UNIVERSITY UPDATES
Congratulations to Our Graduates !
COVID-19 has disrupted and altered many peoples ’ best laid plans in 2020 , and that did not exclude the plans that Life University had for celebrating the wonderful graduating classes in this year ’ s Winter , Spring and Summer Commencement ceremonies .
After initially canceling the Winter 2020 College of Chiropractic ( COC ) Commencement originally scheduled for March 27 , President Dr . Rob Scott gathered together a team to execute the first virtual commencement in LIFE ’ s history . On short notice , a plan was developed and executed for the ceremony to be viewed on April 3 for graduates , their families , loved ones and the LIFE community .
And although it was not nearly the same as an inperson ceremony would have been to honor the hard work and countless hours put in by these amazing graduates , it was still a terrific accomplishment to recognize them the best way possible , given the circumstances .
After the successful Winter 2020 virtual commencement , more planning went into motion for a second virtual ceremony to honor the Spring 2020 classes from the College of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies ( CGUS ) and the COC . An even more expansive commencement was achieved this time around , and the virtual celebration went live on June 19 to rave reviews .
Thankfully , as the Summer 2020 Commencement date drew near , the University was finally able to return to a sense of normalcy , as an in-person , physically-distant ceremony was planned and successfully executed on Friday , September 25 . It was live streamed so that any family , friends and loved ones could watch and join in the festivities .
Excerpts from our 2020 Valedictorian Addresses
Mekeme Utuk , COC Winter 2020 Valedictorian
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it , does it make a sound ? If you grind for at least 3.5 years toward a professional doctorate degree and don ’ t get to walk across a stage in your cap and gown to the sound of cheers and applause while shaking the hands of the professors and administrators that helped build the foundation of your chiropractic career , are you really a doctor ? Simply put , you absolutely are . And although a virtual graduation may feel anti-climactic to some , it cannot take away from the ( figurative and literal ) blood , sweat and tears we have all shed over the course of our time at Life University ’ s College of Chiropractic . We made it .
We are living through unprecedented times . The uncertainty that this global pandemic has caused has heightened depression and anxiety for many . Even people we know who previously tended to look at life with rose-colored glasses are now viewing the world through a lens of fear . But the reality is , we don ’ t have to live in fear .
We often live our lives as though we are victims , subject to the whims of our parents , our professors , our bosses , our spouses , our children , the economy , the weather , etc . And with a global pandemic raging , it would be easy and commonplace to take on a victim mentality right now . But I challenge you to be bold . Be an outlier ! Stand firm on the ground of chiropractic science that our transformative profession is based on . We are beginning our professional chiropractic careers at a point when the world really needs us . Press forward . Share your knowledge with others . Heal the world one spine at a time . And when all hope seems lost , remember this :
“ If you can ’ t fly , then run . If you can ’ t run , then walk . If you can ’ t walk , then crawl . But whatever you do you , you have to keep moving forward .” — Rev . Dr . Martin Luther King , Jr .
Timothy Singler , CGUS Spring 2020 Valedictorian
I remain grateful . The world needs gratitude more than ever . I have often reminisced these past months with friends of mine about going to class , seeing each other faceto-face and visiting with relatives freely and without worry . But I never expressed gratitude for those things . And because of that , I failed to appreciate the wonders of the simpler things in life . There is a lesson to be learned here . Don ’ t wait for these great things to be taken from you before showing gratefulness for having them .
Graduation signals the end of another chapter of our lives , but it is also the beginning of a new one . With this new beginning , may we take the lessons that we have learned from our fellow classmates , friends and faculty . May we be the change we want to see in the world . May we take little steps , each and every day , to better ourselves . May we be grateful both for the opportunities we have had , and also the doors that have been opened to us by attending this institution . I hope that our class , the Class of [ Spring ] 2020 , is not remembered for the circumstances we faced ; rather , that we are remembered for how we faced these circumstances , with gratitude , love , kindness and positivity . The Greek stoic Epictetus said , “ He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things for which he has not , but rejoices for those which he has .” Let us rejoice and give thanks for all our wonderful blessings and share our great gifts with the world .
Gregory Tonnesen , COC Spring 2020 Valedictorian
I remembered something my PEAK internship doctor , Dr . Deb , shared with me . She gave me a quote that said , “ Real wisdom comes from your own successes and your own failures . If you measure them , you can learn from them . Until then , stand on the shoulders of those who have come before you . Success leaves clues . Seek them out and use those strategies and tactics to create your own success .”
In the last three-plus years , we ’ ve all been searching for these clues to success . First of all , a little bit about freedom . This degree that we ’ ve gained today enables us to be entrepreneurs and be free of corporate structure , free to choose our own way of practicing , free to choose our own location and
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