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Front row, from left: Charles Agbetsoamedo, Taknicia Taylor, Oleksandr Povazhnyak, Sarah Caroline Williams, Mary E. Carmichael, Tara Louise Hazouri, Bethaney Louise Allison, Sherman President Edwin Cordero, D.C., Ana Tegla Leite, Alishia Ann Hepak, R. S. Porter, Brendal Scott Epling, Andrew Dean Herman, Joseph Pierce Power, Daniel John Poff. Back row, from left: John Spangler, Ryan Eddy Lutz, Benjamin E. Couture, Victoria Patrice Fox, Haytham Abdelaziz Abou Elkasem El-Genedy, Tiffany Rae Padden, Courtney Ryan Sharpe, Heath Alexander Sharpe, Abigail Noel Vivoda, Justin Kyle Willis, Patrick Ryan O’Toole. Not pictured: Bruce Michael Ward, Jr.
Twenty-six students from around the world received the doctor of chiropractic degree from Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, SC, on Saturday, June 15, 2013. The commencement was a shared ceremony for June and September graduates.
Charles Agbetsoamedo of Ghana, recipient of the Milton W. Garfunkel Award, presented the farewell address to his classmates. The Garfunkel Award is the highest award given at graduation. The student receiving this honor must have a grade point average of 3.5 or above, and in addition, best exemplify those qualities Sherman College would like to inculcate in all of its graduates: love of the profession, an understanding of the philosophy, willingness to share, and service to the college and community.
Agbetsoamedo also received the Academic Achievement Award and the Service Distinction Award. The Academic Achievement Award is given to the individual in each graduating class who maintains the highest grade point average throughout his or her studies at Sherman College. The Service Distinction Award is not given at every graduation; rather it is given to students who stand out for their significant and distinguished service contributions to Sherman College and the local community throughout their course of study.
The Clinical Excellence Award was presented to Tiffany Padden of Michigan for the June class and Ana Tegla Leite of Brazil for the September class, in recognition of their successful practices in the Health Center. This award is given to an intern in each class who has diligently worked to develop skills in the art, science, and philosophy of chiropractic maintained an “A” average in the clinical program and exhibited superior overall clinical performance and professionalism.
The B.J. Palmer Philosophy Distinction Award was presented to John Spangler of Pennsylvania for the June class and Joseph Pierce Power of South Carolina for the September class. This honor is given in recognition of the outstanding student who exemplifies the profound philosophical understanding necessary to translate the universal principles of life into the workable philosophy, science, and art which is chiropractic.
The commencement address was given by Anthony C. Duke, Ph.D., professor of basic sciences at Sherman College. Since joining the college faculty in 1980, Dr. Duke has taught all the college’s physiology courses, abnormal psychology, gross anatomy, neuropathophysiology, philosophy of science, and neuroanatomy. He served as dean of basic sciences from 1982 to 1999 and as interim dean from 2009 to 2011. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology and physiology, and a second Ph.D. in neuroscience and neuroanatomy from Michigan State University. He has completed National Institutes of Health post-doctoral training in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology and has completed additional training in cognitive therapy and in psychometrics. Dr. Duke served three consecutive four-year terms on both the Physiology Committee and the Spinal Anatomy Committee of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners and has offered continuing education seminars at Sherman College and for chiropractic associations in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and New Jersey.
Kevin Power, D.C., assistant professor of clinical sciences at Sherman College, delivered the charge to the graduates; his son, Joseph Pierce Power, was a member of the September graduating class. A 1981 Sherman graduate, Power has 25 years of private practice experience, practicing for five years in his home state of Victoria, Australia, and for 20 in Spartanburg. Power is the youngest of five brothers, all doctors of chiropractic. He joined the college faculty in 2002 and teaches and assists in technique classes. He also coaches the Sherman rugby team.
The doctor of chiropractic program at Sherman College requires students to complete more than 4,800 hours (14 quarters) of classroom and laboratory study and also includes an internship in the college’s on-campus Chiropractic Health Center. To enter the program, students must have at least 90 semester hours of college-level courses, including courses in the sciences.
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