Celebrating Our Graduates: Week of October 20, 2023

 

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

It’s been another busy week at Salus. In addition to classes, labs and clinicals, we had the great pleasure of celebrating the Fall class of 2023 with the traditional Long White Coat Ceremony on Monday evening followed by Tuesday’s 127th commencement ceremony at the Kimmel Cultural Center in Philadelphia. It was a day of transition for our graduates from being full-time students to healthcare professionals, healers, teachers, rehabilitation specialists, researchers and lifelong learners. Congratulations to all our graduates! There’s nothing more fun than seeing our graduates taking pictures in the middle of Broad Street wearing the academic regalia and holding their diplomas with City Hall in the background! To read more about the ceremony and the Physician Assistant Studies program’s Long White Coat ceremony, click here.

Here are some other items I hope you will find interesting:

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS: We’re getting closer to our annual Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity fundraiser. Tickets are still available for the event at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, at The Switch House at The Battery in Philadelphia. You can purchase your tickets here. Click here to learn more about the LOFK story, how it all began and how it has grown over the years.

THEIA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: For her efforts in helping young optometrists advance their careers, Minal Patel, OD ’10, has been named a 2023 Theia Award of Excellence winner for mentoring by Women in Optometry, a group that provides women with a platform to share their experiences and exposure to a national audience including other ODs. Congratulations Dr. Patel. Click here to read more.

CERAMICS OR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY? There were times when Gianna Maria Bates ‘25OT wanted to apply to graduate school for clay and ceramics. A graduate from Arcadia University in 2023 with a double major in psychology and ceramics, she was looking for a profession where she could combine her love of art with something in the medical field. So, how did she settle on pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy at Salus University? Find out by clicking here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I reflect on this week’s commencement and long white coat ceremonies, I appreciate the advice that our commencement speaker, retired rear admiral and gastroenterologist Colin Chinn gave to our graduates, which is applicable to all of us. His guidance, along with a few of my own observations shared at our white coat ceremony, have been helpful in navigating our careers:

Establish a work-life balance for yourself. It’s not all about the work. Prioritize your life in such a way that you can put family and significant others first.

Set your sights high, establish lofty goals for yourself - without such goals, your full effectiveness is often not fully realized.

You’ll be surrounded by all sorts of technology but your focus must remain on patient, student or client. The technology is only there to help you collect data.

Never be satisfied with average performance. Just doing enough to get by doesn’t work, especially as a health care professional and educator.

Don’t be stymied by setbacks or small failures. Everyone meets challenges and obstacles. Those who achieve success over the long haul, press on regardless of intermediate failures. Expect the unexpected and move on.

Have confidence in your own abilities and play to your strengths.

Be honest. There is nothing in this world more important than the truth. It leads to credibility and trust, the bedrock of who we are as healthcare professionals and educators.

Probably the most important - Have fun!

With all that’s going on in the world, please take time to recharge and refocus on what’s important to you. Keep all those currently in harm’s way in your thoughts and prayers, and come back next week SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Celebrating the Navy's 248th Birthday and Remember Those in Harms Way: Week of October 18, 2023

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

Good morning from Center City Philadelphia where I am helping to celebrate the Navy’s 248th birthday along with the Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, former Secretary of the Navy John Dalton and a host of other Navy and Marine Corps personnel who are in the city for Navy-Marine Corp Week. In addition to all this, it’s been a busy week on campus as classes, clinics and labs are running at full speed. Here are some other items of interest:

FALL COMMENCEMENT: Salus University’s 127th commencement ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, at the Kimmel Cultural Center in Philadelphia. We look forward to welcoming Rear Admiral Colin Chinn, our keynote speaker. Click here to read more about Admiral Chinn.

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, when we will honor Susan Oleszewski, OD ‘76, Resident ‘78, FAAO with our Lighthouse Award. NBC10’s Johnny Archer will once again emcee the event. Click here to order your tickets.

INTERPROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Foundations of Interprofessional Communication, the first Interprofessional Learning Activity in the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice, entry level (IPCPe) microcredential badge program is scheduled for Nov. 16. It will provide interested students an opportunity to learn and practice foundational, interprofessional communication skills for academic and clinical success in their respective programs. Communications expert and executive coach Marilyn S. Nyman, M.Ed., CCC/SP will cover professional presence and elements of personal style, after which students will practice what they've learned. Registration cut-off date is Nov. 1. Click here for more information and to register.

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY: This week National Coming Out Day (NCOD) recognized the milestones of being seen and heard, and continued strides for equity and respect, specific to LGBTQ+ communities. The day allowed us to raise awareness for individuals within the LGBTQ+ community and the hierarchy of sexual orientation and identity. For a video on the history of NCOD, click here.

SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING: Our annual campus-wide security awareness training will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, in the Hafter Student Community Center gymnasium. This year’s topic is “Surviving an Active Threat on Campus.” Another training will be scheduled for another date at The Eye Institute. I highly recommend attending this training in person. A Zoom meeting link included in the calendar event invitation for those who can’t attend in person.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Earlier this week, I shared my thoughts concerning the horrific events occurring in Israel and Gaza. Since that time, we’ve learned of more abhorrent acts of terrorism and violence, and the suffering and loss of life inflicted on innocent residents in Israel and Gaza. The scope of the resulting humanitarian crisis will be massive.

We condemn these heinous acts of terrorism and the profound grief, pain, and uncertainty this has brought to the region and the world. We support the Jewish community in Israel, around the world, and in our own University community.

I want to acknowledge the emotional toll this is taking on members of our community who have suffered as violence against Jews, Muslims and Arabs has increased in recent years. I am deeply grateful to have heard from students, faculty and alumni for whom these developments are deeply personal, fraught and distressing. Many of your stories are heartbreaking. They speak volumes about your resilience, integrity and character. 

We also recognize the pain and suffering of many innocent residents of Gaza and mourn the suffering and loss of life that has befallen many who were blameless for these senseless acts of terrorism.

