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Stephen Foster, DC, FICC, is a native Texan and graduated from Texas Chiropractic College in 1990. He spent his first 10 years as a chiropractor in private practice in the Greater Houston area before transitioning to a full time educator. After serving in multiple roles at TCC, he was named the as the institution’s 15th president in 2016. Dr. Foster has spent more than 30 years with TCC as a student, faculty member, and administrator. How long have you been a TCA member and why did you join TCA? I have been a member of TCA longer than I can remember. I joined because I know the importance of unity and a concerted effort for our profession. Being part of a group that truly has the best interest of our profession as its mission is greatly rewarding. What is your favorite thing about being a TCA member? My favorite thing about being a TCA member is the relationships I have formed. Working with individuals that have a common goal builds ties that will last a lifetime. Also, knowing that I could play a small part in making our profession stronger. As President of Texas Chiropractic College, you have heavily promoted TCA on the TCC campus. Why has supporting TCA been so important to you? I believe people will commit to an organization if they experience that organization supporting things that are important to them. The reason I so strongly promoted TCA to our campus community was to first inform them of what is important to chiropractic. I also wanted their first experience to be a positive one. This then sets the stage for continued involvement after a student graduates. I am so pleased to see so many TCC students who have graduated and gone on to be leaders in TCA. Why do you think it’s so valuable for TCC students and alumni – and all Texas chiropractors – to be TCA members? Every chiropractor has invested a lot of time and resources to attain their degree. That degree has been the starting point of a career that provides for them and their family. It also allows you to spend every day in practice seeing patients benefit from the care we give. We have the privilege and reward of witnessing lives changed by what we do. Every chiropractor in Texas should want to protect and advance this profession that has given them so much. I can’t think of a better way to contribute to the advancement of chiropractic in Texas than to be a member in TCA. You recently announced you are stepping down as TCC President in August. What’s next for you? As president, my goal has always been to know when it was time to hand over leadership to the next generation. TCC is poised for great things in the future. I look forward to what is next for the college. As far as my future plans, I will continue to support TCC and TCA in any way that I can. I am working on a few things for my next chapter, so stay tuned. Who has been the biggest influence in your chiropractic career? There have been many that have had a significant influence on my career. Probably too many to name, but a few include (former TCC President) Dr. Shelby Elliott for giving me my first opportunity in chiropractic education and (longtime TCA faculty member) Dr. Larry Wyatt for always engaging me in challenging but meaningful conversations about science, learning, and life. What is your top professional accomplishment so far? Our purpose at TCC is to prepare others for success. As I reflect on my career, I think of the now thousands of successful graduates who have gone on to change the lives of millions of patients. I have been so fortunate to play a part in that. What could be better? What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know about you? Had I not found my way into the chiropractic profession, I would have likely ended up as a professional musician. Probably a starving professional musician.
Stephen Foster, DC, FICC, is a native Texan and graduated from Texas Chiropractic College in 1990. He spent his first 10 years as a chiropractor in private practice in the Greater Houston area before transitioning to a full time educator. After serving in multiple roles at TCC, he was named the as the institution’s 15th president in 2016. Dr. Foster has spent more than 30 years with TCC as a student, faculty member, and administrator.