Dr. Lon R. Krieg and his wife, Jan
Exercising an “attitude of gratitude” has been shown to promote several health benefits. These benefits include lower levels of cellular inflammation and stress reduction while increasing happiness, optimism, and resiliency. Lon R. Krieg, DO, ’82, is putting this healthy philosophy into practice as he expresses his gratitude to A.T. Still University’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) for the strong foundation he received for his family medicine career by arranging a bequest in his trust to benefit his alma mater and its future students.
The qualities that attracted Dr. Krieg to enroll at ATSU-KCOM planted the seeds for the gratitude he now demonstrates. They are qualities familiar to many ATSU alumni. During the Minnesota native’s first visit to the Kirksville, Missouri, campus, it was apparent the faculty and staff were deeply committed to each student’s success.
“They actually wanted me to come to this school, rather than simply ‘going through the motions,’ as I had felt at other institutions,” reflects Dr. Krieg.
An impressive emphasis on osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and the teaching of anatomy held significant appeal for the aspiring osteopathic physician. This emphasis has grown at ATSU with donors supporting the OMM department with enhanced labs and specialized fellowships. In addition, donor contributions have supported the integration of ultrasound technology into the anatomy curriculum and the establishment of the virtual anatomy lab at ATSU’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA). This lab was the first of its kind in any Arizona medical school.
Dr. Krieg and his wife, Jan, recently met with an attorney to update their joint trust. They felt inspired to include ATSU-KCOM as a beneficiary.
“God has immensely blessed me in opening various opportunities to practice medicine over the years, and we are most grateful for the outstanding training and experiences received at ATSU-KCOM,” Dr. Krieg says. “We would like nothing more than for ATSU-KCOM to continue to produce high-quality clinicians and researchers for many decades to come.”
The unrestricted bequest will be used someday to support that high-quality education ATSU-KCOM delivers.
“As a small way of giving back, the purpose of our bequest is to help ensure that the state-of-the-art facilities and top-notch educators at ATSU-KCOM are maintained for the benefit of all future students,” Dr. Krieg explains.
Like Dr. Krieg and his wife, Jan, you can help ensure the future health of ATSU with a gift in your estate plan. Please contact The Mesa Campus or the Kirksville Campus at 480.219.6105 (AZ) or 660.626.2180 (MO) or development@atsu.edu to learn more.