmer College to see where it all started.”
Could it be that chiropractors who didn’t attend Palmer know that
there’s something Palmer graduates have that they don’t have?
Why is that? Well, in the words of Palmer’s new tagline,
“Because Palmer is Chiropractic.”
That new tagline is part of Palmer’s new brand, which was
launched this August and is covered in detail on page 19.
The development of that brand was based on intensive research
gathered from focus groups, surveys and interviews with prospective
students, current students, alumni and employees.
The end result is a brand that says who we are and what we do.
It also adds value to our ability to build and maintain successful
practices by encouraging those seeking chiropractic to get their
care from Palmer graduates. Because Palmer is Chiropractic.
As you can see, there are a lot of exciting things happening at the
College. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to tell you
about them and to share my insights with you.