Utah’s newest medical school celebrates construction milestone PROVO, Utah, December 15, 2021 — The Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) today marked a milestone in the construction of its new academic building in Provo with a traditional “topping off” ceremony celebrating the placement of the final steel beam on the structure. A gathering of Noorda-COM founders, board members, leadership, students, and benefactors, along with community leaders, medical partners, construction and architect teams, participated in a brief program that culminated with a crane lifting the final steel beam into place. In the days leading up to the event, the beam was signed by hundreds of people with interest in the project, including members of the inaugural class of 90 medical students. “This is a celebration for us all and would not be possible if it were not for the incredible support and vision of our founders, benefactors, community partners, and dedicated campus leadership,” said Norm Wright, interim president of Noorda-COM. “As I look at the steel frame of this building, it is symbolic of the strength and determination of so many who believe passionately in the impact the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine will have – not only for the medical school and our students, but for this community and state.” The topping off ceremony is a time-honored tradition in construction projects. It is not only adorned with signatures, but with an evergreen tree and American flag. The symbolism of the evergreen goes back many centuries and is said to represent a safe job well done with no fatalities, good fortune throughout the life of the building, and blessings for the building to stand forever. Having spent the last 26 years in medical education, Dr. John Dougherty, founding dean and chief academic officer, has envisioned this building and what it will mean for medical education in the future. “This new building has been designed to be a home for generations of medical students to come who will go on to meet the ever-changing needs of the patients they will serve,” Dougherty said. “In this building, we will transform medical education and provide our student doctors with the tools and resources needed for them to become empathetic and compassionate physicians.” Estimated at $57 million, the four-story, 140,000-sqare-foot academic building is situated on a 30-acre campus located off I-15 and Lakeview Parkway in South Provo. The building is expected to open in Summer 2023. About Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine Located in Provo, Utah, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) offers an innovative and unique approach to medical education. Noorda-COM provides 21st-century medical students a curricular model blending active, small group learning with advanced laboratory experiences and research opportunities while also emphasizing school and life balance with a commitment to health and wellness. Noorda-COM focuses on preparing future residency-ready physicians committed to providing patient-centered healthcare. Noorda-COM is a private, proprietary institution. An independent governing Board of Trustees oversees Noorda-COM. The Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation granted Noorda-COM Pre-Accreditation status in December 2020. For more information, visit noordacom.org.
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I'm pleased to see Stephen Whyte has joined RMU. He is a rock star! He's not only a great friend, but a new colleague in the Utah House of Representatives where he was recently elected by the delegates in his area. -Cory
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) has appointed Stephen L. Whyte as the new Vice President of Communications, Marketing & Enrollment effective December 1, 2021. “We are very blessed to have Stephen join the RMUoHP family,” said Founding President/CEO Richard P. Nielsen, PT, DHSc, ECS. “His extensive academic background and national communication expertise will further help position RMUoHP as a national leader in healthcare education. The respect he has earned from the business, professional, higher education, and political arenas across the state will be an incredible addition as we work to fulfill the university’s mission and vision.” “Healthcare is one of the most pressing needs and opportunities in society today. The demand to educate the next generation of medical professionals has never been greater,” said Whyte. “I am honored to be given the opportunity to join the talented team of professionals at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. RMUoHP’s successful track record is transforming the healthcare industry by effectively educating our future healthcare providers. I look forward to working with the university’s visionary team to bring increased visibility to this dynamic institution and the outstanding students, talented faculty and staff, and wonderful programs that are the heart of RMUoHP.” Whyte’s experience in strategic communication has been valuable in delivering effective leadership and enrollment expertise in higher education and business for over two decades. In his prior roles at Utah Valley University, the state’s largest public university, he oversaw the university’s communication, marketing, government and community relations as Associate Vice President of University Relations and University Marketing & Communications. He was also a tenured public relations professor and undergraduate academic public relations program coordinator leading the program to national acclaim. “Hiring Stephen Whyte is a game changer for RMUoHP,” said Cameron Martin, PhD, RMUoHP Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff. “He is an incredibly talented leader who will help elevate RMUoHP’s impact in our community and national influence as a premier graduate healthcare higher education institution.” Whyte complements his academic experience with extensive corporate communications experience, with previous positions in New York City and Washington, DC. Additionally, he was recently elected to serve in the Utah House of Representatives. Whyte earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in business management and a master’s degree in public administration from Brigham Young University. He and his wife Roxane have five children. About Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Founded in 1998 and located in Provo, Utah, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting commission recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. RMUoHP offers high-quality, evidence-based, and outcomes-oriented healthcare programs. www.rm.edu It is a pleasure for me and Maloy PR to provide PR services for the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) in Provo. The proposed Noorda-COM has a growing group of founding executives and staff. None greater than my new friend and colleague, Schyler Richards, who is absolutely the best to work with. - Cory
