The Dr. John H. Porter, Jr. Scholarship Fund
The Dr. John H. Porter, Jr. Scholarship Fund
Dr. John H. Porter, Jr., born in Boiling Springs, SC, in 1950, was the owner of Porter Chiropractic Clinic and served as an associate professor at Sherman College of Chiropractic. He embodied the college’s core principles: Education, Research, and Service. By combining his personal commitment to family and the community with the college's core principles, he exemplified the key attributes of this esteemed scholarship.
The Dr. John H. Porter, Jr. Scholarship Fund exists to support students who have chosen to make a profound difference through the chiropractic profession, one adjustment at a time. As the college's longest-serving faculty member of 40 years and Spartanburg’s second Black chiropractor, having opened his practice in 1981, Dr. Porter's longevity in the profession sets a high standard for scholars to receive this award.
Education and Research: Dr. Porter's path to many opportunities led him from Foster Grove High School to Claflin College and eventually to Sherman College’s third class, where he graduated in 1979. His journey to chiropractic, sparked by a personal life challenge following a car accident involving his son and wife’s grandfather, was transformative. After seeking healthcare from various providers for his son with no success, a family member suggested a chiropractor, leading him to Dr. Bruce Ehlich. Dr. Porter's curiosity about chiropractic and witnessing his son’s improved health, along with Dr. Ehlich’s explanation of the body’s innate intelligence and ability to heal itself, were the catalysts for his path to chiropractic—personally, professionally, and educationally.
Service and Community: Dr. Porter proudly served his country, enlisting in the US Navy and serving for two years during the Vietnam War. He received the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the National Defense Service Medal. As a veteran and servant of the United States, his dedication continued as he faithfully served the chiropractic profession. He was a member of the International Chiropractic Association, Palmetto State Chiropractic Council, Federation of Straight Chiropractors Organization, and the Chiro-Practic Federation. For his service to Sherman College, he received the Faculty Member of the Year Award, the Radiographic Award, and the Achievement Award. Dr. Porter passed on the gift of good health from his family's health challenges to thousands of patients in the Spartanburg community and beyond. He was also a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Family: For this servant leader, family was the driving force behind his success. Born to John and Ruth Porter as the eldest of 15 children, he became a patriarch within his family. His parents, wife, fourteen siblings, and three children, along with seven grandchildren and the countless students he taught, were blessed with a strong pillar in the Spartanburg community who believed in a vibrant, healthy community. His wife supported his dreams of becoming a chiropractor, taking on the major role of raising their three children, Michael, Princess, and Jennifer, while he was in chiropractic school. His siblings and children have embraced various dimensions of his success, continuing his legacy in the community and beyond. Michael, his oldest child and a radiation therapist, continues his father's tradition of fostering community health. Princess reflects his heart for chiropractic, having taught with her father and worked alongside him in the family clinic. Jennifer, the youngest child, educates youth in the community as a high school teacher. Lastly, the countless students, Sherman employees, and citizens of Spartanburg continue to experience the magic of Dr. Porter's inspiration.
Like the man himself, the Dr. John H. Porter, Jr. Scholarship Fund supports future generations of community leaders.