These events have created a significant stressor. It can be understandably difficult to keep focused. Please know we are with you keeping you in our hearts and prayers.

Additionally, students can contact our Center for Personal and Professional Development for counseling and support. Faculty and staff can access counseling through our employee assistance plans. Contact our Human Resources team if you need help with this.

It may also be helpful to revisit activities we’ve discussed previously that foster well-being:

Stay focused on your studies – Focusing on school work can provide a break from all that’s going on in the world. It’s also a way to continue to move toward attain your goals while everything else is so uncertain.

Develop a routine you can stick to - Get up, make your bed (now you’ve accomplished at least one thing!), exercise, eat breakfast, etc.

Get enough sleep – The better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind will be in handling things that come your way including stress. Prioritize sleep over other things. You’ll be more productive, resilient and attentive.

Get outside and enjoy the fresh air – There are so many places around us that you can go and safely walk around in nature that will help to calm your mind and present opportunities for some exercise at many levels.  

Make sure you have what you need for the next day - Check the schedule, lay out your clothes, make your lunch, etc.

Use social media purposefully and not nonchalantly – Limit your screen time and refrain from posting for “likes” or for the sake of making the “best content”. Use social media to connect with classmates or the people you miss seeing every day. With everything currently going on in the world there is a temptation to constantly stay connected – try to stay away from news sources throughout the day.

As we continue to follow this unfolding tragedy, mourn the loss of life, and focus on the safe return of the hostages, remember we are stronger together, and that we continue to care for, respect, support and value each other.

As you prepare for the weekend, try to build some time in to get outside and enjoy the Fall weather. That will help you focus more clearly on your studies and come back refreshed, ready to take on the next week and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Honoring an Exceptional Individual: Week of October 6, 2023

 

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

Greetings on a beautiful fall day from Atlanta where I had the opportunity to honor a really talented individual yesterday - more on that later. It’s been a busy week on campus with our construction project in the South building really looking great and our students and faculty busy with classes, labs and clinics. Here are some other items that I hope interest you:

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: Rear Admiral Colin Chinn will be the keynote speaker for Salus University’s 127th commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, at the Kimmel Cultural Center in Philadelphia. I am honored and thrilled that Dr. Chinn has agreed to deliver the keynote and I’m certain that the message he has for our graduates and those in attendance will be exceptionally relevant. Click here to read more about Dr. Chinn.

MENTORING AWARD: For her efforts in helping young optometrists advance their careers, Minal Patel, OD ’10, has been named a 2023 Theia Award of Excellence winner for mentoring by Women in Optometry, a group that provides women a platform to share their experiences and gain exposure to a national audience that includes other ODs. Read more about Dr. Patel here.

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: There were times when Gianna Maria Bates ’25 OT wanted to apply to graduate school for clay and ceramics. She had graduated from Arcadia University in 2023 with a double major in psychology and ceramics, and was looking for a profession where she could combine her love of art with something in the medical field. So, how did she settle on pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy at Salus University? Read more about Gianna’s journey here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: When talking about Salus with leaders in and beyond the region, I frequently share how we change people’s lives through our Looking Out For Kids charity, the work we do at the Eye, Ear and Speech and Language Institutes and in the direct services our students and faculty through community outreach efforts. What I often overlook is the hard work and selfless sacrifices behind the scenes by our Salus support staff and others across our industries.

Just a few short weeks ago we honored Drs. Glenn Corbin and Henry Green, both PCO alumni, for their tremendous professional accomplishments which changed the lives of thousands through their clinical interventions, excellence in teaching and ingenious inventions in the area of low vision.

Yesterday, I had the honor of presenting the Salus Presidential Medal of Honor to a man who has dedicated his life to supporting optometry and the optical industry.

Mr. Walt Fleming played a pivotal role in the exponential growth and expansion of 1,400 optometric locations across the country, improving access to much needed optometric care where otherwise, it may have been lacking.

With a remarkable level of commitment, Walt has diligently supported over 2,300 optometrists, assisting in their professional development and ensuring their success. His exceptional leadership has been instrumental in the establishment of an advisory panel that evaluates and qualifies novel technologies and innovations that is helping to not only move our profession forward as we embrace high quality tele-optometry, but also ensure access to high-quality optometric care to patients living in remote locations.

Just as notable: Walt has achieved all this as a leading optometric professional without being a doctor of optometry. Integrated patient care is a team sport, comprised of doctors, technicians and people like Walt Fleming, who work collaboratively to ensure patients receive the highest quality care possible, no matter where they live or work.

As you prepare for this fall weekend, keep in mind that the weather is changing and it’s going to be about 35 degrees cooler than it has been all week. Perfect football weather. Stay safe, use a facemask if you’re around large crowds 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

Exercising Your Right To Vote To Preserve Our Democracy: Week of October 21, 2022

 

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

Good morning! It’s a beautiful, cool Fall morning in Elkins Park where I hope everyone is as energized as I am! With our commencement ceremony in the rearview mirror, our planning for the Spring is underway with lots to do between now and then! Planning for the renovation of the first floor, south building is nearly complete. I can’t wait for construction to begin! Here are some other items of interest:

A DAY OF PRIDE: Eighty-eight graduates from our Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) and the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER) received master’s and doctorate degrees at our 125th commencement ceremony last week. Click here to read more about the special day.

‘COVID CLASS’ GETS ITS LONG WHITE COATS: The 47 students in the Salus Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Class of 2022 walked into the Hafter Center for their Long White Coat ceremony Oct. 12 to the strains of “Celebration,” the 1978 hit by Kool and the Gang. The “COVID Class” as it was known was ready to finally celebrate. Click here for more about the ceremony.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCACY: Salus student Weilong Li ‘23PA understands his impact on future generations of Physician Assistants (PA) and is using his personal platform to advance the PA profession. Read more about his efforts here.