PROVO, Utah, Oct. 27, 2020 – The proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM) today announced the appointment of Schyler Richards as Vice President for Institutional Advancement. In her role, Richards will provide counsel on the College’s outreach to external audiences, fundraising, alumni relations, marketing, communications, advertising, media, government relations, and community relations. “We couldn’t be more impressed with the level of experience and leadership Schyler brings to the proposed Noorda-COM,” said Dr. Richard P. Nielsen, founding president and CEO of the proposed Noorda-COM. “Her expertise will be crucial during the next few years and beyond as we continue to build the curriculum, hire a complete faculty, build a prestigious research consortium, build a medical education and research campus, build the proposed medical school and invite our inaugural class of medical students in the fall of 2021.” Richards served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Touro University in Nevada. She also served at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas holding numerous positions, including Associate Vice President for Alumni & External Relations, Associate Vice President for Community Relations, Chief of Staff to the University President, and Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship. “I am grateful to become a member of the founding executive team at the proposed Noorda-COM,” said Richards. “Together, we will create a great institution to provide local students with the professional medical skills needed to serve the people of Utah, across the country, and around the globe. Our students will join medical students from other Utah medical schools in addressing the on-going shortage of physicians in Utah and across the country.” The proposed Noorda-COM received Candidate Status in June of 2019 as part of the accreditation process from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). It recently received the accreditation status of Rights to Recruit, allowing the proposed Noorda-COM to begin recruiting its inaugural class. About the proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine The proposed Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine is an independent and freestanding institution overseen by a governing Board of Trustees located in Provo, Utah. Its Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program is designed to train outstanding future physicians. Its mission is to empower students with essential personal and professional skills to be competent, confident, and compassionate osteopathic physicians. The college has achieved Candidate with Rights to Recruit Status by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. ### PROVO, Utah, Sept. 21, 2020 – Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) announced the appointment of Dr. Cameron K. Martin as Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff to the Office of the President.
Martin is no stranger to higher education, having worked formerly with Utah Valley University (UVU) and the Utah System of Higher Education. His experience will be instrumental as RMUoHP moves forward into a new period of educating healthcare professionals. “We are thrilled Dr. Martin is joining our ranks,” said Richard P. Nielsen, founding President and CEO of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. “His leadership style and his experience in developing excellence among students and university culture will help propel RMUoHP into its grandest years yet. We are looking forward to working with him and implementing his counsel and ideas into our culture.” RMUoHP is an accredited institution by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting commission recognized by the US Department of Education, and the same institutional accrediting commission for Brigham Young University, UVU, and the University of Utah. “It is important for people to know that RMUoHP is accredited at the highest levels, offering graduate degrees and certifications, and has the faculty and staff to educate and support students for success as healthcare professionals,” said Martin. “The leadership, faculty, and staff of RMUoHP are recognized as educational innovators, being the first in the nation to launch many programs and early adopters of sophisticated learning technology. I am truly honored to join the RMUoHP team and play a role in its continued success.” Martin joins RMUoHP with a rich history of community, business, and university leadership experience. He was Vice President of University Relations at UVU, working closely with the current president, Astrid S. Tuminez, and former president, Matthew S. Holland. Some of his responsibilities included community and government affairs, marketing and communications, economic and community development, international and diplomatic affairs, high-profile student internships, and university events. Martin currently serves on the boards of directors for the Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce, America’s Freedom Festival at Provo, Explore Utah Valley, and Envision Utah. While chair of the Utah Valley Chamber, he helped start the Valley Visioning effort, which is helping Utah County plan for and manage its growth while ensuring economic prosperity and the quality of life we enjoy. He has also served on the United Way of Utah County Board of Directors and the Utah Valley Hospital Community Board. “Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions has a culture that is compelling, supportive, and welcoming,” said Martin. “Its mission, which is now my mission, is all about training students to be healthcare professionals who can improve the human condition. I’m very excited to work with Dr. Nielsen, our faculty and staff, and especially our students to fulfill RMUoHP’s mission, and thereby, improve the quality and efficacy of healthcare.” While at UVU, Martin also served as Assistant to the President for Institutional Development and Planning during President William A. Sederburg’s tenure. He played a central role in transitioning Utah Valley State College (UVSC) to Utah Valley University and is a former Director of the UVSC Alumni Association. He also served as Associate Commissioner for Economic Development and Planning at the Utah System of Higher Education. Martin holds three degrees from Brigham Young University, including a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Foundations, an MPA from the Marriott School of Management, Romney Institute of Public Management, and a BS in Political Science. He and his wife, Julie, live in Provo and are the proud parents of three daughters. About Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Founded in 1998 and located in Provo, Utah, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is an accredited institution by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, an institutional accrediting commission recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. RMUoHP offers high-quality, evidence-based, and outcomes-oriented graduate healthcare programs. www.rm.edu ### During the economic shutdown caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses are sailing uncharted waters. It’s a time that feels familiar due to economic downturns of the past, yet very different due to the controlled, systematic shutdown of society across the country to prevent the spread of the virus.
