Second Year in a Row Top Honors go to NCNM in Educational Award Contest
PORTLAND, Ore. (May 16, 2011) —Erin F. Sharman, a National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) student in her third year of a naturopathic degree program, was awarded a $7,000 scholarship and the first-place trophy in the second annual Bob’s Red Mill Scholarship Cup Competition, an intercollegiate speech contest. This is the second year in a row the coveted competition was held—and the second time that an NCNM student took top honors. The finalists were announced at the 55th Annual Northwest Naturopathic Physicians Convention held May 6–8 in Vancouver B.C.
Bob’s Red Mill, a pioneer in the natural foods industry and a longtime Portland institution, sponsors the annual speech competition, “Food as Medicine.” The competition was created by NCNM and promoted and organized by the Naturopathic Medical Student Association.
Sharman’s YouTube video, “Rice: A Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Cure” won her a spot in the semi-finals, where she delivered a 10-minute presentation on “Food as Medicine” at the conference. Second- and third-place finalists were, respectively, Jessica Kooima of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Ariz., and Harmonie Eleveld from Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto.
Students from all seven accredited naturopathic programs in the U.S. and Canada were invited to participate in the contest, comprised of a three-minute video contest and a live speech. Students created nearly 30 videos that promoted the health benefits of a grain of their choice, which were posted to YouTube. Judges selected three finalists from the top-rated videos.
NCNM President David J. Schleich, expressed gratitude to Bob and Charlie Moore, the owners of Bob’s Red Mill, for sponsoring the second year of the scholarship competition. “Bob’s Red Mill has a well-deserved reputation for setting high nutritional standards for their products. NCNM is delighted to have Bob’s Red Mill join us in challenging our students to apply their knowledge about the nutritional value of grains in ways that can ultimately assist them in paying for their education.”
Schleich added that the competition was beneficial in other ways, as well. He noted that, “The level of scholarship and training NCNM students receive is extremely challenging by any higher educational standard. This competition gives our naturopathic medical students the opportunity to showcase their scientific and nutritional research, while preparing them to teach others about what they learn and know. We’re particularly proud of Erin for her achievement.”
ABOUT NCNM
Founded in Portland in 1956, NCNM is the oldest accredited naturopathic medical school in North America and an educational leader in classical Chinese medicine. A nonprofit college of natural medicine, NCNM offers four-year graduate medical degree programs in naturopathic medicine and classical Chinese medicine, and a Master of Science in Integrative Medicine Research degree. Its community clinics offer low-cost medical care throughout the Portland metropolitan area, and along with the campus-based NCNM Clinic, practitioners attend to approximately 33,000 patient visits per year. NCNM’s Helfgott Research Institute conducts rigorous evidence-based research to advance the science of natural medicine and improve clinical practice. Until July 2006, NCNM was formerly known as the National College of Naturopathic Medicine.
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