Andrews University’s School of Rehabilitation Sciences has honored former biology and human anatomy professor John Banks by renaming their anatomy lab after him. A ceremony acknowledging the renaming and Banks’ contributions to the physical therapy department was held on Friday, Sept. 27, in the Physical Therapy Building during Andrews’ Alumni Homecoming Weekend. Banks, who is also an Andrews alumnus, celebrated with former students, colleagues, family members, close friends and current administrators of the School of Physical Therapy during the ceremony in his honor.
Banks graduated from Andrews twice before becoming a professor, earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1972 and his Master of Arts in 1981. After earning his master’s degree, Banks decided to pursue a doctorate degree in philosophy at Loma Linda University. He returned to Michigan after being asked by Andrews in 1983 to help start a physical therapy program. After completing his doctoral program the following year, Banks became an integral part of the first year of physical therapy classes at Andrews, which were hosted in the Science Complex.
Banks said that much of what he views as the highlights of his career at Andrews consisted of interactions and relationships that were not bound to the classroom.
“[I enjoyed] the interactions I had with many of the students I had that were fun to be with,” he said. “Doing extracurricular activities, playing hockey, … fishing, stuff like that. I tried to interact with them in activities, selfishly, that I enjoyed, but they needed that outlet, too.”
At the renaming ceremony, Kim Ferreira, chair of the School of Rehabilitation Sciences; Nathan Hess, an assistant professor of physical therapy and one of Banks’ former students; and Emmanuel Rudatsikira, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, gave separate tributes to Banks regarding his love of anatomy, care for students and his contributions to promoting and developing the Andrews physical therapy program into what it is today.
When asked to speak at the end of the ceremony, Banks spoke about developing a passion for anatomy when he was in the seventh grade and how that led him to want to educate others, particularly Adventists, about anatomy and properly prepare them for jobs in physical therapy and related fields. Banks started to get emotional when talking about his former colleagues and lab instructor; he thanked them for being instrumental parts of the physical therapy department and helping him navigate his first classes as a professor.
Banks would end up leaving Andrews for another teaching position at Loma Linda in January 2012. He continues to share his love of anatomy there as an associate professor of pathology and human anatomy.
After the ceremony, Banks called the honor “unexpected.”
“I left on my own, wanting to do something different, but felt not totally appreciated for what I contributed when I left,” he said. “This [honor] shows me that there [is] a degree of appreciation for my 28 years of contributions to this program, for being an initial faculty member and seeing that we got this thing going.”
When asked if there was anything he would like to see added to or developed in the physical therapy program, Banks said that he is not “an innovator” but a “dweller of the past.”
He added, “I hope they continue with the pattern that they have consistently of stability and hiring quality faculty and turning out very qualified students who become physical therapists. That’s what’s really pleasing: that there is a degree of stability in this program that they’re gonna be around for a long time.”
The newly named John C. Banks Human Anatomy Lab will serve physical therapy students in the Physical Therapy Building for years to come. A plaque by its doorway reads, “In honor of recognition of his outstanding contributions during 28 years of service at Andrews University. His commitment to Adventist education and leadership has left a lasting impact on the university and inspired countless health professions students in their academic and professional pursuits.”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.