CLASS OF 2022-23 RESIDENT: Since she was little, Allison Raff, OD ‘22, ’23 Resident, knew she wanted to be a doctor. While an undergrad student at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, she learned about different professions and decided she wanted to have a specialty. Now she’s one of our residents. Read more about Dr. Raff’s journey here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Exercising our right and responsibility to vote is core to a functional democracy, and especially critical now, as a woman’s right to choose, health equity, gun control, economic stability, national defense and other consequential issues are hotly debated. Every one of the professions we train at Salus is statutorily regulated. Because of this, it is extremely important to understand where candidates stand on scope of practice issues, as well as all the other issues, no matter what profession you serve.

As we approach election day, I anticipate the ads we see will become more frequent and negative. I strongly encourage you to seek out multiple, reliable, unbiased sources of information when deciding for whom to vote. The U.S. government has a helpful guide with resources for making informed choices. Likewise, candidate voting records can predict how candidates will vote in the future. Social media posts tend to represent opinions rather than facts. I try to keep this in mind and verify facts using multiple sources before taking a position.

If you have not yet registered to vote, it’s not too late. In Pennsylvania, the deadline to register to vote is October 24th. If you decide to vote by mail or require an absentee ballot, it must be requested by November 1st and received by November 8th in order for it to be counted.

As you prepare for the weekend, get out and enjoy the Fall colors, which should be peaking around here. If you haven’t yet gotten your COVID bivariant booster and Flu shot, please get those scheduled as soon as you can. I’d like to ensure that we’re fully protected as we get closer to the holidays. Stay safe, remain healthy and stay SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

Addressing Gun Violence In Our City: Week of October 7, 2022

 

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

Good morning from Seven Springs, Pennsylvania where Dr. Trego and I are attending the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Optometric Association. It’s cool and crisp here with the leaves already starting to change! While I travel, clinics, labs and classes all are going strong. We’ve also been preparing for next week’s commencement festivities, where we will celebrate the accomplishments of the Physician Assistant Studies Class of 2022, as well as graduates from OCA and OT, Biomedicine and BLVS.

Here are some things that I hope are of interest to you:

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER: We are excited to welcome Rear Admiral Thomas R. Cullison, who will be our commencement speaker for the University’s 125th ceremony at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. RADM Cullison will also receive the Honorary Degree, Doctor of Humane Letters. A mentor to me for many years, RADM Cullison will motivate and educate all of us! I look forward to introducing him to all of you! To read more, click here.

GIVING WEEK: Join us for the annual Salus Giving Week, ending October 8, by supporting student scholarships, capital improvements, and community outreach. Your donation enables us to prepare emerging health professionals and to serve communities in the Philadelphia region. For more information, click here.

CENTER STAGE: When Kim Edmonds, MS, CCC-SLP, is not busy working with the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Post-baccalaureate in SLP programs at Salus University, she and her husband Ryan Edmonds, OD ‘10, spend their free time at the Forge Theatre. Recently, the pair was involved in a production of Xanadu, based on the Universal Pictures cult classic movie. Read more about it here.

GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR GRADS: Carleen Dumas, MS ‘18, co-owner and director of My Child’s Therapy, not only likes hiring Salus graduates for her business, but she has been a valued partner to our SLP department and now provides externship opportunities for current master’s SLP students. Click here to read more.

A BIG FIRST: When Luz Figueroa, AuD ‘22, graduated from the Salus University Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) in the fall, she became OCA’s first and only MSc in Clinical Audiology graduate to date from Ecuador. Read more about her here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This past week I was in Detroit as part of the Greater Philadelphia Leadership Exchange (GPLEX). The group, sponsored by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, is designed to have civic leaders visit another city, in this case Detroit, to learn what they have done to make their city a better place to live.

In 2013, Detroit was the only major city in the United States to declare bankruptcy. Since that time, Detroit has emerged as a stronger, more resilient city by building partnerships and leveraging philanthropy through trust and hard work. One of the key themes that emerged from our meeting was that crisis, in this case bankruptcy, was the forcing function to propel Detroit in the right direction.

As we considered the parallels in Philadelphia, we recognized that we, too, have a crisis we should be rallying behind – not bankruptcy, but gun violence. By August, over 322 people have been killed and over 1400 injured due to gun violence in Philadelphia. Most recently, a 14-year-old boy was killed in Roxborough and 4 others wounded in gun-related violence. This is a public health crisis of remarkable magnitude. It is a call to action for our city leaders, local industry, healthcare and academic institutions.

While there are no simple solutions to the issue, the first step is recognizing it as a major crisis. Many of the social determinants of health -- including food insecurity, inaccessible healthcare, poor housing, crime, poverty, unemployment, contribute to the epidemic, in addition to social unrest and systemic racial discrimination. The pandemic likely contributed to this most recent uptick in gun violence, but make no mistake about it, this has been a long-standing problem that has not been adequately addressed over time. Exacerbating this has been the opioid epidemic, a long-standing challenge impacting many of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable populations.

As healthcare providers, we need to be acutely aware of and to take steps to make a difference through the direct service we provide to our patients, civic and professional advocacy, and voting for leaders who will prioritize violence prevention and safety net supports for vulnerable populations. Until key decision makers and others in our community are willing to address this issue head-on, much like Detroit has addressed many of its issues following their bankruptcy, we are not going to see much progress.

As you begin your weekend, please think about how we can help address the gun violence epidemic Philadelphia is currently experiencing. In addition to greater advocacy at state and local levels for increased access to quality healthcare, helping to fight food insecurity in our region, what else might we do individually and collectively to impact this issue? I look forward to hearing from you.

As you ponder this question, please remain safe, continue to follow CDC masking guidelines when out and about, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

-Mike

The Importance of Practicing Mutual Respect: Week of October 8th, 2021

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus on a very nice Fall morning. The campus has been extremely busy between welcoming guests, conducting interviews and holding in-person classes and labs. On Wednesday, we had the honor to host Dr. Kim McCurdy, the Bureau Director of Post-Secondary and Adult Education for the Pennsylvania Department of Education where we had the opportunity to show her around our Elkins Park campus and tell her all about Salus. Here are some other things that are happening that you might be interested in:

BACK AT THE KIMMEL!: We’re looking forward to being back at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia for commencement next week at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12. (A reminder that the Kimmel Center requires proof of vaccination to enter the building.) Read more about our keynote speaker Alison Beam, Acting Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, here. The day before commencement on Monday, Oct. 11, we will have the Fall Graduate Luncheon starting at noon at Presidential Caterers. The evening before commencement, we will also have the PA Long White Coat ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center. 

SAFE ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPING: Let me add my voice to the reminder we got from our Department of Technology and Learning Resources about October being Cybersecurity Month. The United States Cyber Security & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has posted a helpful list of tips and tricks to keep us all safe with our online holiday shopping. Please take a moment and read these tips and tricks here. 

MEDAL WRAP-UP: Coming off our Presidential Medal and Alumni Association awards ceremony last week, I’d like to draw your attention to three stories on our website. First, the story on the ceremony itself, which you can read about here. Then, a story on the recognition we gave to longtime Board of Trustees chair Jo Surpin, which you can read here. And finally, a feature on one of the 2021 medal winners, Dr. Sarah Appel, which you can read here. Once again, congratulations to all of our winners.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s staff spotlight features Jackie Todaro, who works in the Osborne College of Audiology. To read more about Jackie, click here.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s new resident feature is on Anthony Boyd, OD, ‘22Resident, who discovered his love for optometry when he started working as an optometric technician at a private practice. What he didn’t immediately realize was that accepting the technician job was “the moment” that would solidify his future. Read more about Dr. Boyd here.

RETURN TO GUATEMALA: Nine students from the Physician Assistant (PA) Studies program and one from the Occupational Therapy (OT) program, along with two PA faculty members, were in Guatemala from Aug. 21 through Aug. 29, our first mission trip since the pandemic started. To read more about this great experience for our students, click here. 

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next virtual Audiology Grand Rounds will be today (Oct. 8) at 12:15 p.m. Jenna Putnam and Courtney Luikert, both from the Class of 2023, will present on “Hidden Hearing Loss.”

FINAL THOUGHTS: It is an understatement to say that the past 19 months have been extremely challenging and stressful for all of us. I also recognize that the normal demands of learning new professions, teaching, providing clinical care and even challenges in our personal lives can occasionally lead to additional stress. These stressors can cause people to behave in ways they normally would not, sometimes manifesting in disrespectful interactions between people.

We have always been committed to equity, inclusion and providing a respectful environment to teach, learn and work at Salus and I want that to continue to be the norm, as it’s been a hallmark of what we believe.

Most recently, however, I have seen or experienced several examples of where stress may have gotten the better of people, with respect for one another or differences of perspective not being regarded. We often talk about being an institution that teaches how to cure, and in so doing, we also teach how to care. I would hope that we can transfer those values of cure and care in all that we do — with our patients and clients, of course, but also in our encounters with one another. We can all benefit from being more mindful in our communication and interactions, considering how it will impact our community members. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves”. We all should take these words to heart in our daily interactions.

If you are feeling stressed and would like to talk with one of our counselors, students can make appointments on the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) page on our website. Faculty and staff, can contact Human Resources. For those benefit eligible employees, Unum has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides unlimited access to consultants by telephone, in addition to other resources.

As you prepare for this weekend and the busy next week with Fall commencement and other associated activities, please try to reflect on the importance of mutual respect, care and concern for one another.

Enjoy the good weather. When you go out and about, please remember that what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. So, please wear your face mask when going inside and if you’re around large numbers of people outside. Be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Vaccines Work - Get Yours Now: Week of July 23rd, 2021

Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni and our many Friends,

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where we’ve been cleaning up after some pretty strong thunderstorms rumbled through here on Wednesday, leaving us without power both here and at The Eye Institute in East Oak Lane for almost a day. Things are pretty much back to normal now but that’s after having to close early on Wednesday and half the day on Thursday. Always something! That said, there are some pretty good “somethings” I wanted to make you aware of below: 

DEEP DIVE INTO AUDIOLOGY: Check out our latest podcast, which includes a discussion with Christopher Speece, assistant director of Admissions at Salus University, about the Audiology program, what it entails and how to become a competitive candidate for the application process. Click here to listen.

NEW LASER LAB FEATURES: In this story, Alissa Coyne, OD ‘10, Resident ‘11, FAAO, course coordinator for the Ophthalmic Lasers and Minor Surgical Procedures course and assistant professor in the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University, details what’s now featured in the new Laser Suite on the University’s Elkins Park campus. Read more here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: This week’s Where Are They Now profiles Tiffani Methuen, OD ‘19, who shares how some of her PCO/Salus mentors helped her achieve her professional goals. Read more here.

OT DIPLOMA DAY, TAKE II: As I mentioned last week, the OT department held its first-ever OT Diploma Day recently. More than half the graduating Class of 2021 attended the event, which allowed the students the opportunity to see each other, socialize and celebrate their accomplishments. For a story and photos of the celebration, click here.

WET PAINT: As we do every summer, we’re sprucing up our facilities with some fresh paint. Please be aware while walking around campus that we’ve started our normal summer projects throughout all of our buildings, including in the stairwells. The work will take place after 4:30 p.m. to avoid high-traffic times. I just love the smell of fresh paint!

FALL COMMENCEMENT: I want to remind everyone to save the date for Fall Commencement that is currently scheduled to be held at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 12th. Our guest speaker and honorary degree recipient will be Ms. Alison Beam, Acting PA Secretary of Health.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I know you are all either reading or hearing about the prevalence of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. What saddens me about the continued spread of this more infectious and potentially dangerous variant is the fact that this all was preventable. Millions of Americans have received either the Moderna, Pfizer or Janssen vaccines with minimal side effects and proof of great efficacy. Unfortunately, almost half of those eligible to receive the vaccine in our country have not done so and many of those are in healthcare. Imagine if this vaccine hesitancy occurred when the smallpox or polio vaccines were developed. We would still be dealing with both on a broad scale, yet smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980 and the U.S. has been polio free since 1979. Vaccines work!

