After years of planning, a dream became reality on September 14, 2012, with the grand opening of Bastyr University California. Approximately 400 current and prospective students, alumni, friends and members of the public attended the official ribbon-cutting of the new San Diego campus at 4106 Sorrento Valley Boulevard.
The festivities celebrated the birth of both Bastyr University California as well as its namesake, Dr. John Bastyr, who was born 100 years ago this year. In honor of his century of influence, Bastyr alumni hand-delivered a favorite book of Dr. Bastyr's for the Bastyr Book Journey, which started in May at the Spring for Health Luncheon in Seattle and ended at the Bastyr University California grand opening, shown above (check out a map with photos of the journey on our Facebook page). Bastyr will continue to celebrate the John Bastyr Centennial throughout 2012.
The main program included inspiring words for the future of naturopathic medicine in California from speakers including Bastyr University President Daniel K. Church, PhD (pictured above); Bastyr University California Vice President Moira Fitzpatrick, PhD, ND, FICPP, CHT; Mimi Guarneri, MD, director of the nearby Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine; and Basytr University founders Les Griffith, ND, Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., ND, and Sheila Quinn.
Of course, the moment everybody was waiting for was the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, performed by (from left to right) Dr. Griffith, Dr. Fitzpatrick, Bastyr University Board of Trustees Chair John Flora, Quinn, Dr. Pizzorno and Dr. Church. But the festivities didn't end that Friday afternoon ...
On Saturday morning, Bastyr employees, friends and students woke up early and gathered in their grubs for the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day. The Bastyr community did their part by cleaning up the beach at nearby Torrey Pines State Beach.
The grand opening also was an opportunity to welcome the six faculty members who will lead Bastyr University California's 51 students in the inaugural Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine class. They are, from left to right, Young Cho, PhD, Tabatha Parker, ND, Monique Mazza, ND, Jessica Dominguez Rieg, PhD, Heidi Wittmann, ND, and Nan Lin, MD, PhD. You can read more about each of them on our San Diego blog.
None of it could happen without the students. Best of luck to as your pursue your degree at California's first and only accredited higher education institution for naturopathic medicine!