The economic impact, though it seems necessary, cannot be ignored. Businesses, especially small businesses, are determining how to react to this new sudden circumstance. It begs the question, what do I do first to survive, and second to grow my business? Public Relations (PR), along with your marketing efforts, can provide some of the smartest ways to succeed. Smart businesses will use time like this to increase their presence to become stronger and more competitive – specially prepared for the end of the crisis. For example, Maloy PR is offering its PR services with three new discounted price packages tailored to help businesses get through this difficult time. A strategic move to make it easier for small businesses to utilize PR in their efforts, while frankly, helping Maloy PR maintain and grow business as well during this time Here are a few reasons to maintain or even increase your public relations and marketing efforts.
Maloy PR releases discounted PR packages for businesses economically impacted by Coronavirus4/1/2020 NOTE: This discount has been extended through May 31, 2020.
Maloy PR today announced it would temporarily offer discounted public relations programs for businesses working through the economic impact of Coronavirus. The packages – Fundamental PR, Essential PR, or PRO PR – are designed to give businesses PR options and pricing to meet their specific needs. Maloy PR is also offering an additional 10 percent discount on the Fundamental and Essential packages for businesses who sign up before April 15, 2020 (Discount extended through May 31, 2020). That means the Fundamental package will cost as low as $1,768 per month. “This is an unprecedented time in our history,” said Cory Maloy, founder, and principal of Maloy PR. “Every business is feeling the weight and difficulty of the economic impact brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. We feel it as well. We’re doing this to do our part in providing an important service that is needed more now than ever before at temporarily discounted prices for businesses working through these times.” The Maloy PR packages:
The discounted PR packages are available now and utilize Maloy PR’s proven public relations programs to help businesses communicate, explain, and engage with the world. “This is just the right thing to do during this time. Businesses are pulling together, working together, to serve their customers to the best of their ability. We’re pleased to offer these discounted packages to help everyone get through this economic hardship,” said Maloy About Maloy PR Located in Lehi City, Utah, the heart of Silicon Slopes, Maloy PR is a full-service public relations firm offering high-value public relations programs at reasonable prices. The firm has decades of experience serving some of the best-known PR agencies and companies in the United States. The firm has no expensive operating costs or overhead, which allows it to provide higher service at better rates. www.maloypr.com ### Though the way we conduct business has drastically changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this time provides an opportunity for small business owners to quickly and proactively future-proof their business by automating inventory processes. Fishbowl®, the #1 inventory management solution for QuickBooks users, provides eight tips to help automate your business to exit this uncertain time better than before.
“Businesses who respond now can be even stronger when things return to normal,” said John David King, CEO of Fishbowl. “Now is the time to think about how to quickly prepare to be substantially more efficient in the coming months.” The inventory experts at Fishbowl can provide the know-how needed to future-proof your business today. Fishbowl provides:
For more information about Fishbowl and how to future-proof your business, schedule a personalized demo and consultation now. About Fishbowl Based in Orem, Utah, Fishbowl is the #1 requested desktop manufacturing and warehouse management solution for QuickBooks, and it is also a popular standalone solution for organizations or enterprises looking to track assets. www.fishbowlinventory.com ### Donates dresses to organizations helping children in orphanages and other areas throughout the world Recently, young women in Malawi, Africa, were given clothing from the volunteers and staff of the World of Difference. With smiles of gratitude and excitement, the girls and young women received dresses lovingly handmade in Vineyard, Utah, by Arda Molen. What the girls didn’t realize was Arda’s right hand was severely damaged from years of sewing thousands of dresses. Dresses she donated to several organizations to distribute in locations around the world. The damage caused by the repetitive motions of sewing required surgery to correct Arda’s hand earlier this month. To her, the difficulties of her hand are worth the joy she feels knowing girls are benefiting from her efforts. Girls who, in many cases, are receiving their very first dress. “Arda’s work is the fulfillment of her dream to serve young people she doesn’t even know,” said Dr. Richard P. Nielsen, co-founder and president of World of Difference, and founding president of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) and the Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (proposed). “Each year, we are in a blessed position to serve the people of Africa. We have the opportunity of witnessing the joy and happiness expressed by young girls receiving the dresses Arda has sewn by hand.” Nielsen estimates they have given nearly 1,000 of Arda’s dresses over the past few years. He and a group of volunteers comprised of students, faculty, and staff from RMUoHP and other local participants travel to Africa each year. This year they were in Malawi, Africa where they