William Sherrier, D.C., M.A., has been on the Florida campus of Palmer College of Chiropractic for over 20 years. Now, Dr. Sherrier — who became president of Palmer Florida in 2023 — is overseeing planning for what could be the largest building and renovation project in the campus’s history.
“The future of this campus is guided by our desire to create the best possible atmosphere for our students to learn and grow,” says Dr. Sherrier. “The Florida campus has always had an amazing culture and a bright, inviting spirit. We want to ensure our buildings and student spaces always reflect that culture and let it grow.”
As the Florida campus transitions toward a trimester schedule, cohorts and classes will inevitably become larger. Couple this with record interest and enrollment, and it’s clear that more space is needed as the College looks toward the future. Enter the new campus master plan.
“Our primary aim with this plan is to create more ‘soft spaces’ for students,” says Dr. Sherrier. “These are study spaces, places to relax, rooms to gather socially and more dining options. Many of our students spend all day on campus, and currently, we lack enough of these spaces where they can have productive time between classes. These additions are going to make our campus feel complete.”
Dr. Sherrier is quick to add that “productive” does not only mean studying. Newly designed spaces will allow students to create social connections, share ideas or just unwind.
“I’m proud of how forward-thinking our College administration has been in regard to campus growth,” says Dr. Sherrier. “We’re building academic spaces we can grow into, and we’re designing for flexibility.” For example, our technique rooms can serve as one large space or two smaller spaces by including a soft retractable wall.
For Dr. Sherrier, the design process will be “the fun part.”
“We’re bringing together students, faculty, and our staff in focus groups to figure out together what would make the new space perfect,” he says. “We did something similar when we designed Building 4 and the results were fantastic. It’s our favorite building on campus because everyone had a hand in it.”
This vision for the future of Palmer is possible in part because of the generosity of donors who support the College and its students. “Innovative classrooms, collaborative learning spaces and communal areas are what make The Palmer Experience possible, and none of it would exist without the alumni and donors,” says Dr. Sherrier. “I am finding our alumni are eager to give back to support their College and help secure the future of chiropractic.”
Want to learn more about the plan? Mark your calendar for Homecoming 2024 in Davenport and Homecoming 2025 in Port Orange. Dr. Sherrier promises more updates during the annual state of the College addresses.
This article is part of the Palmer Nation Newsletter that is sent out to Palmer alumni donors. For more information on the Palmer Nation Newsletter, please contact the Alumni and Advancement Office at continuinged@palmer.edu.
