Recognizing the Brilliant Accomplishments and Research of Our Drexel Colleagues: Week of September 29, 2023

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends, 

Good Friday morning from our Elkins Park Campus, where it’s been a busy week with clinics, classes and labs in full swing. Here are a few happenings across campus:

RECOGNITION RECEPTION REACTIONS: As mentioned in last week’s update, our annual recognition reception for Presidential Medal of Honor and Alumni Association awardees celebrated the outstanding achievements and extraordinary philanthropic support of our alumni. Click here for a story on the reaction of the award winners.

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 2023 Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) event at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Switch House at The Battery in Philadelphia. We are honoring Susan Oleszewski, OD ‘76, Resident ‘78, FAAO with the Lighthouse Award. Click here to order your tickets.

O&P STUDENTS DEAL WITH PAIN: September is Pain Awareness Month and amputees can benefit from Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR), a surgical procedure used to improve the control of upper limb prostheses, but also can reduce phantom pain for both upper and lower limb amputees if they are appropriate candidates. To find out how students in our Orthotics and Prosthetics program are learning about TRM, click here.

PEDIATRIC AUDIOLOGY EVENT: Our Audiology program is looking for children seven months to six years old to take part in pediatric audiology laboratories as part of the learning experience for our Audiology students. The students will conduct hearing tests under the supervision of a licensed audiologist. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to noon and from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, at the Pennsylvania Ear Institute, 8380 Old York Road #1200, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Appointments will take no more than one hour although you can sign up for more time slots. Participants will receive $20 per hour, for your child's participation. Before your child can participate, we will need a completed parental/guardian consent form, which will be provided to you on the day of the lab. Contact Osborne College of Audiology assistant professor Jenny Ragan, AuD ‘09, PASC, CCC-A, at jrajan@salus.edu to sign up.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Yesterday, several deans, trustees and senior staff joined me in representing our Salus community at Drexel University’s Academic Convocation. In welcoming new and continuing students to campus, the convocation highlighted brilliant examples of the research and accomplishments of Drexel’s faculty, clinicians and students whose work embodies the mission “integrating education, scholarship, diverse partnerships and our global community to address society’s most pressing challenges.”

The groundbreaking efforts of Associate Professor Rachel Lopez, Assistant Clinical Professor Monica Harmon and PhD student Alex Ashley, are marked by an intentional grounding of their work in community and collaboration. Each is producing exceptional impact transforming the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities while pushing the field forward in education, research and practice.

The ceremony also underscored the connection between collaboration and innovation. Their achievements speak volumes: solving deep, systemic, complex problems is a team sport.

That same focused commitment to collaboration and innovation is evident throughout our Salus-Drexel integration discussions. President Fry and I are committed to pursuing not just the “Salus way” or the “Drexel way,” but new and combined approaches that members of our Integration Council will create together to position our “OneDrexel” family for growth and success.

At a time when the social fabric of our communities can feel tenuous and uncertain, as evidenced by the events in Philadelphia this past week, we can recommit ourselves to the leading role that Salus and Drexel play in strengthening and improving community outcomes while advancing scholarship, research and education.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of this ambitious, shared purpose and personal point of pride to recognize and applaud the work you do every day at Salus to advance this mission alongside our Drexel partners. My thanks to you and to our Drexel colleagues for inspiring me to recommit to this vital work.

Stay safe, look out for one another, remember that Covid cases are still with us, so please mask when around large groups and come back to campus SALUS STRONG next week!

-Mike

The Importance of Political Advocacy and Interprofessional Education: Week of September 22, 2023

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Staff,

Good morning on the first Friday of Fall! It’s been a busy and exciting week at Salus hosting our quarterly Board meeting and launching the Salus-Drexel Integration Council. Salus President’s Council members met their counterparts to develop plans for integrating academic, human resources, fiscal, student life, enrollment management, facilities and clinical processes between our two institutions. It was great to see everyone so interactive and involved. As I’ve said in the past, we will keep everyone up-to-date on the groups progress throughout the year. In addition to these things, here are some other items of interest:

RECOGNITION RECEPTION: Our annual recognition reception — always one of my favorite events — celebrated the outstanding achievements and extraordinary philanthropic support of our alumni. The event included our 2023 Presidential Medal of Honor recipients and 2023 Alumni Association Award winners. Each of our honorees has brought wisdom and expertise to the patients and people within their care and have transformed the lives of many. Look for details next week on our website.

CURATOR RETIRES: Our collective thanks and congratulations to Elynne Rosenfeld, curator of the D’Arrigo Family Gallery at the Hafter Student Community Center on our Elkins Park campus, who is retiring after six years. Her extraordinary contributions as curator and director transformed our community. Read more about Elynne’s dedication to the gallery here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend a hearing of the Congressional Subcommittee on Veterans Health. As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reaffirms its right to allow VA health care professionals to deliver health care services in a state other than the health care professional's state of licensure, registration, certification, or other state requirement, they are establishing National Standards of Practice to ensure quality of care for all veterans.

