Life University (LIFE), a small university located in Marietta, Georgia, has been in operation for more than 40 years. It is the largest single campus chiropractic program in the world. Offering 14 programs and majors that relate to overall wellness and health, the university was originally founded by several chiropractors, led by Dr. Sid Williams. They created a vitalistically-based chiropractic college in the Southeast.
The first official class at Life University was opened and housed in a section of Georgia’s unemployment office. Twenty-two students attended the first classes in January 1975. Since that Day-One class, the school has grown both in enrollment and physical space, acquiring land and buildings and constructing new facilities.
Will Brooks, Life University’s communications coordinator and copywriter, said the vision statement of LIFE conveys the goal of maximizing the expression of perfection within each and every individual, and they do this through utilizing the vitalistic approach that has been instilled since the university’s founding.
“LIFE’s educational and clinical philosophy is based on Vitalismthe understanding and principle that all organic systems in the universe are conscious, self-developing, self-maintaining and self-healing,” Brooks says. “This means that the body is more than the sum of its parts; it is imbued with a specific intelligence that guides its development, interactions with its environment on all levels and responses to challenges that environment creates.”
Outside of learning how to be their best selves, students who attend LIFE can expect the perfect mix of the traditional college experiences.
“From student organizations and athletics, to high-quality undergraduate, graduate and professional programs there’s something for everyone,” Brooks says. “LIFE provides all of this while also providing a close-knit, family atmosphere, including a 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio.”
Even the campus’s physical and cultural landscape aligns with LIFE’s vitalistic vison. LIFE has two Gold-level Leadership in Energy And Environmental Design, or LEED, certified campus buildings, including its LIFE Village Retreat campus housing and its sustainable Socrates Caf with healthy options under 600 calories for students, faculty and staff. There’s also more than five miles of walking trails on campus to help encourage students to be healthy and spend more time outside.
Students interested in attending Life University need not worry about a lack of major or study choices. Even though LIFE is a successful chiropractic school, they offer much more.
“We are not just a University for prospective chiropractors,” Brooks says. “We have 14 undergraduate and five graduate degrees that lead to great career opportunities and, if one so chooses, further study in pursuit of advanced degrees. We also have a booming athletic department with 16 intercollegiate sports and scholarships available to prospective student-athletes.”
Brooks encourages students to visit LIFE’s campus to walk their trails, visit the sustainable Socrates Caf and enjoy the wooded scenery. To visit or learn more about Life University, go to LIFE.edu or call 800-543-3202.
