Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
It is clear that winter is upon us given the snow and ice we’ve experienced over the past couple of days! Please be very careful driving and walking around the parking lots today as there still may be some icy patches. It looks like the groundhog might have been correct! But, even as we are challenged with the elements of winter, our world-class faculty, students and staff have made multiple pivots to ensure essential clinical labs and classes still met prior to the storm. I cannot thank our faculty enough for the number of times they’ve had to improvise, compromise and adjust to ensure our students are receiving the best education possible. Even with the bad weather, other events have been happening on or around campus.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Ryan Hollister, MS, associate director of the Bennett Career Services Center (BCSC), and Molly Marcus, PsyD, a counselor from the University’s Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD), conducted a lunchtime webinar Wednesday called “Building Resilience,” which discussed resilience, mindfulness and strategies for remaining positive and persevering through difficult times. Later that evening, Juliana Mosley-Williams, PhD, Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, presented “Unconscious Bias & Microaggression in the Healthcare Environment,” which took a deeper dive into those aspects. And Thursday evening, our Black Student Union group hosted a very thought provoking discussion on “Hesitancy Toward Vaccines from Black People” in this country. The virtual meeting was offered to explore the history of healthcare in this country toward black people and their experiences with previous vaccinations.
WHY DEI MATTERS: Women in Optometry has released a podcast featuring Ruth Shoge, OD ‘06, Resident ‘07, MPH, speaking on “Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter for Everyone.” Dr. Shoge serves on the University’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee as well as the Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee for the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. To listen to the podcast, click here.
HIGHER ED CONSORTIUM: Salus recently joined the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE), marking the first time in more than two decades that the consortium has expanded its membership. The consortium was established in 1993 and represents more than 20,000 students in small colleges located across four counties of metropolitan Philadelphia. To read more, go to salus.edu/SEPCHE.
CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR: After establishing a successful optometry career, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University alum Sakesha Caston, OD ‘00, has now added children’s book author to her resume. Dr. Caston has published her book “Mommy Loves My Little Toes,” an idea that first formed when her son Jesiah was a baby. To read more, go to salus.edu/CastonAuthor.
VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR: Join Yards Brewing Co. founder and head brewer, Tom Kehoe, as he takes us through the history of Philadelphia's Brewery and four tasty brews during a virtual happy hour at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Alumni Association's student virtual learning grant program. While it’s too late to have the beer delivered to your door, you can still stop by and pick it up if you’d like to participate. For information and to register, click here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Way back, when I was a 2nd year student at PCO starting my rotation at The Eye Institute, Dr. Joel Silbert, Dr. Bob Walker and later Dr. Jeff Nyman would remind all of us the importance of listening to our patients. They told us, as I’m sure you are all hearing now, how if we took a good history and listened carefully to our patients, we could almost be able to make a provisional diagnosis from what we heard. Throughout my entire career, both here and when I was in the Navy, that lesson has been reinforced in many situations.
Once again, the importance of listening is being reinforced through many of your thoughtful comments concerning commencement. To that end, while I still believe the responsible action for us to do now is continue down the path for the virtual ceremony, I have asked our staff to explore options for a modified outdoor event, for those who would feel comfortable enough to attend one. No promises at this point, but I want you to know that we totally understand many of your desires and are working to see how we could accommodate both the virtual and outdoor events in a way that appropriately celebrates your successes, while at the same time ensuring everyone’s health and safety. We are listening!
As we approach this frosty weekend, I want to encourage you to try to get out and enjoy the fresh air. We’re all under a great deal of stress, so getting out and playing in the snow might be a good way to help alleviate some of that. In the meantime, please continue to socially distance, wear your double-layered face mask and wash your hands frequently.
Please be safe, remain healthy and stay SALUS STRONG!
Mike
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