As I’ve said in the past, as healthcare professionals, I strongly believe it is our responsibility to set the example and get vaccinated. We also need to be playing a key role in helping to educate those who have yet to make that decision. We can do this by providing factual, scientific data that clearly explains the importance of getting vaccinated. The longer we allow this virus to spread and ultimately mutate, the more dangerous it can get, the more lives will be lost and the longer we will have to live with it. It is imperative we break the chain of possible hosts this very opportunistic virus has - and the only way to effectively accomplish this is by getting the majority of us vaccinated. So, if you’re currently not vaccinated, please take the time to learn more about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines to make you more comfortable with getting it. It’s the right decision to make.

As you prepare for the weekend, please be smart about your interactions around other people, even if you are fully vaccinated. I recommend (and continue to do so myself) wearing a face mask in places such as grocery stores or places that large groups of people you may not know tend to go. If you are unvaccinated, you need to wear a mask when around others indoors and when in larger crowds outdoors. Remember that our vaccine requirement policy goes into effect on August 13th. Please don’t get caught off-guard.

Be safe, look out for each other and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy: Week of April 30th, 2021

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

Greetings from a very pollen covered Elkins Park Campus. It’s been another busy week with practical exams, in-person classes and labs and bustling clinics. Here are some additional pieces of information that I wanted you to have: 

MIDDLE STATES ACCREDITATION: This fall we will virtually host a team of peer reviewers on behalf of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) as part of the University's ongoing two-year self-study review process. This process focuses on the University's commitment to continuous improvement and the ability to meet the required standards for re-accreditation. While a group of faculty and staff volunteers have been collaborating on this essential process, we all have a role to play by raising our awareness of their efforts. Over the coming months, in my weekly updates, I will provide some background on the subject matter of each of the seven MSCHE standards and introduce you to those in the Salus community that are doing this important work. More information can be found on our website. Up first, Standard I - Mission and Goals.

BIG RED BUS UPGRADE: In honor of her family’s more than 100 years of combined service to the optometric profession, to patient care and professional education, and after seeing first-hand the benefits of providing early vision care to students at their schools, Cathie Muhr has donated $100,000 toward replacing our aging vision van, so the “Looking Out for Kids” program may continue in a more suitable environment. Cathie is the third generation of her family to work in optometry. She joined the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) family as a technician more than 40 years ago. We cannot thank Cathie enough for generosity and dedication to our LOFK mission. Read more about Cathie’s generous gift here. And don’t forget the annual LOFK charity fundraiser is Saturday, May 1. For information, click here.

DEI COMMITTEE APPLICATIONS: There has been a good response to the call for applications for the DEI Committee, however there is still a need for more student participation. So, Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams has extended the deadline for applications through the end of today, April 30. Contact Dr. Mosley-Williams at JMWilliams@salus.edu for an application. 

NEW ORGANIZATIONS FOR STUDENTS: White Coats for Black Lives, Salus Hearts in Motion, National Perinatal Association, and Salam Muslim Student Association are just a few of the new organizations on campus that further emphasize the wide variety of student involvement the University has to offer. Read more about ways to foster engagement for Salus students here.

BLACK EYECARE PERSPECTIVE: Salus University alumni are leading a dialogue asking for 13 percent Black representation in the optometry community through the Black EyeCare Perspective. Dr. Jacobi Cleaver, OD ‘11, shares his experiences and thoughts surrounding his PCO optometry journey, beginning in the PCO Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), which will relaunch in June as the Robert E. Horne SEP after a six-year hiatus. Read more about Dr. Cleaver here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: This week’s Where Are They Now features Casey Heffelfinger, MS ‘20, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist in a skilled nursing facility in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Find out why she said Salus was the right place for her to further her professional aspirations at salus.edu/CaseyHeffelfinger.

OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITY: The parking lot area outside the South building lobby on the Elkins Park campus has been fenced in for dining, meeting, studying and general use. This area will hold up to 44 people, with the chairs and tables placed accordingly to ensure social distancing. There are sanitizing supplies to wipe down the area you used. Access and egress from this area must be done through the South building lobby. We ask that you do not enter or go through this area from outside the fenced area or from the parking lot. You must be screened at the main entrance prior to using it. This area can be reserved for student events/meetings and can be scheduled through the facilities department at facilities@salus.edu.

FALL 2021 COMMENCEMENT: Salus University’s fall commencement will be Tuesday, Oct. 12. More details will be announced as they become available.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I wanted to take some time to share my thoughts about vaccine hesitancy. If you’ve been reading my Weekly Updates you will know that I strongly believe in the importance of being vaccinated and how that remains our primary path out of the pandemic. You should have also picked up on the fact that I believe, as healthcare professionals, we need to set the example for everyone and get vaccinated. Frankly, it is our professional responsibility to get vaccinated to ensure the safety of our patients and those working with us. These vaccines are safe and effective and have already begun to help curtail the spread of the virus in places where they have been widely distributed. The sooner we can reach herd immunity the more lives can be spared. In addition to receiving the vaccine ourselves, we also should be playing a key role in acting as vaccine advocates and educators to those who might be hesitant to receive it. There are several independent, scientific resources that will help debunk inaccurate theories and help to educate those who might be reticent to be vaccinated. They include: The Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WebMD, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, to name just a few. Additionally the Black Doctors Consortium has been extremely successful in decreasing vaccine hesitancy amongst the African American community in Philadelphia. You can learn more about their efforts here. I would encourage you to review some of these resources to help educate yourself and others about the safety and efficacy of these miraculous vaccines.

As you probably read last week, we have announced that beginning June 1st, we will authorize university-sponsored travel for those who are vaccinated. We’ll be adding more incentives within the coming weeks to include a requirement to be vaccinated to use the fitness center. External to us, most clinical externship and clerkship sites are requiring students to be vaccinated, and we are considering the same for TEI, PEI and SLI. Please don’t put your professional education in jeopardy by not getting vaccinated. If you haven’t already received the vaccine, I strongly advise you to take the initiative and get it done now! 