This has become a contentious issue for several professions that intersect with other medical specialties. This week’s hearing focused on optometry and certified nurse anesthetists. Ophthalmology has challenged optometry’s role in providing laser eye surgery among other medical procedures, and anesthesiology has challenged the role of certified nurse anesthetists to serve as solo, independent providers in VA facilities.

As a proud member of both the American Optometric Association and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), I was privileged to help craft AOA’s statement, which was skillfully delivered by Dr. Paul Barney, an AOA trustee who practices full-scope optometry in Alaska, including laser treatments.

It was heartening to observe committee members, all veterans themselves, recognize the value that optometrists and CRNAs provide to the VA as medical professionals. They all recognized the importance of providing health care to veterans with an integrated team of professionals. One of the members even stated that healthcare was a "team sport". Which is why interprofessional education is such an important focus of what we do at Salus.

Legislative advocacy is a vitally important tool to support the efforts of those who literally write the rules under which we all practice. In accurately and professionally providing factual accounts of our education, training and patient outcomes, we help our legislators enact laws that better reflect and support what we do.

All of our professions are statutorily regulated. Recognizing Salus’ historic commitment to “impact the future of healthcare, education and professional practice,” I take time for legislative advocacy and I encourage you to do the same. This work is done at every level—local, state and federal levels of government. Stay on top of the issues, and participate in your state and national associations. Your livelihoods and ability to care for your patients at the highest level of your training are impacted by state and federal regulations.

As you prepare for this first weekend of Fall, take some time to look over your state and national association’s websites to see what issues they are currently confronting and get up to speed with them. Now is not too early to become involved as you prepare to become leaders in your chosen professions.

Stay safe, continue to practice prudent prevention measures, such as masking when around large crowds, when out and about. We want you all back here next week SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Thanking Our Board of Trustees for their Service: Week of September 15, 2023

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Good morning from London, England where I am about to jump on a plane back to Philadelphia from the President’s Conclave at Oxford University, a rigorous and informative meeting of college presidents focused on key challenges facing higher education and novel solutions. Dr. Daire Keogh, President of Dublin City University, and I were invited to discuss our institutions’ experience with mergers. His university is 5-years post-merger with St. Patricks University in Dublin. I look forward to inviting President Keogh to Salus in the near future to share with you his experience. I've attached a few photos from Oxford for your viewing pleasure.

In addition to this, here are some things you might be interested in:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 2023 Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Switch House at The Battery in Philadelphia. We are excited to honor Susan Oleszewski, OD ‘76, Resident ‘78, FAAO — founder of LOFK — with the Lighthouse Award, which recognizes beacons of light and strength in the community in which they live, work and serve above and beyond their occupations. Click here to order your tickets.

NEW CHER INTERIM DEAN: Congratulations to Lauren Sponseller, PhD ‘18, OTD, MSOTR/L, MEd, CLA, chair of the Occupational Therapy (OT) department at Salus University, who was recently named interim dean of the University’s College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER). Click here to read more about Dr. Sponseller’s new responsibilities.

FORWARD THINKING: When Alfred Mwamba, AuD ‘14, graduated from Salus University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA), he became the first and only audiologist in his home country of Zambia, southern Africa. Since then, Dr. Mwamba has trained 83 people serving in 17 countries across Africa in hearing healthcare services. Read more here about Dr. Mwamba’s effort.

FINAL THOUGHTS: We are preparing to welcome our all-volunteer Board of Trustees on campus Sunday night for a social in our new cafeteria spaces followed by our quarterly board meeting on Monday. These 21 individuals have given their time, knowledge, professional experiences, and philanthropy over the course of their tenure on our board. Some members have been with us for almost 30 years, a remarkable commitment.

I am deeply grateful for their collective leadership and service, especially as together, we worked tirelessly to ensure the sustainability and growth of all of our stellar programs with our impending merger with Drexel. We would not be here without their insights, guidance and dedication. If you have the opportunity to express your thanks as a member of our Salus community, I encourage you to do so.

As you prepare for the weekend, it appears we’ve dodged Hurricane Lee but please keep those in its path in your thoughts and prayers. When you’re out and about, please remember that Covid cases are still rising in our area so if you are going to be around crowds, masking might be prudent. Stay safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Sharing Information on Integration: Week of September 8, 2023

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Happy Friday from our Elkins Park campus on what is starting out as a much more comfortable day than days past. It’s been another busy week on campus with our post-bac students starting their exciting program and new first year students getting in the swing of things around their busy schedules. In addition to this, here are some other items of interest:

FACULTY SALUTE: Salus University welcomed new faculty members and presented tenure and promotions to other faculty members at a recognition ceremony on Aug. 24, 2023, as part of our recent University Development Day. Click here to read more about the event.

MAKING THE TRANSITION: Also, as part of University Development Day, Walter Kimbrough, PhD, presented “Continuing to Work the Mission in a Time of Transition” to our Salus community at The Eye Institute. To read more about Dr. Kimbrough and the message he brought to Salus, click here.

