Remembering Our Veterans: November 11, 2022

 

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

Greetings from our Elkins Park Campus where our students, faculty and staff are busy with classes, labs and clinics. Our Chestnut Hill satellite clinic has a new façade that looks professional and inviting. The private practice pilot that we’ve initiated there is off to a strong start thanks to the great work of our faculty and staff! In addition to what’s happening on campus, here are other items of interest:

LOFK IS HERE! Join us for our Looking Out For Kids charity fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 12th at the National Constitution Center. If you haven’t purchased tickets, please consider going to our website here to help us provide healthcare for children in need.

AAO CONFERENCE FOLLOW-UP: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University was front and center at the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) “Academy 2022” centennial celebration recently in San Diego. Fifteen Salus faculty and six residents presented posters, four faculty gained AAO fellowship, 14 faculty gave presentations, two faculty gave symposium lectures and two faculty delivered Grand Rounds. Read more about the conference here.

O&P PERSPECTIVE: Check out this podcast with Amber Lewis ‘25OP, a first-year student in the inaugural Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program at the University. She gives us insight on the program and why she chose Salus O&P. Click here for details.

SALUS SOIREE: This year’s Salus Soiree is scheduled from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia. Semi-formal attire is requested. All students and guests must be fully vaccinated and show proof of vaccination or provide a negative test taken within 72 hours of the event. Contact the Student Council for details and tickets.

30 YEARS AND COUNTING!: Congratulations to our Orientation & Mobility and Blind and Visually Impaired (VRT) programs celebrating 30 years of approval from the Department of Education! We are so proud to be home to these nationally distinguished programs!

SELF-CARE BAG: Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) counselors Janeyshka Ortiz-Flores and Andrew Jaskot will see you outside the cafe from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 14. Stop by their table to say hello and collect a self-care bag.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Yesterday marked the 247th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. Here in Philadelphia, on November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution establishing the Continental Marines. Since that time, Marines have distinguished themselves defending our freedoms around the world. During my 33-year Navy career, I had the privilege of serving with the Marine Corps for almost a third of that time.

Today, we recognize all veterans as we celebrate Veterans Day. World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. Fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany, went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” Originally designated Armistice Day by President Wilson, November 11 commemorates the armistice that began that day. In 1954 Congress changed the name to Veterans Day to recognize all veterans. 

While on active duty, we observed Navy and Marine Corps birthdays and Veterans Day by participating in cake-cutting ceremonies and attending a few veteran’s events. As a retired Navy veteran, I think of these days a bit differently. I appreciate how lucky we all are to have men and women who place their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we have, such as election day last Tuesday. They do this while being held to the highest of standards, professionally, ethically, and morally. Core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment have been the moral and ethical compass that have guided the men and women in uniform for 247 years.

As healthcare professionals, we have much in common with all who serve in our armed forces. We, too, commit our time and energies to serve others. Most importantly, as healthcare professionals, we are also guided by an ethical and moral compass – one that emulates that of our Navy and Marine Corps – Honor, Courage and Commitment.

As we celebrate Veterans Day, think about how we can leverage our own commitment to conduct ourselves with honor, to exercise the courage to denounce actions that are counter to our democratic values, and to do what’s right for our patients, clients, and those around us.

-Mike

Have a Safe and Fun Soiree - Week of November 15th, 2019

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

Good morning from Elkins Park!  While I always enjoy learning and spending time up at Harvard, it’s always great to be back on campus.  The Harvard Seminar for Experienced Presidents that I was attending was extremely informative and thought provoking.  I can’t wait to start applying what I’ve learned!

Last evening, I had the pleasure of hosting Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker optical, on campus.  Neil and some of staff spent some time with our Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) students and 2019-2020 residents.  It was fun talking with Neil learning how he established Warby-Parker and has grown it into a very unique and successful optical chain.

Last weekend, some of our Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) students attended the 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Thank you for helping to spread awareness about this disease, especially during Alzheimer’s Awareness month, and for representing Salus! To learn more about what SLPs can do for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia, visit salusuhealth.com/slp-dementia.

Tuesday is our very last Centennial Tour stop! We’re on our way to Chicago, IL to see alumni and friends at riverside restaurant, The Kitchen Bistro.  So, if you happen to be in the Windy City on Tuesday, 19 November, please stop by and see us.  We’ll be at the restaurant, which is located at 316 N. Clark Street, from 6PM – 8PM.  You can register here. 

