The Atlas House

The Atlas House has suffered major fire damage; firefighters fought the blaze from 6:30 p.m. on May 31 until 2:30 a.m. on June 1. The building is located at 218 S. Osteopathy in Kirksville.

The Atlas Club, a Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine fraternity, has owned the house since 1953. The mansion was built in 1912 by Charles Still, D.O., son of Dr. Andrew Taylor Still, founder of osteopathic medicine and of the original school.

Although the shell of the building is still standing, the Atlas House appears to be damaged beyond repair. The news media, including Kirksville’s local television station, KTVO, are reporting that the fire was intentionally set. There were no injuries as a result of the fire.

A.T. Still University does not own nor has ever owned the structure; however, because the Atlas House has had a close connection with many alumni, it is a sad event for ATSU and KCOM.

Read more about the blaze at www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=464445. The station posts updates on this site when new information is received.

Many students to visit Kirksville for the first time to receive degrees

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – On June 5, A.T. Still University’s School of Health Management (ATSU-SHM) will graduate its latest class of master’s degree recipients in geriatric health, public health, health administration, and health education; and doctoral degree recipients in health education. The ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the Ophelia Parrish Fine Arts Center at Truman State University.

The school, which opened in 1999, seeks to meet the nation’s growing demand for administrators, managers, and teachers in healthcare settings.

“Spending a weekend with our graduates face to face is a rewarding experience,” said SHM Dean Kimberly O’Reilly, D.H.Ed., M.S.W. “These students have worked hard to meet their educational goals, and I am humbled to be the person who gets to shake their hands and congratulate them. As this class of outstanding men and women embark on their new journeys with fresh perspectives compliments of their ATSU degrees, I am confident they will help improve the state of healthcare and preventative health policy for many years to come.”

Jack Dillenberg, D.D.S., M.P.H., inaugural dean of ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, located in Mesa, Ariz., will provide the keynote address. Dr. Dillenberg is recognized at local, state, and national levels as an expert in the area of public health leadership, health program development, social marketing, oral health issues, health center design, training of community health workers, community organizing, and lecture presentations.

Since SHM’s programs are delivered mostly online, many of its students have not visited ATSU’s Missouri campus. Following commencement and a luncheon/awards ceremony, graduates will have the opportunity to tour the campus.

“I am delighted with the fine professionals graduating from our health management programs and congratulate them on their achievements,” said ATSU President Jack Magruder. “I value each and every graduate of these high-quality online curricula and look forward to maintaining a relationship between them and A.T. Still University throughout their careers.”

Michael Samuels, D.Ph.

The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) will honor Michael Samuels, D.Ph., with its 2010 Distinguished Educator of the Year Award at the association’s Annual Rural Health Conference on May 20.

Dr. Samuels is professor and chair of the A.T. Still University School of Health Management’s Master’s in Public Health program and emeritus endowed chair and distinguished scholar in rural health policy and research and professor of family and community medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

“Mike is a teacher of teachers who has kept the spirit and substance of rural health alive for succeeding generations to build on in the quest for better health for rural residents,” NRHA CEO Alan Morgan said. “His contribution to rural health will continue for generations to contribute to a healthier rural America.”

Dr. Samuels is also a founding member of NRHA.

“I accept this honor on behalf of the generations of students who allowed me into their dreams,” Dr. Samuels said.

NRHA’s Annual Rural Health Conference will attract 900 professionals and students to Savannah, Ga. In its 33rd year, it is the nation’s largest gathering of rural health professionals.

NRHA is a nonprofit organization working to improve the health and well-being of rural Americans and providing leadership on rural health issues through advocacy, communications, education and research. The NRHA membership is made up of 18,000 diverse individuals and organizations, all of whom share the common bond of an interest in rural health.

A.T. Still University – Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) Dean Philip Slocum, D.O., and School of Health Management (SHM) Dean Kimberly O’Reilly, D.H.Ed., were selected to participate in the 2010 Harvard Graduate School of Education summer programs.

Dean Slocum will attend the Institute for Educational Management (IEM). The IEM program provides administrators with at least ten years of experience a rare opportunity to assess their leadership skills, renew their commitment to higher education, and develop tangible strategies for long-term institutional success.

“The experience of working with some of the brightest and best in higher education will best help me grow as an academic leader,” Slocum said. “It is truly exciting to be selected to attend.”

This is the second session Dean Slocum has been selected to attend. He attended the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE) in 2005.

“It is hoped that two complete weeks focused on my development will make me a better leader,” Slocum said, “the kind of leader KCOM and ATSU needs to transform both KCOM’s and ATSU’s future.”

Dean O’Reilly is a part of the 2010 MLE class. The MLE institute is designed for administrators with 5-12 years of experience who are responsible for thinking strategically about their institutions’ change agendas. The program is designed to help set and accomplish attainable goals.

“I want to provide the best possible leadership to ATSU and the School of Health Management and feel that experience supplemented with lifelong learning opportunities such as the one Harvard will provide is integral to that goal,” O’Reilly said. “The President and the Deans’ Council have been very supportive of my decision to apply.”

“We are very proud to have two outstanding individuals representing our university,” President Jack Magruder said. “I know that they will represent ATSU admirably.”

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The 2010 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges includes 22 A.T. Still University (ATSU) students who have been recognized as national outstanding campus leaders. Fourteen of ATSU’s Who’s Who students attend its Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) program, two attend KCOM’s Master of Biomedical Sciences (M.S.) program, and six are students of ATSU’s School of Health Management (SHM).

These students join an elite group of students from more than 2,000 institutions of higher learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several foreign nations.

Students with outstanding academic achievement, service to the community, leadership in extracurricular activities, and potential for continued success have been recognized in the annual directory since its first publication in 1934.

The KCOM D.O. students are Jessica E. Alm, Jared Chase, Brandon Flammer, Alan Heincker, Lyndsay C. Hoemberg, Katherine Johnson, Meggan Johnson, Sarah Moran, Cory Nelson, Curtis Neilsen, Brian Parks, Erick Schuermann, Mark T. Shima, and Courtney Winterer.

The KCOM biomed students are Jeffrey R. Gaffney and Tyler J. Smith.

The SHM students are Gail L. Bullard, David Dunham, Jerome Horn, Diane Oldfather, Kareem Rizk, and John Sumo.

ATSU will recognize these students at its 2010 Senior Awards Banquet in May.