As you prepare for the weekend, try to get out and about and enjoy the spring weather. With the updated CDC guidelines addressing the use of face masks, remember, if you’re vaccinated, you still need to wear your mask if you attend a crowded, outdoor event. If you are not vaccinated, you should be wearing your masks when attending small outdoor gatherings, even with vaccinated people, when dining outdoors and attending crowded outdoor events. Just some more incentives to get vaccinated! Enjoy the weekend. Be safe, make arrangements to get vaccinated, if you haven’t already and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Addressing Stress: Week of October 16th, 2020

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

It’s been another busy week on campus and in our clinics. Students continue to do their work in face to face classes, labs, clinics and also virtually. The fall weather has begun to transform our campus foliage with vibrant colors, which always looks beautiful. Fall is my favorite season, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

DR. GILDA CROZIER – REMEMBERED: As I shared with you earlier this week, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University lost one of its icons with the passing of Dr. Gilda Crozier. Our communications team has written a very informative article about Dr. Crozier that includes information about her funeral arrangements next week. Read the details at salus.edu/GildaCrozier.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FALL GRADUATES: Once again, congratulations to our fall graduates who are now ready to take on the world. It’s now time to take advantage of all that you’ve learned during your time at Salus and apply those skills to the patients and clients. To read more about our virtual ceremony that was aired Oct. 13, 2020, please go to salus.edu/FallCommencement2020.

NATIONAL PA WEEK: We continue to recognize National Physician Assistant Week. Like every healthcare professional, physician assistants (PA) have been put to the test as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out “A Day in the Life” of some of our PA students at salus.edu/PAweek. Students can also submit their own stories to be spotlighted on the University’s website and social media here.

MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS: Congratulations to two of our 2020 Presidential Medal of Honor Award winners, including Dr. Victor Hugo Bray, who you can read more about at salus.edu/VictorBray and Dr. Andrew Gurwood, who you can read more about at salus.edu/GurwoodAward. I’m proud of the work that Drs. Bray and Gurwood have done for this well-earned honor. The other 2020 award winners will also be featured with stories on our website in the coming weeks.

BLINDNESS AWARENESS MONTH: October is Blindness Awareness Month and according to the World Health Organization, there are 285 million people who are visually impaired worldwide, 39 million of whom are completely blind. You can read more about this here.

HAFTER STUDENT CENTER: The Hafter Student Community Center reopened last month with new capacity limits in place — a maximum of 15 people per one-hour workouts are now allowed, which also includes the use of the gymnasium. We all should continue to stick to our exercise routines the best we can during the pandemic, and with the fall weather quickly approaching, the Hafter Center is a great place for your indoor workouts. Read more about the protocols that are in place at salus.edu/HafterWorkout.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON STRESS: I want to address this last section specifically to our students. We all realize how much stress you are all under, especially those of you who are just starting your professional programs. There’s a great deal going on around us and there’s also much to get accustomed to in school – between new schedules, new living environments, new subject matter to learn and working with new friends and colleagues in a virtual environment. I want you to know that you’re not alone – not at all. If you’re having difficulty with a specific subject I can pretty much guarantee that many of your classmates are experiencing the same challenges. The difference is that you just don’t have the opportunity to “compare notes” as you would have if we were not living in a mostly virtual world.

For our first-year students, I can remember my first year at PCO, yes, way back when, sitting in Dr. Lorraine Lombardi’s anatomy lectures trying to figure out how I was going to remember all that stuff. Throw in ophthalmic and physiological optics and my head was spinning – and I was a pretty good student. It took a little over a semester both to realize I had this and also that I wasn’t alone. Most of my classmates were feeling the same way. The biggest difference between then and now is that we could easily share our concerns during lunch or in other social settings. That’s clearly more difficult now. Your deans, program directors and faculty all realize the stress you’re currently under. While there is no simple answer and everyone copes with stress a bit differently, I have some suggestions to help you through this that have served me well over the years:

Stay focused on your studies - Keep up with your learning and try not to fall behind. Not only is focusing on school a great break from focusing on what’s going on in the world, it’s also a way to progress in your life while everything else seems like it’s on pause.

Develop a routine you can stick to - Sounds basic, but it will make a world of difference. Get up, make your bed (now you’ve accomplished at least one thing!), do some exercise, have breakfast, etc.

Get enough sleep – This also sounds pretty basic and to some, maybe it seems like “mission impossible” but the better rested you are, the more capable your body and mind will be at handling things that come your way, to include stress. Prioritize sleep over other things and you’ll be more productive, resilient and attentive.

Get outside and enjoy the fresh air – There are so many places around us that you can go and safely walk around in nature that will help to calm your mind and present opportunities for some exercise at many levels.

Make sure you have what you need for the next day - Check the schedule, lay out your clothes, make your lunch, etc.

Use social media purposefully and not nonchalantly – Limit your screen time and refrain from posting for “likes” or for the sake of making the “best content”. Use social media to connect with some new classmates or the people you miss seeing every day.

We all understand what you’re going through as many of us are feeling some of the same stressors. As I’ve said many times, and still believe, the pandemic will eventually end. While it won’t be tomorrow or even by the end of next semester, but it will end. In the meantime, we all need to remain focused, healthy and optimistic, which is the most difficult task. We have skilled counselors in our Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) who are there for you. I would strongly encourage you to contact them, if you feel like you need to. All you need to do is make an appointment here.

Finally, all the weather apps are saying after Friday’s rain, it should be a nice fall weekend. I strongly encourage you all to get out and enjoy the good weather while we still have it. As the numbers of COVID-19 cases increase in Pennsylvania and in surrounding states, it’s even more important that you continue to practice the good prevention measures that have proven to be effective. Continue to wear your face mask when around others, practice social distancing and wash your hands frequently. Remember what you do off campus affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be smart and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Fall Commencement: Week of October 12th, 2020

As we prepare to launch another group of Salus graduates tomorrow afternoon, I want to congratulate all of you and all those who supported you during your time with us. No one could have foreseen the events that have unfolded in 2020. Between the worldwide pandemic, social unrest and an upcoming, polarizing election, you are leaving Salus during unprecedented times. The one thing that you have that I know will help you to clearly navigate all of these challenges is the fact that your education has prepared you well to enter into your given professions. No matter what you face, you are ready to take on the world. While tomorrow’s ceremony is virtual, I’ll be going on Instagram Live at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning to chat with you one last time, “in person”. All you need to do is go to the Salus Instagram site and you should be able to access it.