CRISTO REY STUDENTS RETURN: We welcomed our second cohort of four Cristo Rey High School work study students last week with a site visit and breakfast event. The students had an opportunity to meet their department supervisors, receive their Salus badges and take a look around the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus. We look forward to providing our Cristo Rey interns with a full and complete Salus experience. If you see any of the Cristo Rey students on campus, introduce yourself and welcome them aboard.

FALL COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: Vice Admiral Michael Cowan, former Navy surgeon general, will visit on Thursday, 21 September 2023 with faculty, staff and students ahead of our Fall Commencement in October. Our 2019 white coat ceremony speaker, Admiral Cowan was specifically requested by students to come back. We are thrilled and excited to welcome him!

FINAL THOUGHTS: During our first town-hall meeting of the new semester this week, I noted that the key to the success of our merger with Drexel is sharing information so that there are no surprises once it is finalized.

The questions we’ve been receiving so far mostly fall into several categories: questions asking for more details about the integration process; questions about compensation and benefits; and what I would call process questions, chiefly about timeline and how the integration of our two institutions will roll out. While we don’t yet have answers to some of the specific questions about potential changes in compensation, benefit levels or changes in individual benefits, working with our partners at Drexel we will work hard to get these for you.

I want to reiterate my promise to you that I will continue to share what we know when we know it. As the Integration Council prepares to kick off on 20 September, I want to thank President’s Council members who will serve in leadership roles and others who will serve in ad hoc positions to help make our transition as seamless as possible.

Small group meetings will begin again in the coming weeks so that I can hear from you and respond to your questions more directly. If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out to your director, dean, vice president or to me directly. We are eager to hear from you. I’ve asked all deans, directors and vice presidents for their help with this to ensure we’re reaching every member of our Salus community in this important effort.

As you prepare for the weekend, please remember that Covid cases are still on the increase in our region so you could be taking appropriate precautions, especially if you’re going to be around large groups of people. As much as we hate going back to masking, there may be situations where it’s again warranted. Please remember that what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. If you’re feel ill, please stay home and test if symptoms warrant it. If you do test positive, follow CDC guidelines concerning quarantine to help minimize any potential spread.

I attached a photo of our beautiful campus as it shows off the colors of late summer. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Celebrating Labor Day: Week of September 1, 2023

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, Board Members and Friends,

Greetings on this Friday before Labor Day! It’s been another busy week on campus as our construction project takes shape (pictures below). Our classes, labs and clinics have been humming -- you can feel the excitement and buzz!

In other news around our Salus community:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS TICKETS: Tickets are available for the 2023 Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) event at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Switch House at The Battery in Philadelphia. We are excited to honor Susan Oleszewski, OD ‘76, Resident ‘78, FAAO — founder of LOFK — with the Lighthouse Award recognizing beacons of light and strength in the community in which they live, work and serve above and beyond their occupations. Click here to order your tickets.

UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT DAY: Thank you to Karen Hanson, Jim Caldwell, Dr. J, Maura Keenan, Jennifer Brown and Kristen Dittrich for their expert coordination of our University Development Day, which featured Walter Kimbrough, PhD, in the morning session. Dr. Kimbrough is President Emeritus of Dillard University, and his topic was, "Continuing to Work the Mission in the Time of Transition." The afternoon session featured Christine Arenson, MD, director of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. Dr. Arenson's topic was "NexusIPE: Achieving Health and Learning Outcomes that Matter.”

ORIENTATION WEEK IMPRESSIONS: From August 14-18, 2023, Salus University welcomed our largest entering class. Read what they thought about their Orientation Week experiences here.

WHITE COAT CEREMONIES: This year’s ceremony marked the 20th year in which Salus has celebrated the White Coat, with three separate ceremonies throughout the day on Aug. 18, all held in the Hafter Student Community Center on the University’s Elkins Park campus. The white coat signifies not only a change in attire, but a significant step forward in students becoming compassionate, skilled, and dedicated healthcare providers. Click here to read about the day’s activities.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we approach Labor Day weekend, I like to remind everyone why we celebrate this holiday celebrating the greatest workers in the world – American workers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883. By 1894, 23 more states adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday. I hope everyone enjoys their three-day weekend honoring American workers.

As we end the week, we are keeping everyone affected by Hurricane Idalia in our thoughts and prayers as recovery efforts continue from this terrible natural disaster. In addition to faculty and staff members with friends and families in affected areas, we have several students enrolled at Salus and in clinical rotations from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, states in the path of Hurricane Idalia. Please know we are here for you during this difficult and challenging time. If you experience difficulty concentrating on your studies and rotations, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) for support.

Finally, as I noted last week, as Covid cases are on the rise in our region, please remember to socially distance, wear a face mask when around others, wash your hands frequently and please remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus.

Have a great weekend! Be safe, be responsible, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Photos of the South Building Construction Progress: