West student receives special CCA scholarship

Brian DeCesare, a third-quarter student at Palmer College of Chiropractic’s West campus in San Jose, California, was awarded a special $1,000 scholarship from the California Chiropractic Association’s (CCA) “Endowment for Student Excellence” program during the Saturday Night Gala at the Santa Clara Marriott Hotel, one of the many highlights of Palmer West’s recent Homecoming 2017 event, May 5-7, 2017.

DeCesare, the president of the West campus Student CCA chapter (SCCA), received his award from CCA Director at Large David Paris, D.C., a 2001 West campus alumnus who provides care at the Veterans Health Administration facility in Redding, Calif., and David Benevento, D.C., CCSP ®, a past-president of the CCA, who maintains a practice in Folsom, California.

The “Endowment for Student Excellence” scholarship program was introduced in 2015 by the California Chiropractic Foundation (CCF), the educational affiliate of the CCA, and honorees are selected by the CCA president, with input from college presidents.

The program provides a way to annually recognize one Student CCA member from each of the three California chiropractic colleges who has uniquely distinguished him/herself through outstanding student achievement and by involvement with their campus’ Student CCA chapter.

“I was surprised and quite honored, to receive the scholarship from CCA,” said the Fresno, California, native, whose parents, Brett DeCesare, D.C. (Main, ‘85), and Madeline Schroeder, D.C. (Main, ‘85), maintain their practice in Fresno.

Brian’s grandmother, Rita Schroeder, D.C., graduated from Palmer Davenport in 1949 – and his great-grandmother, Ruth Molthen, D.C., graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College in 1921.

In addition to serving as president of the West campus Student CCA chapter, Brian also participates in a variety of other extracurricular activities, including the West Campus Student ACA chapter (attending this year’s National Chiropractic Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.); the Motion Palpation, Applied Kinesiology, and Disc Golf Clubs; and he helped carry the large multi-segment Palmer Spine at the 2016 Turkey Trot event on Thanksgiving morning in downtown San Jose (the largest timed event of its type in the country).

“I appreciate the many ways that CCA has helped me understand the importance of getting involved with our state and national associations, and for assisting me in my efforts to stimulate interest among our students about the importance of supporting their profession,” noted DeCesare, who, when he graduates in 2019, will become the 79^th member of the immediate and extended Schroeder chiropractic family to earn their Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree.