April 3, 2020
Dear THSU Students, Faculty and Staff:
I want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication during this challenging time! By acquiring new ways of teaching and learning, our programs of study are continuing forward. I hope you and your families are staying safe and quickly adapting to this new, but temporary, way of living.
Teaching and learning via distance education require new skills and abilities. Of great importance is the need for excellent communication skills necessitated by being physically separated from each other. I ask you to continue to be patient with yourselves and others. Let us know any time if you have questions or challenges. We will do our best to promptly respond to you.
The student clinics remain closed. As soon as practically possible, we want to give priority to graduating seniors for the completion of their clinic courses.
You’ll be glad to hear that our summer trimester classes will begin on time, starting May 5. Whether we continue online classes, or return to onsite classes will be determined by guidance from our governmental regulators. We will be in touch with you as we get more information.
Out of necessity, we launched into online classes very quickly. I’d like to assure you that THSU is committed to always improving our methods through training and collaboration to deliver the best possible education. We want everyone to be successful – students, graduates, faculty members, and staff members.
It’s a time to live courageously, while also staying safe. Let us know how you’re doing. And keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Louis Agnese, Jr PhD
This plan will be continually updated based on developing news to ensure the safety of everyone in the THSU community.
Ms. Jessie Villegas is a Licensed Acupuncturist in the State of Texas and is nationally certified as a Diplomate in Oriental Medicine by the NCCAOM. She earned her Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree at Texas Health and Science University in San Antonio, Texas and is a doctoral candidate at Pacific College of Health and Science. Ms. Villegas’s rich Mexican heritage, holistic health and herbal remedies have always been a part of her life. Throughout the years Jessie has worked as a wellness coach, group exercise instructor, and personal trainer. “My goal as a practitioner is to not only treat the patient’s ailment but to educate them on sensing imbalances before they become problematic. This enables health to synergistically flow through all aspects of life.”
U.S. pilot. Retired Coastguard officer. Lance’s journey to become the first acupuncturist in the South Texas VA System was one of divine intervention.
After a helicopter crash, Lance was recommended by a neighbor to seek acupuncture treatment. “Not only it healed the physical pain, my anxiety from the crash and allergies all went away as well. I started to encourage other veterans to do the same and saw over and over again the positive effects on everyone.”
A doctor at the VA introduced Lance to THSU. “I looked up the school’s website and realized the holistic approach of TCM is much more than just acupuncture. I interviewed the students at THSU and saw their joy of helping patients”
Driven by his desire to help veterans who are unaware of the benefits of acupuncture, Lance decided to become a practitioner himself.
With 3 kids and an amazing wife that supported him through his studies at THSU, Lance got his license to practice acupuncture within 2 months of graduation. He immediately opened his own clinic in and was soon hired by the VA in South Texas as their first acupuncturist.
“It all happened so fast and simultaneously. I always advise my fellow THSU students to keep doing volunteer work. It opens a lot of doors.”
“The education at THSU prepared me to be a leader in our healthcare system’s continuous transformation from dis-ease based to wellness based. I now understand the beauty of how our bodies work”
Lance is now healing veterans at the VA and treating civilians at his clinic in San Antonio.
Congrats to Kelly on passing her board exam and on her way to get her acupuncture license!
Kelly had a BS in Psychology and wanted to focus her studies on mental health. Seeing an acupuncturist for her own anxiety issues got her curious about TCM and propelled her journey of going to an Acupuncture school.
“I’ve always been into holistic healing and I decided focus on TCM because I loved the eastern way of diagnosing and viewing the body.”
“I’m so excited to get my license and become a healer like I’ve always dreamed. I’m starting my own private practice at a co-op space with other alternative medicine practitioners!
Originally from Mexico, Roberto had a BS degree in Psychology and owned 2 businesses in San Antonio with his wife, watch/jewelry repair and teaching martial arts.
When obtaining his 1st black belt, Roberto hurt his back and couldn’t sleep laying down for days.
“My martial arts master told me to see an acupuncturist, I was skeptical, but did it anyway. After 4 treatments my back was completely healed. I started looking into eastern medicine and decided this is what I wanted to do”
While managing 2 businesses with his wife and raising 2 kids, Roberto drove to Austin everyday from San Antonio to take classes.
“I would wake up at 6am and drive to Austin, then start driving back at 4pm, then run my businesses until 2am.”
After graduating from THSU, Roberto started a successful TCM clinic in San Antonio. 8 years later he became the first faculty at THSU’s new San Antonio campus.
He is now happily teaching at THSU & running his TCM clinic with his wife.
Graduated from THSU in 2017, Jennifer has been practicing TCM in Austin at Luna Acupuncture & Apothecary for over 2 years.
With a degree in graphic design and looking for a change in her life when moved to Austin from Las Vegas, Jennifer was introduced to our school by a THSU alumni.
“I had chronic health issues and saw an acupuncturist in Vegas. He prescribed some herbs for me and I’ve been free of the pain ever since. I came to THSU wanted to get into herbalism and also to learn acupuncture and TCM, the whole eastern way of healing.”
“THSU professors’ insights during clinical training empowered us and helped us figuring out how to treat patients on our own. Dr. Lee, Dr. Tan, Dr. Cao, and Dr. Zheng were all amazing. Most of us passed our board exams before we graduated.”
Jennifer started her private practice 6 months after graduation.
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