Faculty, staff, and students on the ATSU Mesa campus are invited to attend an event sponsored by the National Center for American Indian Health Professions (NCAIHP) honoring National American Indian Heritage Month. The event featuring American Indian arts and crafts, food, and music will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the south patio.

National American Indian Heritage Month celebrates native peoples culture, traditions, music, dance and concepts of life. Grammy nominated acoustic guitarist and flutist, Aaron White, will provide music for the event.

Sue Foley, assistant for the Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program at KCOM, received the ATSU Employee Excellence Award on the Missouri campus for the second quarter of 2012. She was recognized for her hard work and excellence by the AHEC department. Foley received a photo with President Phelps and a $50 gift certificate to the Matthews Bookstore.

George Blue Spruce, Jr., DDS, MPH, assistant dean for American Indian affairs and assistant professor at ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH), has been selected to be an honorary commander at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) in Glendale, Ariz. The honorary commanders program provides community, business, and civic leaders first-hand exposure to the mission and heritage of airmen at Luke AFB and Luke’s F-16 training mission. The program also allows military commanders and their units to learn more about the community in which they live.

Honorary commanders are selected based on their position in the community. They are leaders in business, industry, and corporations. They are also actively involved in their community, influential in their own right with the capacity to reach and engage large audiences.

Dr. Blue Spruce was inducted as an honorary commander at Luke AFB in a reception and ceremony held on Oct. 26.

Arizona campus features fall festival

Faculty, staff, and students gathered on the Mesa campus to celebrate Founder’s Day. This year, the Arizona campus Founder’s Day celebration was held on Friday, Oct. 19 from 4 to 7 p.m., and the theme was a fall festival.

On hand were free popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones and activities for adults ages 21 and older (including a cash bar beer garden and free wine-tasting).  As well, there were fun-filled activities for children including carnival games, inflatables, a Velcro wall, and rock-climbing wall. A barbeque was also sponsored by the Student Government Association.

Missouri campus holds three-day celebration

The Missouri campus celebrated it’s Founder’s Day activities Thursday, Oct. 25, through Saturday, Oct. 27, including a CME program held each day.

Thursday, crowds of alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of the University participated in events including the dedication of the William Johnston Research Gallery, Tinning Founder’s Day Osteopathy Lecture, and A.T. Still Graveside Ceremony (held indoors due to weather). The day’s events also included the SAAO “Evening with the Stars,” as well as receptions and dinners.

Doran Farnum, DO

On Friday, alumni, faculty, staff, and students participated in the all-campus meeting, which honored alumni from the classes of 1962 and 1987, as well as Doran A. Farnum, DO, ’36. Dr. Farnum will soon be celebrating his 100th birthday, and he still treats nine patients a week! Other events included the first-year vs. second-year women’s flag football game and tours of the Northeast Missouri Health Council Dental Clinic, the ATSU campus, and the Museum’s Research and Collection Area. The day ended with Still-A-Bration’s barbecue, bonfire, talent show, and dance.

The final day of activities concluded with a 5k run/1.5 mile walk. Several participated in the run/walk, held on the trail behind the TCC.

Elizabeth Curran, DT, CDT, assistant professor and director of dental laboratory technology at ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, is the 2012 recipient of The American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) Dental Technician Leadership Award. The award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding service to the prosthodontic community and has made contributions to the dental laboratory profession and the discipline of prosthodontics.

Curran will receive her award at ACP’s 42^nd Annual Session on Oct. 31-Nov.3 in Baltimore, MD.

Toni Smith Patterson, DO

The American Osteopathic College of Anesthesiologists named Toni R. Patterson, DO, FACOA, as its 2012-2013 President. Dr. Patterson has been a member of the Board of Governors for 7 years prior to her election. Recent organizational positions include service as the Chair of the Committee responsible for evaluating residency programs and residents. [read more]

Doran Farnum, DO, KCOM ’36, is still seeing patients in his San Juan Capistrano, Calif., office four mornings per week. What is remarkable is that Dr. Farnum will turn 100 on Nov. 6.  According to a recent article in The Orange County Register, he traveled with his late wife, Gretchen, to more than 70 countries worldwide and has five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a four-year-old great-great grandchild. Family, friends and patients will be hosting a birthday party for Dr. Farnum next week.

Gregory McQueen, PhD, is the new senior executive associate dean for ATSU-SOMA. Prior to joining ATSU-SOMA, Dr. McQueen was senior executive associate dean at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, Calif.

Dr. McQueen received his doctorate from University of North Texas in 1995. As senior executive associate dean for ATSU-SOMA, he will be responsible for assisting ATSU-SOMA Dean Kay Kalousek in all aspects of the operation and planning for the medical school. Additionally, Dr. McQueen will be in charge of the accreditation process for ATSU-SOMA, organizational development, and team development.

Carl Kochan and Javair Gillett, both 2012 graduates of the ATSU-ASHS Human Movement program, have been named head strength and conditioning coordinators for each team in the World Series. Kochan works for the San Francisco Giants and Gillett for the Detroit Tigers.

Javair Gillett

A.T. Still University’s (ATSU) Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association (KOAA) Board of Directors presented its legendary awards on Oct. 9, 2012, at the annual KOAA Luncheon and Assembly meeting. It was held in conjunction with the American Osteopathic Association Convention in San Diego, Calif. [read more]