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is Nov. 3-10.  Driving while drowsy is impaired driving.  After 20 hours without sleep it is equivalent to driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit. It is estimated that more than 300,000 crashes including more than 5000 fatalities are related to drowsy driving each year. When you realize you are drowsy, pull over and rest, or get someone else to drive. https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/fatigued-driving.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable time at the Salus Soiree tonight! Remember, if you drink, or are tired, please don’t drive! Have a safe and fun weekend!

Mike

Greetings from AAO Conference: Week of October 13th

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

Greetings from Chicago where many of us have been attending the annual meeting of the American Academy of Optometry and Armed Forces Optometric Association. It’s been just a wonderful and PACKED week!

Monday we celebrated commencement for 71 students from Physician Assistant Studies, Audiology, Public Health, Speech-Language Pathology and Clinical Optometry with an Advanced Studies Certificate programs. This was the first time we’ve held our fall commencement exercise at the Kimmel Center and it was fantastic. Our guest speaker and honorary degree recipient, Dr. Rachel Levine, the Physician General of Pennsylvania and Acting Secretary of Health, gave an inspirational and informative talk. As an openly transgender women, she focused her message on transitions and how they impacted her life. She emphasized the importance of diversity and acceptance in all aspects of life. Dr. Levine left the students with some advice for the future telling our graduates, “have big goals for your career and be open to finding yourself not necessarily where you intended to go, but where you were meant to be.” She concluded by saying, “Try to keep your idealism. Life might take you on many different turns and many unexpected paths, but I am confident the education you received here will prepare you for all those roads.”  I think her words would apply to any of us. Dr. Levine clearly left a very positive impression on all of us.

In the College of Education and Rehabilitation, once again our Occupational Therapy (OT) team are showcasing at state meetings. They most recently attended the Pennsylvania Occupational Association’s conference where a number of students and faculty presented posters and gave presentations. This weekend, they are headed for the New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association (NJOTA) conference. Several faculty members will be presenting and student/mentor posters will be posted.  Andrea Tyszka, associate professor, will be presenting and will be receiving the award for The Certificate of Appreciation: Contribution to the Community through OT Practice Award for NJOTA this year. Dr. Fern Silverman, director of the OT doctoral program, and Dr. Lauren Sponseller, director of the OT department, will be presenting independent lectures, while Dr Sponseller, Dr. Brooke Kruemmling, assistant provost, and Brianna Brim, MOT, OTR/L, CPAMS, instructor and academic fieldwork coordinator, will all be presenting with students. Additionally, several of our students will be presenting posters with their mentors. They are:

• Zac Saunders  ’17OT/Dr. Barbara Schwartz-Bechet, interim dean, College of Education and Rehabilitation
• Ciara Bell OT ’17/ Dr. Barbara Schwartz-Bechet, interim dean, College of Education and Rehabilitation
• Rebecca Miller ’17OT/Brianna Brim, MOT, OTR/L, CPAMS, instructor and academic fieldwork coordinator
• Nina Goldfedder OT ’17/ Ciara Bell OT ’17/Brianna Brim, MOT, OTR/L, CPAMS, instructor and academic fieldwork coordinator

While at the American Academy of Optometry meeting, several of our faculty members and former students received high honors and 10 faculty members successfully challenged the Fellows exam and became Fellows of the Academy.

Dr. Mitchell Scheiman dean of Research and Biomedicine program director,  was the Glenn A. Fry lecturer this year. This is the second highest honor the Academy awards. Dr. Scheiman was recognized for and lectured on his groundbreaking work in convergence insufficiency. Dr. Lorraine Lombardi, interim dean for the College of Health Sciences, received the Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education for her more than 40 years of sustained excellence in optometric education. Dr. Luigi Bilotto, a 1994 resident and adjunct professor, received the AAO-Essilor Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Optometry.

The following PCO faculty received their Academy Fellowship:

• Dr. Kriti Bhagat, assistant professor
• Dr. Byung Josh Kim, assistant professor
• Dr. Harpreet Minhas, instructor
• Dr. Siva Meiyeppen, instructor
• Dr. Laine Higa, assistant professor
• Dr. Jamie Neiman, assistant professor
• Dr. Mary Jo Thomas, instructor
• Dr. Andrew Meagher, instructor
• Dr. Kelsey Moody, instructor
• Dr. Ashley Maglione, instructor

I want to congratulate all of our awardees and new Fellows. These accomplishments represent years of hard work and a dedication to excellence that is the hallmark of our remarkable faculty - in all programs!

Finally, I’d like to remind everyone about Looking Out For Kids on November 11th. We hope many of you can attend this important fundraising event.

Have a wonderful weekend.  Be safe and have some fun.

Mike