Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,
Good morning from a warm and rather steamy Elkins Park campus that has been buzzing with activity since our new and returning students have arrived on campus. It has been wonderful to see our parking lot filled (although not everyone shares my joy in this) and smiling eyes filling every other seat in many or our classrooms. Here are some things that I thought might be of interest to you as you read through this update:
ORIENTATION WEEK HIGHLIGHTS: Last year for the first time, Orientation Week was a hybrid experience for students — mostly virtual with some on-campus elements of small groupings based on programs, practicing social distancing and mask-wearing rules established to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. But this year, everybody was back in-person, masked and mostly vaccinated. And what a great Orientation Week it was! Click here to read more about it.
WHITE COAT EMOTIONS AND EXCITEMENT: The annual White Coat ceremony, which capped off Orientation Week at the University, had a bit of a twist this year. Because there was no face-to-face ceremony last year due to COVID-19 protocols, this year’s event featured five separate White Coat ceremonies over a two-day period Aug. 19-20. It reminded me of running a marathon and having fun in the process. Read more about this special event for students and their families here.
COVID UPDATE: I am very happy to report that as a campus community we are more than 96% vaccinated. In addition to those who are required to test weekly (approved exemptions and others), we will be commencing a routine testing program in the upcoming weeks. This will allow us to “check the health” of our Salus community over time, allowing us to make adjustments, as needed. To that end, I want to thank everyone for strictly adhering to our masking policy and getting vaccinated and ask that when you sit in the cafeteria, you socially distance yourselves so that there are no more than four people at any table. All these efforts will keep us all healthily and safe in the long run!
INTERNATIONAL FOCUS: Antonio Martinez Barrera considers the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University the perfect place to continue his dream of becoming a licensed optometrist in the United States. Antonio was among the international students we’ve had on campus recently as he pursues a Master of Science (MSc) in Clinical Optometry degree through the University’s Department of International and Continuing Education (DICE). Read more about his journey here.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Carlos Rodriguez, Director of the Department of Safety and Security at the University. You’ll notice that Carlos always leaves the door to the Security office open so that students, staff and faculty can feel free to interact with any member of the security team. To read more about Carlos, click here.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DEI: Check out the latest podcast with Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, the special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), as she talks about how important it is for the University to have a DEI Committee on campus. Click here for details.
NEW RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Class of 2022 new Resident Spotlight features Dr. Liana Ferreira, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident. Read about how her mother, a nurse practitioner, helped fuel Dr. Ferreira’s decision to pursue a career in healthcare. For the full story, click here.
ARTWORK RETURNS TO GALLERY: After months of having been bare, the wall of the D’Arrigo Family Art Gallery outside of the Bennett Lounge within the Hafter Student Community Center is once again alive with spectacular artwork. An exhibit titled “Textures” was installed Aug. 3, 2021, and will be displayed through September. It features the work of Elynne Rosenfeld, the gallery’s curator, and local artist Rhea Dennis. Check it out next time you’re in the Hafter Center. Read more about it here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I again would like to welcome all our new students to campus. We are thrilled that you’ve entrusted your professional education to us. You won’t be disappointed! A great deal of thought and planning has gone into preparing for your arrival this semester with much of the credit belonging to our fantastic faculty and staff here at Salus. I want to publicly acknowledge their efforts throughout the pandemic, as they have worked to ensure all our students receive the best professional education possible. While Superman was faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings at a single bound, he is no match for our faculty who were able to pivot from face-to-face teaching and learning to a totally virtual environment over the course of a single weekend last March. They are incredible and I believe you will see that, firsthand, as you begin or continue with your academic and clinical endeavors this semester.
I’d also like to thank Dr. Jim Caldwell and his very talented and energetic team for their herculean efforts in flawlessly organizing both our Orientation program and the five White Coat ceremonies that culminated orientation week. In addition to this, Dr. Caldwell and his team also organized our vaccine and testing tracking programs which are now in place.
As you begin this semester, I’d like to remind you about the importance of taking care of yourselves, both physically and mentally. That means eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. While I realize everyone will have busy schedules I want you to think about now how you’re going to prioritize these things into your busy professional lives. For our new students, I strongly encourage you to get into those good habits now – they will be much easier to maintain later. If any of you are feeling a bit overwhelmed this first week, know that it’s not unusual, as the pace here is probably much greater than it was in undergraduate school. If you feel you need to reach out and talk with someone, please don’t forget about our counseling center in the Center for Personal and Professional Development. You can easily make an appoint to speak with any of our counselors by hitting this link. It’s okay to reach out when you think you need some help – believe me, you are not alone!
We’ve made it to the weekend – so I encourage you to get out and enjoy some fresh air and get some exercise. As you go out and about, please remember to wear your face mask when around others and to continue to wash your hands frequently. Be safe, look out for each other and remain SALUS STRONG!
Mike
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