Keiser University husband and wife learners Tom and Teresa Buzzerd will soon be awarded their doctorate degrees at Keiser’s West Palm Beach Campus Commencement Ceremony.

The two recently shared that the milestone holds special meaning. As motorcycle enthusiasts’ fellow riders eventually nicknamed Tom ‘Notebook,’ as the two incorporated their studies into their pastime of Harley riding, while the more tech-savvy Teresa would endlessly remind Tom to read her study questions as she examined notes on her portable device.

Tom, a former behavioral clinician who for more than 25-years worked in mental health and law enforcement credits Teresa for also giving him the ‘gift of time’ to work on assignments, papers, and his dissertation. “She provided space and the environment to make progress,” he said while also thanking his mother who inspired him to keep pushing forward toward his advanced degree, along with his Keiser friends and colleagues who continued to fuel the fire.

Having started in the healthcare profession as a medical assistant Teresa continued her educational journey as a Clinical Massage Therapy student, and said she was encouraged by Tom to pursue her Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Keiser University’s College of Chiropractic Medicine. “I was very motivated by my family,” said Teresa of Tom and her three daughters Kelsey, Josie, and Kody. “Another powerful motivator was my youngest daughter Kody, who had corrective spine fusion for scoliosis a few years prior.”

Teresa, who’d earned her high school GED in 1994 is thankful she’d returned to academic study and along with family members, credits her Keiser University professors for their support. “Ultimately everyone believed that I would be a great doctor and it made me believe as well,” she said.

When asked what they’d recommend to others who are striving to achieve their goals, Tom, who has served as a Keiser University psychology professor since 2010, said, “Make a decision and follow that direction and then apply yourself to learn everything you can. When you need help ask for it. The days will add up and before you know it you have achieved your goal.”

The Doctor of Chiropractic program at Keiser University is a rigorous professional program consisting of ten semesters of study which are completed over 40 months.  It combines traditional lectures with small group learning, weekly conferences and seminars, laboratory and experiential sessions, and clinical training opportunities at a number of sites.  All coursework includes case-based relevancy for chiropractic practice as a portal-of-entry profession dedicated to excellence in spine care.

Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, Keiser University currently offers more than 100 degrees from associates to the doctoral level. Keiser University is a  designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and was ranked No. 5 in the U.S. in Social Mobility by U.S. News And World Report in 2022.