Complementary & Alternative Medicine for Health Professionals

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Dr. Synovitz obtained a degree in nursing (registered nurse) in 1964 and worked for 12 years in various nursing positions. She then continued her education with degrees from Western Illinois University (WIU): a bachelor's degree in School Health Education with a minor in Art Education in 1981 and a master's degree in health sciences in 1985. From 1981 to 1985, Dr. Synovitz taught at Robert Morris College in Carthage, Illinois teaching in the Medical Assisting and Applied Sciences Associate Degree program. 'From 1985 to 1989, she taught at WIU in the Department of Health Sciences. From there, she moved to Ohio and obtained a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction/Health Education from Kent State University in 1993 wherein she was awarded with Dissertation of the Year in the College of Education. Her next four years were spend teaching at Northern Illinois University and then a move to Hammond, Louisiana where Dr. Synovitz taught for 22 years in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Southeastern Louisiana University where she served as undergraduate and graduate coordinator and as a university Senator.Dr. Synovitz has received many honors during her undergraduate and master's years, and as a professional. She was member of Eta Sigma Gamma, (health sciences professional honorary) and was awarded their Scholarship Key. 'While a student at WIU, she was awarded the Dorothy R. Hansen Scholarship, the W.I. Taylor Health Science Scholarship, the WIU College of Health, Physical Education, Recreation Foundation Scholarship, and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society. During her years as a professor at Southeastern Louisiana University, she was the recipient of the LAHPERD Scholar Award, the National Honor Award as the representative of the Southern District Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (SDAHPERD; the Distinguished Service Award from American School Health''

Dr. Karl L. Larson is a Professor of Health Education and the Director of the interdisciplinary program in Public Health at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. After completing a Master’s degree in Student Affairs, he worked in federally funded TRIO programs at Southeast Missouri State University, assisting underrepresented students complete their college degree. It was at Southeast where his first college teaching opportunities occurred. Realizing that teaching was his future path, he returned to school and completed his Doctorate in Community Health Education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 2001. He currently holds the Master Certified Health Education Specialist credential.' Dr. Larson is very active in the profession, having served on the board of several organizations and is the past President of the Minnesota chapter of the Society for Public Health Education. Since 2006 he had led the National Case Study Competition in Health Education. He is the author of three books, and has been awarded the Young Professional Award in 2005 from the former Indiana Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (IAHPERD), the Carl Knutson School Health Education Award, Minnesota-AHPERD in 2008, and the Karen Denard Goldman Mentor Award in 2018 from the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE).'