spent a few weeks working alongside local chiefs, leaders, and others serving children by renovating dilapidated existing schools and building a primary school and library stocked with items, helping the kids in local orphanages, drilling a bore-hole water well in the local village where they worked, working on permaculture initiatives, and other service oriented activities to help provide new opportunities for the people there. They also provided clinical experiences for RMUoHP students, faculty and other healthcare professionals. In addition to Arda’s dresses, Nielsen and his wife, Jodi, and the World of Difference team took 6,000 pounds of educational supplies and materials, tools, athletic equipment, and partnering with Days for Girls International, provided feminine hygiene kits to use in the orphanages. Arda, an experienced seamstress, began sewing in earnest all of the dresses she could about four years ago after sustaining substantial injuries from a car accident. Since she faced a long-term recovery following the crash, she made a decision to do something to help others during and following her recuperation. “I decided instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I would do something for somebody who was worse off than me,” she said. “And that’s when I started [making the dresses]. I just did it.” For four years since then, that’s about all she has done. She sews dresses six to eight hours per day and estimates she has made about 5,000 dresses. Arda, the seamstress, and Nielsen, the university president, and humanitarian make a unique team that serves underprivileged children, orphans or victims of sex crimes in different parts of the world. “We work with a few different orphanages in Malawi, where we distribute Arda’s dresses to young girls,” said Nielsen. “There’s just no money over there that is available to support those kids. They usually wear clothing they’ve been wearing for many months and even years. They get holes in them, they are too big or too small, and often unclean. “Arda takes t-shirts and then makes skirts that attach to the shirts and turns them into dresses,” said Nielsen. “I’ve raised five kids and seen the excitement on Christmas morning in their eyes, but nothing compares to the excitement among these girls as they receive Arda’s dresses. It’s one of the best things they’ve ever received in their young lives. It truly makes a difference.” Nielsen is quick to point out Arda has literally given her hands and soul to helping these young girls throughout the world. “The work she does is so important and helps so many people who are so less fortunate than all of us,” he said. In addition to distributing the dresses, Nielsen and the World of Difference volunteers distribute additional clothing and items to both girls and boys in the orphanages they visit in Malawi. They receive the clothing from various people and organizations to distribute to kids from ages four to 20 who benefit from these clothing donations. Sewing 5,000 dresses over the years has taken a toll on Arda. She has gone through three sewing machines and currently uses her “faithful Bernina.” The repetitive motions of sewing, cutting material, and other actions using mostly her right hand created a situation where she was in great pain. Pain caused by the rubbing of bone-on-bone, worn-out cartilage, and strained ligaments resulted in two different surgeries in her hand to correct the issues. “The constant repetition just wore my hand out,” she said. “It ached clear up past my elbow, and the pain never stopped. I could only sleep about an hour at a time due to the pain.” Arda reports the surgeries were a success. Following a time of recuperation, she looks forward to getting back to work on making more dresses. In the meantime, other people she knows are working to help her keep the dressmaking going. The partnership between Arda and Nielsen and the World of Difference volunteers brings joy and happiness to many young people in different parts of the world. The question has to be asked, though, what drives them to do it? According to Nielsen, it’s a culture and attitude of service to others that comes from within. “Honestly, you don’t have to go around the world or across the oceans to do the type of service we do. You can do it around your neighborhood corners or across the back fence. There are people we can serve all around us. You don’t have to go out of your way to serve someone – you can simply do it on your way.” Nielsen points out about 609,000 people are living in Utah County, Utah, and about 72,000 of them live below the poverty line. “That’s why our Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions Foundation started free clinics to help the indigent, under-served, non-insured and those without the means to receive the healthcare they need,” he said. “These people are in poverty, they’re under-resourced and have no means to pay for these services, just as the people in Africa are. We need to reach out to them to help give them opportunities they wouldn’t typically have. “There is a peaceful feeling that just comes over you in helping others. We have all experienced it. We all have the opportunity to serve and help others here in our communities as well as in other parts of the world,” said Nielsen. For Arda, who has no intention of slowing down her dressmaking, the story is similar, but also different. She has seen and heard the stories of horrific conditions young girls have gone through and has a strong desire to help them and bring them happiness. She keeps a folder of pictures of all the dresses she has made. Among them are photos sent to her of girls wearing her dresses. One shows four girls rescued from sex trafficking. “When I get tired, and when my hand hurts really bad, I look at that picture,” said