Life West Grants Degrees to 71 Graduates

              Seventy-one students from across the nation and world were awarded Doctor of Chiropractic Degrees at Life West’s 46th commencement on June 11, 2005. The special event held at the Chabot College Performing Arts Center in Hayward celebrated the graduation of two classes, Winter 2005 and Spring 2005. Hundreds of proud families, friends, staff, faculty and alumni applauded their accomplishments.

               President Gerard Clum, D.C., served as the commencement speaker. As it was for many others in the audience, this was an extra special day for Dr. Clum.

“Today I’m not only here as an educator and chiropractor, but I also join many of you as a parent and uncle.” His daughter Lauren Clum, and his nephew, Jeremy Schmidt, son of former LCCW Dean Michael Schmidt, D.C., were members of the graduating class.

Dr. Clum reminded the new doctors, “Remember what I told you the very first day of school and throughout your time at Life West, ‘Never ever under-estimate the power of a chiropractic adjustment!’”

              Top academic honors in the Winter 2005 class went to Valedictorian Lauren Clum. Spring 2005 graduate Robert Privratsky from South Heart, North Dakota was honored as his class’s valedictorian. Earning the salutatorian honors were Joella Pettigrew (Winter 2005) from Pullman, Wash., and Christina Carrari (Spring 2005) of Los Alamos, Calif.

                Salutatorian Joella Pettigrew and Valedictorian Robert Privratsky were also awarded the Clinical Excellence Citation for their exceptional patient care.

              Life West’s newest doctors represented fifteen states and Puerto Rico and eight foreign countries including Canada, China, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, United Kingdom and Vietnam.