In the midst of all that’s swirling around us, you’ve all embarked on extremely exciting and rewarding careers. Your ability to help people improve their lives is a real gift; one that needs to be cherished, honed and continually nurtured. It’s our hope and expectation that you take full advantage of all that you’ve learned during your time at Salus and apply those skills with the utmost care and sensitivity to those patients and clients you will care for. As you prepare to leave us, please remember that Salus will always be your academic home. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with any one of us throughout your professional journeys. We’ll all be there to help you continue to succeed.

Finally, please remember to carry the message of wearing a face mask and continuing to social distance as you begin your careers. You will be the “local experts” once you leave here and you need to continue to set the example in practicing good public health measures. Congratulations on a job exceptionally well done – we’re all very proud of you!

Dr. M

PA Week and Giving Week: Week of October 9th, 2020

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

Greetings from a chilly, but very nice Elkins Park campus. Our students have been busy with mid-terms, labs and clinics. As always, it’s energizing to see our world-class faculty interacting with our talented students. As you can see from the length of this update (I apologize), there’s lots going on! SUMMER 

ENRICHMENT PROGRAM GIFT: The Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University announced this week that National Vision Inc.’s America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses will be the sole sponsor of its Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program. The goal of the program is to increase underrepresented students of color in the optometric profession. Totaling $300,000 through a five-year commitment, it is the largest sponsorship Salus has received to date, in support of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. To read more, go to salus.edu/SEPdonation.

FALL COMMENCEMENT: While we wish we could celebrate the successes of our Fall graduating students in person, once again the pandemic has forced us to conduct a virtual ceremony, which will be aired on Tuesday, 13 October at 2 p.m. State Senator Art Haywood is our keynote speaker and honorary degree recipient. You can access the ceremony here. That morning, I will be also be broadcasting a live message to our graduates via Instagram Live at 9 a.m.

NEW ONLINE CE LIBRARY: Melissa Vitek, OD ‘95, FAAO, director of the Department of International and Continuing Education, has been working with instructors and collecting online continuing education lectures since June. The University’s website now includes a designated section titled “Asynchronous CE Library” that links to these recorded lectures. To read more about our asynchronous CE library, go to salus.edu/OnlineCElibrary.

UPCOMING CE EVENT: Our next Continuing Education online event will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 14. Titled “SLP in a Virtual World — Assessment and Intervention Across the Life Span.” Presenters will discuss how many speech-language pathologists have had to pivot from face-to-face interactions to exclusively remote service provisions. For more information, click here.

ACT 31 & OPIOD CE: The Department of International and Continuing Education at Salus University will be hosting ACT 31 Mandated Child Abuse Awareness, Recognition and Reporting and Opioid Education online, synchronous offerings. To register, click here.

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus is on Erin Draper, OD ‘09, Resident ‘10, FAAO, who joined the PCO/Salus faculty following her residency at TEI in 2010. Read more about Dr. Draper at salus.edu/ErinDraper.

GIVING WEEK: Today is the last day of our annual Giving Week. Our goal is to get to 100 donors, no matter what the amount. This year’s Giving Week is dedicated to student scholarships, capital improvements and community outreach. There’s still time to jump in so just click here to get you to the site.

PA WEEK: Today marks the last day of Physician Assistant (PA) Week, in honor of the first graduating PAs from Duke University. Of note, October 6th was also the birthday of Dr. Eugene Stead, the profession’s founder. He would have been 112! This PA Week is especially significant as it falls during a global pandemic. PAs have stepped up in major ways, including serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response. Whatever their specialty or setting, they have put their health at risk every day to care for their patients. The theme of this week’s celebration is, “PAs are Essential.” There’s no doubt that PAs have not only proven themselves as flexible, adaptable, and collaborative – but also essential to healthcare and to the patients they serve.

VOTING: As November 3rd gets closer it’s imperative that everyone who is entitled to vote is registered and has already made the decision to either order a mail-in ballot or vote in person. As I have been doing, below is information to assist you in performing the most important duty we all have as Americans – TO VOTE!

1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
2. Fill out the application completely.
3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it. If you do decide to vote in person, please ensure you know the location and times your polling place will be open. You can find that by accessing the PA voter website here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As you’ve seen in the news, many people in higher levels of our government have contracted COVID-19. Without going into a political discourse about this, the fact that so many people, who are so closely monitored, some on a daily basis, could contract this disease illustrates how easily it can be spread. This can be a deadly and dangerous disease, and it’s imperative not to minimize its potential impact and follow current guidelines that have, to date, been keeping us all healthy and safe.

Because we’ve been at this for over seven months, some people are developing what the media has termed Coronavirus Burnout and Pandemic Fatigue. With the onset of nicer Fall weather, the start of school and the holidays on the horizon, it’s easy to forget we’re still in the middle of a public health emergency that has already claimed over 212,000 American lives. Of note, while the U.S. has only 4% of the world’s population, we account for 21% of the 1 million deaths worldwide. As the richest country with the most sophisticated health system in the world, this represents a distressingly huge failure in our response to the pandemic.

Across our country, to include Pennsylvania, COVID rates have been rising because many are not following prescribed guidelines. As healthcare professionals, we must set the example for others. That means continuing to social distance, wearing a cloth face mask when around others and frequently washing our hands. This is not rocket science, nor is it an expression of political affiliation – it’s just good public health prevention measures. Even when we have access to reliable and affordable testing, these measures will still form the backbone of our prevention measures.

