COM Outlook Winter 2020

24 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE need of men to be in the lives of the students attending the school,” he said. Following his teaching stint, Hollar moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to shake up his life and earn a Master of Public Adminis- tration from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in nearby Boca Raton. However, after completing his first year in the program, Hollar was offered a spot in the Ph.D. program. “I was the first person they let into the program without a master’s degree,” he said. While he was working on his Ph.D., Hollar contributed to a community-based childhood obesity intervention led by his sister, Danielle Hollar, Ph.D., M.H.A., M.S., which was occur- ring at six elementary schools in Osceola County, Florida. It would prove to be a pivotal project for several reasons. “Based on our findings, we were able to secure millions of dollars to roll out the program in several states, engaging thousands of children. It was interesting research, and, intellectually, it was an important topic,” Hollar said. “But, I was particularly moved by the way my sister could become emotional when reflecting on all the work we were doing, as it related to the health, well-being, and day-to-day lives of the children we were serving,” he added. “That made quite an impression on me, and it human- ized the endeavor in a way I had not felt previously.” Consultant, Husband, and Lone-Star Professor Based on this epiphany, Hollar revisited his career goals, shifting his focus toward working for a think tank and/or becoming a professor and a consultant. During this time, another fortuitous life event occurred when a striking woman named Jen walked into the coffee shop Hollar worked at in downtown Fort Lauderdale while he was doing his Ph.D. coursework. “I met the most amazing part of my life—the part of my life for which I am most thankful—when I met my wife, Jen,” he said. “We instantly became best friends, quickly bonding over discussions of ballet, poetry, Camus, and Hemingway across the concrete- poured countertop linking the barista to the customer on the other side.” After a long courtship that lasted more than five years, the couple tied the knot in 2009. “Jen inspires me, thrills me, and makes the world more magical everywhere we go,” said Hollar, who is the proud father of six- year-old Elle and three-year- old Dean. By the time he earned his Ph.D. in December 2008, Hollar was already working as a consultant, a teaching assistant, and an adjunct professor at FAU. Then came an unexpected offer that would lure Hollar westward. The Hollar family enjoys a fun afternoon at the beach. Hollar displays his serious side at age four. T. Lucas Hollar celebrates his FAU graduation with sister Danielle, mother Deborah, and father Herb. (continued from page 22)