Arda. “Their smiles remind me [my discomforts] are nothing compared to what they have gone through. So, I just keep going. I kept going for four years. The swelling, the ripped ligaments, and the pain are all worth it when I see those smiling faces. I know they and many other girls are receiving help and happiness with some of the work I do.” Maloy PR opens to help organizations achieve their missionI’ve treasured providing many public relations programs for great organizations over the years. Several of those experiences rise to the top as the most enjoyable. Trying to understand why some were more gratifying than others, I made a discovery while reflecting on the words found in Greg McKeown’s excellent book, essentialism: A Disciplined Pursuit of Less[i]. A small section about mission statements in his chapter about eliminating the trivial jumped out at me. After showing three mission statements that leave readers scratching their heads, McKeown pointed out, “The largely indistinguishable statements make the task almost impossible. Such vague, inflated mission statements may still be considered “’best practice’” in some quarters, but in many cases they do not achieve what they were intended to achieve: to inspire their employees with a clear sense of purpose.” (emphasis added) I realized at that moment, the most enjoyable and successful PR programs over the years were for organizations who had a clear purpose – not necessarily a clear mission statement, but a clear mission. I’ve found what McKeown found; when there is a sense of purpose or mission permeating the organization, everyone understands and does all they can to accomplish the mission—and they enjoy it. In McKeown’s words, “motivation and cooperation deteriorate when there is a lack of purpose. You can train leaders on communication and teamwork and conduct 360 feedback reports until you are blue in the face, but if a team does not have clarity of goals and roles, problems will fester and multiply.” This is why, after more than 20 years providing successful public relations services for some of the best PR firms and organizations in the country, I’m proud to open Maloy PR, LLC, a full-service public relations firm located in the heart of Silicon Slopes offering high-value public relations programs to serve purpose-driven organizations. Some of the most successful PR programs are for organizations driven by a purpose to help the world become a better place – a clear mission. Maloy PR's mission is to assist organizations in achieving their mission through public relations. Maloy PR looks at the mission as much more than a statement but as a determined understanding of how an organization wants to help people live better lives – a belief permeating their culture and driving every decision they make. There is much satisfaction in helping organizations help other people. We’re not talking just nonprofit organizations either; there are plenty of profit-driven causes doing much for the world. We’re opening Maloy PR in Lehi City the fast-growing economic engine in Utah. We get to live and work in the heart of one of the fastest growing business locations in the country – Silicon Slopes. There isn’t an organization anywhere that isn’t looking at Lehi individually and Utah overall to locate primary operations or businesses. Utah is where business is happening, and we’re excited to be a part of it. Maloy PR offers high-value public relations programs at reasonable prices. We have no expensive operating costs or overhead, which allows us to provide higher service at better rates. If you believe your organization is on a mission, let us know. We’ll sit down with you and develop a customized public relations program specifically designed to help you accomplish your mission. __________________________ [i] Greg McKeown, essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, New York, Crown Business, 2014, Vol. I, 120 – 121.
Nearly a year ago, Shauna Lake, a longtime news anchor for the Salt Lake City CBS affiliate, experienced the effects of a high-profile mistake after a Utah State Highway Patrol officer pulled her over for suspicion of driving under the influence and arrested her after she failed a field sobriety test.
She later plead guilty to a reduced charge of "impaired driving, a class B misdemeanor, in place of the class B misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence she originally faced." The incident should stand as a reminder of a few key points for communicators. First, we are all susceptible to making mistakes and facing the consequences. Second, the higher your public stature in your community or among your key publics, the greater your consequences seem to be. Business leaders and other high-profile people can learn best practices on handling personal mistakes by looking at how Lake managed her own mistake. After the media fallout of her arrest and after a week of being off air, Lake returned to her anchor post and began the newscast with a two-minute apology. As a result, she has been widely accepted back by her colleagues and the public following the embarrassing incident. Her experience, and how she handled it, can be summed up in four key areas worth remembering:
It is not a guarantee of success, but communicators facing these situations would be wise to advise their clients on the side of honesty, sincerity, and courage – following the four steps Lake expressed with her apology. Doing so increases the possibility they may experience what Lake expressed, “this has been the most painful and challenging experience of my life. However, I believe it might possibly turn out to be the most defining experience of my life as well.” An early version of this article appears on the blog of Snapp Conner PR. |
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