Dr. Len Sperry, a renowned psychologist, psychiatrist and retired professor at Florida Atlantic University, donated a collection of medical counseling books to Lynn University.
Despite not being a staff member, Sperry is an important figure at Lynn. He and his son, Jon Sperry, an associate professor in Lynn's clinical mental health counseling (CMHC) program, developed an important case conceptualization model that has been integrated into Lynn's psychology classes. Furthermore, Sperry presented at and attended conferences with various faculty members from Lynn, including Dr. Debra Ainbinder, associate dean of the college of arts and sciences.
"We're quite connected. Even though Dr. Sperry has never been faculty, he's like an arm of our faculty," said Ainbinder. "He has presented with us numerous times and we use his psychology case model in our classes to provide a foundation for students to diagnose patients in the future."
Sperry collected a large assortment of medical books throughout his career, and as he transitioned out of FAU, he chose Lynn as the new home for his extensive library. Students can access these books at the Ronald and Kathleen Assaf Academic Center.
"It's good, especially in the natural and applied sciences, to see the difference between how we look at patients over the years," said Ainbinder. "These books give that context. I think there are going to be many ways in which the faculty will integrate the use of these texts into their classrooms."
Lynn held a special reception for Sperry to thank him for his generous donation. The university is grateful for his generosity and unique professionalism and looks forward to seeing the positive impact the books will have on the student body.
