October 29, 2018

Academic, healthcare, business, and community leaders from around the Valley of the Sun joined together at Midwestern University on Saturday, October 13th at the annual Bright Lights, Shining Stars gala, which recognizes and honors community service and leadership. The event was held at the University's Glendale Campus at 19555 North 59th Avenue.

This year, Kathleen H. Goeppinger, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Midwestern University, presented the 2018 COMET (Community Outreach: Motivating Excellence for Tomorrow) Award to Joe A. Tyler, and the 2018 Shooting Star Award to Dana S. Devine, D.O., and William H. Devine, D.O., AOBFP, AOBNMM.

Mr. Tyler is an artist, sculptor, and horticulturist whose work has been commissioned and displayed all over the world. He graduated in 1972 from Arizona State University with a Master of Science degree in Environmental Horticulture. He then owned and operated a nursery for 15 years, after which he sold his business and became the Founding Director of the Arboretum at Arizona State University for six years. After deciding to pursue art on a full time basis, he has worked on over 100 projects, most of them large public art sculptures. Among his artworks on display at Midwestern University are a collection of decorative benches lining the campus' Reflecting Pool; an artistic ironworks sculpture representing the College of Veterinary Medicine's inaugural graduating class gift; and a symbolic iron sahuaro cactus in front of Sahuaro Hall.

Dr. Dana Devine has spent 45 years educating physicians, residents, interns, and student doctors and has taught Pathology at Midwestern University for over 20 years. Dr. Devine worked for over 40 years as a pathologist at various hospitals in the Phoenix metropolitan area, including John C. Lincoln Deer Valley and Mesa General Hospital Medical Center. She is also a past President of the Arizona Osteopathic Board of Examiners. Dr. Devine graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Missouri, and received her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. William Devine is the Director of Postgraduate Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) at Midwestern University's Osteopathic Postgraduate Training Institute (OPTI) and the Program Director of the Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine (NMM) Residency Program at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is also the OMM Specialty Clinic Coordinator at the Midwestern University Multispecialty Clinic and Clinical Professor at AZCOM. He is the recipient of numerous educational and service awards, including the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association's "Excellence in Osteopathic Medical Education Award" and Midwestern University's highest honor, the Littlejohn Award. Dr. Devine received his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in 1970 from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, and his Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma University.

"I am so pleased to honor Mr. Tyler, whose wonderful work has enlivened our campus with its beauty; to pay tribute to the Devines for their extraordinary service as faculty at Midwestern University; and to recognize our student scholarship winners. On behalf of the entire Midwestern community, I would also like to thank everyone who joined us tonight for their generosity toward our students," said Dr. Goeppinger.

Six Spirit of Service scholarships were awarded at the gala to students representing three Midwestern University colleges for the 2018-2019 academic year. Scholarship recipients include: Kathy Choi and Victor De Dios from the College of Pharmacy-Glendale (CPG); Revan Dawood and Christy Tran from the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (CDMA); and Karlie Ann Krause and Chelsie Smyth from the College of Health Sciences (CHS-Glendale) Clinical Psychology Program. The Spirit of Service scholarship program recognizes outstanding Midwestern University students based on community service, leadership abilities, academic standing, and financial need.

The annual black-tie-optional event, which raises scholarship funds for students in all of Midwestern University's colleges, also featured a formal dinner, live entertainment, and a silent auction.