February 22, 2017

CCOM students and Karen J. Nichols, D.O., M.A., MACOI, CS, Dean, welcomed Dr. William Anderson to the Downers Grove Campus.

Students at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) welcomed William G. Anderson, D.O. to the Downers Grove Campus and learned more about his impact on the profession and the civil rights movement.

Dr. Anderson was a founder of the Albany Movement, a desegregation coalition established in Albany, Georgia in 1961. Dr. Anderson worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and was an integral part of the civil rights movement. He is a strong proponent of osteopathic medicine and continues to promote justice and equality for all. Dr. Anderson spoke to CCOM students about how the level of respect they will receive as physicians provides them with the opportunity to improve our society.

"We keep getting closer to the ideal of equality, but then something happens that makes us take a step back," Dr. Anderson said. "If you want to make this a country of equal opportunity, we all have to work together and be committed to making changes."

A graduate of Des Moines University, Dr. Anderson was the first African-American member of the Board of Trustees of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and served as the organization's president. He has held numerous academic positions and is responsible for the development of osteopathic medical education programs for students, interns, and residents.