Friday, September 29, 2017

Fall Has Arrived: Week of September 29th

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board members and Friends,

It’s a beautiful fall day in Philadelphia - finally!  It’s a great way to end what has been a busy and productive week at the University.  

On Monday, we hosted our Board of Trustees on campus for their quarterly meeting. I had the opportunity to provide an update on many of the initiatives we all have been involved in both over the course of the last few months as well as over the past few years. During the course of the meeting, the Board acknowledged the wonderful work our student member of the Board of Trustees (SMOTBOT), Pelashia Moore Rhodes ‘18OD,  has done representing our student body throughout her two year term. With all of the associated committee meetings it was a very busy, yet productive day.  We’re extremely lucky to have a board endowed with great leadership, strategic vision and immense professional talent.  

This week, the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) was extremely well represented by students, faculty and college Advisory Board members at the 2017 Academy of Doctors of Audiology conference in Connecticut. OCA class of 2018 students Jessica Strzepek, Katrina Smith, Roksolana Voshchilo and Amanda McVey competed in the Business Plan competition with Jessica and Katrina winning 2nd place and Roksolana and Amanda winning 3rd. Congratulations!


I would also like to acknowledge and congratulate the staff of our Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) program on receiving a $1.25 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSEP) on the topic of Inter-professional Education (IPE).  This represents the combined work of our BLVS, Occupational Therapy and Speech- Language Pathology departments and provides a unique opportunity for Salus as a whole. The University’s College of Education and Rehabilitation demonstrates how IPE can effectively prepare our students to work within multi-disciplinary, inter-professional environments that will undoubtedly affect their future health professions.

I know most of you have been following the major natural disaster in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Maria. We’ve reached out to the optometry school there to see what assistance they might need but have not heard back yet. Between Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, our country has experienced widespread damage affecting the lives of millions of people. Please join me in keeping all of those affected by these storms in your thoughts and prayers. While we may not see many headlines, people in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico will be dealing with the aftermath of these disasters for years to come.  



Yesterday, PCO dean Dr. Trego and I hosted senior representatives from Johnson and Johnson (J&J), to include alumnus Dr. Kurt Moody ’83, and representatives from Wills Eye Hospital at both The Eye Institute and Elkins Park campus. The purpose of the visit was to showcase our state-of-the-art facilities and inform J&J leadership about our programs as well as to discuss ways that J&J could help facilitate collaborations between Wills Eye and Salus. We came up with several ideas that I believe will be beneficial to our students and patients as well as Wills Eye’s residents and patients. It’s pretty exciting to explore ways two premier eye care institutions can work together to the benefit of many.  More on this as we continue to work with both Wills and J&J. 

Finally, tonight is the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. To all of our Jewish students and colleagues, we wish you an easy fast. 

A reminder that our Looking Out of Kids charity fundraiser is November 11 at 6:30 at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill. Tickets are now available and can be obtained on our website at salus.edu/LOFK

It looks like the weekend is going to remain cool and sunny.  If you get a chance, get out and enjoy this great fall weather.  Stay safe and have some fun!

Mike

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