August 2019 - Welcome to The Pursuit, the newsletter for alumni of New York Chiropractic College. Each trimester, The Pursuit will share the latest NYCC news and initiatives, highlight great events, and tell the stories of outstanding NYCC students, faculty, staff, and alumni as they pursue academic excellence, leadership, and professional best practices.
President's Message | The Pursuit | The Form | True Blue | Light Blue | Alumni Notes | NYCC News
President's Message
This is always a time of great transition here at NYCC. We see our beautiful campus grounds bloom and flourish, and we see our fantastic students also growing as they progress through their academic programs to become the outstanding professionals that are the hallmark of our College. In this issue of The Pursuit, we are pleased to share more about some of the many transitions taking place: the creation of a new on-campus CSA, the passage of leadership on our Board of Trustees, the evolution and graduation of new NYCC-trained healthcare professionals, and much more. We hope you enjoy, both these updates about our beloved College and the spring/summer season of growth in which we so happily find ourselves!
Best, President Mike Mestan, D.C., Ed.D.
All About the NYCC Board of Trustees (197)
NYCC Welcomes the Veggie Table CSA (198)
Be Part of the NYCC Legacy Circle (200)
Student Milestones Celebrated (201)
Lifelong Learning at NYCC (199)
True Blue: The People of NYCC
TRUE BLUE: Dr. Carol Ann Malizia (D.C. '89)
Just ask any of her colleagues: the world of chiropractic is better because of Dr. Carol Ann Malizia. An international leader in the chiropractic and wellness industries, she was a respected public speaker with a passion for women's empowerment, as well as a fearless advocate for veterans and members of the U.S. Armed Forces. She opened and led the highly successful Hudson Valley Whole Life Center, a full-spectrum chiropractic practice. Utilizing the foundational principles of chiropractic care and whole-food nutrition, Malizia worked tirelessly to fulfill patients' dreams of a quality life as well as her own vision of integrative healthcare. The League of Chiropractic Women presented Malizia with the Legacy Award, their highest honor, for her lifelong dedication to chiropractic. A proud graduate and supporter of New York Chiropractic College, Malizia passed away on April 13, 2019.
TRUE BLUE: Curtis Bell, MSACN '17
Certified athletic trainer and neuromuscular therapist, Curtis Bell has been the Director of Sports Performance for the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins since 2012. Growing up in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood, California, Bell dropped out of high school his junior year to join the U.S. Navy, where he was a sonar technician. After completion of duty, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology in 1992 and has since worked in physical therapy clinics at every level of competitive sports, from Little League to the Olympics. Returning to school again in 2017 for his Master of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition, Bell chose NYCC because its flexible program allowed him to continue working full time. "I was also looking for a program that used real science to apply practical nutrition in real-world settings," he said. Bell enjoys the fact that he now has the knowledge and experience to help athletes achieve their goals on the ice by what they can accomplish off the ice.
TRUE BLUE: Ethan Loft, D.C. '20
Even as a child, Ethan Loft (D.C. '20) wanted to pursue a career that would help him ease his father's pain and suffering from an amputated arm, the result of a car accident before Ethan was born. He chose to study chiropractic care, not only because it would enable him to help others in pain but also because of his interest in the human body. He first came to NYCC for an open house, where he was deeply drawn to the curriculum, the campus and the NYCC community. The sense of community and comradery is what Ethan likes best about NYCC; he enjoys the idea that all of the students are "in the same boat on our way to the same destination." His favorite class is Gross Anatomy Lab because he enjoys the hands-on experience with cadavers. Ethan ultimately aspires to run his own clinic back home in Idlerton, Ontario, where he was raised with his two sisters.
TRUE BLUE: Katrina Andre, Postgraduate & Continuing Ed
Katrina (Katie) Andre came to New York Chiropractic College 13 years ago as a professional dancer trained with the Eglevsky Ballet Company in Long Island. She joined the Levittown Health Center as a part-time receptionist and has since moved to a full-time position as Associate Program Administrator for the Post Graduate and Continuing Education department. Spending a lot of time in this role as an interdepartmental liaison, Andre values the many relationships she has built at the College and Health Center. That's why the Staff Recognition Award she received last year was so special to her. For all of the work relationships she so cherishes, she now knows that feeling is reciprocated by her colleagues. "I was humbled, surprised and honored," said Andre. And while college was not in her initial plan, Andre reevaluated when she realized just how much she thrives working with the College's diverse workforce --especially clicking with the Information Technology (IT) team. Andre recently earned her associate's degree in Liberal Arts from SUNY Empire State and is now on track to get her MBA.