As the staff of the Palmer Center for Business Development sees it,
the best way to prepare students and recent graduates for the
always-changing healthcare field is to provide them with the tools
and people they need to succeed—whether online or face-to-face.
“We’re blending high tech with high touch to meet the 21st
century expectations of our students and recent graduates,”
says Vice Chancellor for Student Success Kevin Cunningham,
D.C., Davenport ’88, Ph.D., who oversees the Center for
Business Development.
To stay on top of current trends in chiropractic, the center now
turns to an expert panel of advisors: Jeff Mackey, D.C., Davenport
’80; Frank Sovinsky, D.C., Davenport ’81; and Lora Tanis, D.C.,
Davenport ’89. Each was chosen because of their know-how in
running successful businesses, the commitments they’ve made
to the College and because of their vested interest in giving back
to Palmer for the benefit of its students.
New services to be offered at the center include software that
matches job seekers with employers based on shared preferences
for specific techniques, philosophy and other interests.
Additional services will include video résumés, e-portfolios,
assistance with résumé writing, and job-interview coaching.
Students also may opt for traditional, in-person interviews and
participate in a mentor/mentee arrangement. Proposed topics
for future business modules—or presentations—include website
design, office layout, and the impact of recent healthcare
legislation on chiropractors.
“The bottom line is that we are developing a co-curricular
experience that complements the core curriculum with the
goal of minimizing the amount of uncertainty that can be
felt by students before and after graduation,” says Dr.
Cunningham, who has served Palmer College in a variety
of ways for 25 years, while maintaining a private practice
for 21 of those years and earning his Ph.D. in education.