As you prepare to enjoy the great weather this weekend, I strongly encourage you to get out and enjoy the changing leaves and cooler temperatures. Practice good public health prevention measures wherever you go and remember what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus!

Be safe, be smart, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Summer Semester Comes to a Close: Week of August 7th, 2020

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

Greetings from a rather warm and humid Elkins Park. We weathered Tropical Storm Isaias unscathed without even losing power, so that was good. Unfortunately, many around the greater Philadelphia region as well as others as far as North Carolina and New York lost power and suffered a good deal of damage from the storm. Our thoughts are with those who were adversely affected. 

LABS, CONSTRUCTION, AND RECONFIGURATION: It’s been a busy week on campus, even with the storm. Our optometry, occupational therapy, physician assistant and blindness and low vision studies students have been busy in labs as well as joining their audiology and speech-language pathology colleagues in respective online classes. We’re also in the midst of construction of our Standardized Patient Simulation Lab, several new classrooms and have completed the reconfiguration our cafeteria, LRC, Hafter Center and other spaces so they’re ready for Fall semester. We’re even getting a large tent which will be located right outside the cafeteria so people can eat outside.

VIRTUAL ORIENTATION AND WHITE COAT CEREMONY: As the Summer Semester comes to a close, we are preparing to welcome our newest students to Salus in the coming weeks. Our online orientation program went “live” yesterday for all incoming students. The synchronous portion of the program, where Dr Eckert, myself and others will have guest appearances, will be on 18 August, followed by a non-traditional, virtual White Coat Ceremony on 20 August. While students won’t be receiving their white coats on the 20^th, each program is planning a separate ceremony where they will have the opportunity to distribute them to students. 

FALL COMMENCEMENT: I’ve made the very difficult decision that our Fall 2020 commencement will be held virtually. While this wasn’t what we had originally envisioned in the Spring, current conditions dictate that this is the only responsible course of action we can take. It’s important to note that no venue is accepting large groups into the foreseeable future and there still is a restrictive limit to the number of people who can congregate in one location. Also, many students who would graduate in the Fall would have to travel long distances to get here for the ceremony. That’s a risk we can’t ask people to take. The virtual format will allow all of our graduates to be honored and to celebrate their achievements with their families and friends, no matter their location or the then current state of the pandemic. As we did for the Spring commencement, we will include a student address, a keynote speaker, my message to graduating students, the reading of each graduate’s name and the oath of professionalism presented by Dr. Eckert. Commencement will be pre-recorded, to be premiered on October 13th, at 2:00PM. Graduates and their families and friends will have the opportunity to interact live with each other during the premiere using YouTube. Each graduate will receive their regalia, diploma and commencement programs through the mail. More details will follow as the date approaches. Once the pandemic is behind us, we plan to hold an in person event to honor all of our graduates who graduated virtually. That’s the very least we can do to celebrate your achievements and successes.

DYNAMIC DUOS CE: Don’t forget to register for “Dynamic Duos,” delivered via Blackboard Collaborate as a synchronous live-streamed event Aug. 9. The program is COPE approved for eight CE credits. For more information, go to cvent.me/Xk9Lqz.

LEGACY GRADS:  For graduates like Priyanka Patel, OD ‘20, and Roheena Malik, OD ‘20, legacy family members are much younger pioneers among the same generation, offering a solid support system as they worked toward their degrees. PCO has even been the place where graduates like Stephanie Reitter, OD ‘20, met their matches – finding a shared vision of their futures in the optometry profession. Read more about some of our most recent grads in part three of our Legacy Student Series at salus.edu/LegacySeries3.

LOOKING OUT FOR KIDS:  Dr. Brandy Scombordi and several optometric staff have taken the Salus vision van out in Philadelphia several times in the past few weeks, most recently Aug. 6 to the Sayre Morris Hub, conducting vision exams in the various neighborhoods. Working with the Greater Philadelphia YMCA and the city, each week they block off a few city blocks for a “kids block party” and the team provides care for a few hours for children who have signed consent forms. Great job connecting Salus PCO and TEI with the community, Dr. Scombordi!

FACULTY FOCUS:  This week’s Faculty Focus features Jenny Rajan, AuD ‘09, who wears a number of hats in OCA — assistant professor, clinical preceptor at PEI and faculty advisor for the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA). Read more about Dr. Rajan at salus.edu/JennyRajan. If you are interested in being featured in our “Faculty Focus” series, please fill out this form.

HAFTER CENTER UPDATE:  Over the past few weeks, the Hafter Student Community Center has been preparing to reopen to our students, faculty and staff members. Be aware there will be many new rules and regulations as well as operational  changes put in place for your safety. Staff will be sending out an email with the updated information along with the official reopening date closer to the beginning of the fall semester, so keep your eye out. 

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP:  A few weeks ago I mentioned we had a new Alumni Association president. Amanda Marchegiani, AuD ‘10 took over in July for David Friess, OD ‘02, FAAO who did a wonderful job for us during his two-year term. To read more about Dr. Marchegiani’s goals for the Alumni Association, visit salus.edu/AmandaMarchegiani.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS:  I know it’s very frustrating to all of us that we’ve not made more progress with the pandemic. That said, we have a shared responsibility to ensure we’re all making adjustments in everything we do to remain safe and healthy.   Practicing social distancing and wearing a face mask that covers both our mouth and nose, in addition to frequent hand washing are essential tools for all of us to leverage to help prevent further spread of the virus. If you see others around campus that are not doing this, please politely remind them to. As I will continually remind all of you, what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus, so please be mindful of that. Stay away from large groups and practice the same preventive measures when you’re not on campus – it protects all of us! While this discussion can be discouraging, we need to be mindful that this will eventually end. I know that if we continue to look out for one another and practice good prevention measure, we’ll all be fine. We are SALUS STRONG – and working together we are even stronger!  As a reminder, if you feel like you’d like to speak with a counselor about all this, I encourage you to make an appointment here.

 

Have a great weekend – Try to get out and enjoy the fresh air – of course socially distanced and with a face mask when around others!

Mike