Commencement

Commencement Speaker:

Tabatha Parker, ND
Executive Director, Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM)

Dr. Tabatha Parker is a naturopathic doctor and the Executive Director of the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine (AIHM), a global community of holistic and integrative health professionals. Parker has received a variety of awards and honorary degrees, including 2015 Physician of the Year from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), and 2011 Visionary of the Year by UTNE Reader.  She was the founding co-secretary general of the World Naturopathic Federation, worked with the World Health Organization on the WHO Benchmarks for Training in Naturopathy.  Parker led an international service-relief organization for over a decade, and her clinical work in Nicaragua focused on women’s empowerment and cervical cancer screening. Her work with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), aided the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health to fully implement the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014 – 2023. Parker sits on the steering committee of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.  As an activist for the integrative health & medicine global health community, she advocates for holistic healthcare as a human right and works for parity for healthcare providers and full access for all patients to traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine.

Student Speakers:

William Jacob Colling
College of Health and Wellness Graduating Class

Will graduated from New Prague High School in the graduating Class of 2018.  Will knew Radiology was his desired career right out of high school.  This is in part to a HS class called Mastering Academic and Real-World Skills – Healthcare (MARS – Healthcare) that Will took during his senior year at New Prague High School.  The MARS – Healthcare class allows students to experience medical specialties or modalities and a mentorship opportunity.  Included in this program was a college-level Anatomy class.  It is a truly unique experience for the students in the class.

Prior to attending NWHSU, Will attended the former Argosy University, studying Radiologic Technology. Will found his way to NWHSU after his previous educational institution seized to exist in 2019, leaving him searching for a path to continue his dream of fulfilling a career in Radiology.

Will has completed his clinical training at Mayo Clinic – New Prague, in his hometown and at the hospital where he was born.  He has been very fortunate in his training at Mayo Clinic – New Prague and he is thankful for all the support along his educational journey.

Will plans to fulfill his remaining requirements and will complete his national board exam soon after his graduation.

Will looks forward to accepting his first job after completion of his national board exam.

Juliet Winter
College of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Graduating Class

Juliet is graduating with her master’s degree in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Before attending school at Northwestern, Juliet has had several different careers, spanning the fields of engineering, zoology, motherhood, education, sports, homecare, communications, and music.

Juliet developed an interest in medicine after having a serious injury, and later a serious illness. Through her journey of healing, she became intrigued by acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, and that led her to enroll at Northwestern. She has since served on the student senate, chaired the student senate food committee, worked in the library, the TCM pharmacy, and tutored other students.

After graduation, Juliet plans to open her own business, offering acupuncture and herbs, craniosacral therapy, and tuning fork therapy. She has special interest in treating emotional disorders, reproductive health, children, back pain, migraines, concussion, and “long-haul” symptoms of coronavirus.

Parker Hewes
College of Chiropractic Graduating Class

Parker is a dabbler, a lifelong student, and a goofball. Name any sport, yard game, or outdoor activity, and he’d be ready to play. Got a recommendation for a book, podcast, or blog? He’ll be the first to give it a look. And if you see someone walking barefoot and dancing with no music, it’s probably Parker.

You could say Parker has been this weird his whole life, from getting kicked out of daycare because he was climbing on too much furniture, to living in an RV that he renovated in college. Parker’s undergraduate degree focused on pediatrics and global health, but after college, he pursued careers as an ecological researcher and a sustainability business consultant. These careers were unsatisfying, though, and he missed helping people. One day, he was introduced to chiropractic by a friend. He never really knew about chiropractic and had never been adjusted before. But, he was inspired by the possibilities. Months before the Winter term began, he applied to Northwestern and hasn’t looked back since.

While pursuing his chiropractic degree, Parker continued to enjoy life in any way he knew how. Mixing business with pleasure, Parker played recreational sports, joined many technique and educational clubs, and was the president of the Adventure Club. Also, while in school, Parker wrote a book called “Lifelong Youth: The Simple Path to a Long and Youthful Life.” He will use this book as an educational tool for patients and everyday people who are struggling on their health journey.

After graduation day, Parker will be moving to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to work at a local sports clinic. And, as you might expect, he’ll also be exploring the mountains, meeting new people, and dancing his little heart out all along the way.