As a Campus Guide, 6th Quarter
Student Jesse Hodges is one of the
first people prospective students meet
when touring the Florida Campus. |
Jesse Hodges was always interested in
a career in the health field. A shoulder
injury sustained in college would lead
to his first experience with chiropractic.
A wrestler and power lifter, Jesse
was told that he would need surgery
in order to continue activities that had
become an important part of his life.
A chiropractor in Lafayette, La., where
Jesse was completing his undergraduate
degree, treated Jesse for shoulder
and neck injuries. He experienced
immediate relief.
“He was a real doctor to me,” says Mr.
Hodges. “He looked at me as a whole
person, not just as a patient. He cared
about returning me to a level of functioning
that would allow me to resume
activities that were extremely important
to me.”
With the continued help of his chiropractor,
Mr. Hodges’ level of functionality
improved and he returned to his
personal training. This experience led
to his exploring chiropractic as a
career. Although somewhat skeptical,
friends and family supported his decision
to explore a career that seemed
suited for him. His chiropractor suggested
he look into Palmer College.
“Palmer combined the art, science and
philosophy of chiropractic, it was very
comprehensive,” Mr. Hodges says.
Although he looked at another chiropractic
college, he felt that Palmer’s
“more stringent selection process”
bode well for the future.
“Palmer wanted me to visit the campus,”
he says. “They stayed with me
and communicated with me regularly. I
felt that they cared about me, my family,
my life,” he adds. “It hit me in my
heart. And it’s not just me. It’s the way
they treat everyone.”
Mr. Hodges remembers his first day at
the Florida Campus being both exciting
and scary. He had just moved from
Louisiana to begin a new adventure in
his life—which meant leaving his family,
friends and fiancée behind. He also
was coping with the recent loss of his
father. The thrill of starting a new
chapter in his life without his Dad
dampened his spirits. But meeting his
new classmates during orientation
eased the transition.
“They pretty much felt the same as I
did,” he says. “We were all in the same
boat. I realized that this was going to
be my new support system.”
Within the 1st Quarter, he knew he’d
made the right decision. He began
with courses that dealt with “the way
the body works and functions.” He
recalls Structure 4 with Dr. McConner,
Bio-Mechanics with Dr. Young, and
Basic Foundations with Dr. Sherrier, as
his favorites.
“My first few classes laid the foundation
for the way the body works,” Jesse
says enthusiastically. “The sequence
was right for me. It was what I was
most interested in at the time. I knew
that it would only build from here.”
Currently in the 6th Quarter, Mr.
Hodges’ plans for the future are to
combine his undergraduate work in
kinesiology, health promotion and
human performance, with his degree
in chiropractic. He plans to incorporate
his education with his experience in
personal training to open a practice
in New Orleans, La. He concludes,
“Although returning home to Louisiana
feels right, I know I’ll miss the beach
and the natural environment which is
something that I’ve come to like so
much about the Florida Campus.”