Wishing Everyone Happy Holidays: Week of April 14th, 2022

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

Good morning on a beautiful Thursday! This week’s update is both a day early and abridged due to the upcoming holiday weekend.

Here are some items of interest:

COVID MONITORING: We have been closely monitoring the increase in cases nationally secondary to the the BA.2 variant of Omicron. Even though our positivity rates remain extremely low at the University, later today, out of an abundance of caution, Dr. Eckert will be sending out a message concerning a temporary modification to our masking policy beginning Tuesday, April 19. Please be on the lookout for that. 

INAUGURAL DEI EDUCATES! EVENT: In an effort to provide faculty and staff with a better understanding and to offer advice on how to be an effective ally to the LGBTQ+ community, our Diversion, Equity and Inclusion committee along with the Human Resources Department, recently hosted the inaugural DEI Educates! virtual event featuring Stan Kimer, president of Total Engagement Consulting, which specializes in diversity management and organizational effectiveness. Read more about the training session here. 

COMMENCEMENT KEYNOTE: Michelle J. Howard, Admiral, U.S. Navy, Retired, will be the keynote speaker for Salus University’s 124th commencement at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 26, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia. I’ve known Michelle for years as we were both in the same Flag Officer indoctrination class. Read more about Admiral Howard here.

SLP CAPSTONES: Salus University’s Speech-Language Pathology program Class of 2022 students were able to demonstrate how well they worked together in small groups and communicated with each other during the annual Capstone presentations. Click here for details.

DEEP DIVE INTO POST-BACC: In this podcast, we talk with Candida Mulligan, an admissions officer in Salus University's Office of Admissions. She talks to us about the Post-baccalaureate program and how it is unique to Salus. Click here for more information.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we continue Ramadan and approach Passover and Easter, I find myself reflecting on our important mission at Salus: We advance integrated healthcare through innovative education, research and clinical services.

Together, we do so much good for our students and the communities we serve. With everything happening in the world -- in Ukraine and in our own neighborhoods, Iet’s revisit the core values that have led most of us to the healing professions: gratitude, compassion, justice, honesty, humility, integrity, dignity and respect for human life, to name a few. No matter what holidays we celebrate, whether it be the continuation of Ramadan, Passover or Easter these practices are worthy of regular reflection and recommitment. Not only do they strengthen our service as educators and clinicians, they add meaning and purpose to our relationships. They enrich our shared humanity.

I hope you find some time for rest and relaxation over the holiday weekend.. Continue to be safe, continue to take all the appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the virus and look out for one another. Together we are SALUS STRONG.

Mike

Keeping Our Ukrainian Friends and Neighbors in Our Prayers: Week of February 25th, 2022

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

Good morning on an icy, cold day, at the end of a sad and eventful week on the global stage. Around campus, several of our programs are enjoying face to face classroom instruction while all are on campus for labs and clinics. Numbers continue to decrease in the local area and our campus numbers remain extremely low. As always, we continue to follow CDC and Montgomery County guidance, remaining in sync with federal and local guidance.

TWO NEW BOT MEMBERS: Please help me welcome two new members to our board of trustees. Dana Mattingly, RN, is executive director of clinical compliance in the Aetna/CVS healthcare business unit based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Read more about Dana here. Danita Nias is president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin counties in Florida. Check our website for an upcoming story on her. We are excited to have these two talented individuals on our board to help us navigate the choppy waters ahead. 

SLP ADMISSION TIPS: In our latest podcast, we talk with Larry Walsh, associate director of Admissions at Salus. He talks to us about the Speech-Language Pathology program and offers tips and tricks for applying. Learn more here. 

FACULTY FOCUS: The next Faculty Focus is on Victor Bray, MSC, PhD, FNAP, associate professor in the University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) — and former dean of the College and director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI). Read more about Dr. Bray here.

ACCELERATED SCHOLARS SERIES: In part four of our series featuring faculty and students within the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University’s Doctor of Optometry Accelerated Scholars Program, assistant professor Alissa Coyne, OD ‘10, Resident ‘11, FAAO, highlights some details of the program’s clinical education while students, Misa Sueyoshi ‘23OD and Israel Moore ‘23OD, describe some specific patient care stories. Click here to learn more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: With thanks to Board member Reade Fahs for the introduction, we hosted earlier this week the CEOs of Noodle and Stride Funding on campus. Noodle is an online program manager (OPM) that helps translate traditional, face-to-face courses to online formats. Stride Funding helps students pay for professional education through flexible repayment agreements. Sincere thanks to our deans and directors for taking time to participate. As we move Salus into the future, we continue to explore ways to make our programs more accessible and affordable. More to follow, I’m sure!

On a serious note, yesterday morning Russia invaded the independent country of Ukraine, resulting in loss of life. This unprovoked incursion is a clear violation of international law and has the potential to change the world order as we currently know it. As you may know, we have a large Ukrainian population living in our local area, and possibly those of Ukrainian heritage within our Salus community. Our sister institution Manor College is affiliated with the Ukrainian Church.

Please join me in offering to our Manor College family members and the more than 60,000 Ukrainian Americans living in Greater Philadelphia, our collective prayers and support for the safety and security of the people of Ukraine and western Europe. We stand together in our shared commitment to peace and well-being.

Be safe, look out for one another keep wearing your facemask when around others, socially distance and wash your hands frequently to remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

An Exciting Time at Salus: Week of February 11th, 2022

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

Good morning from a sunny and relatively warm Elkins Park campus where I am writing this update from our new digs on the 4th floor of the North building. Together with Academic Affairs, we have moved from our office spaces in the West building to accommodate the construction of our Orthotics & Prosthetics spaces and new Activities of Daily Living lab. This is an exciting time to be at Salus! Here are some things of interest:

BOOSTER DEADLINE: Our February 13th deadline is quickly approaching. By Monday, all students, faculty and staff are to be boosted with an FDA-approved vaccine (or such later date that an individual first becomes eligible for a booster – i.e. six months after having received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine). Please remember to upload your booster information by Monday. An email has been sent with additional instructions. 

ACCELERATED SCHOLARS PROGRAM: Three of our students share why they chose the Accelerated Scholars Program at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University. This program enables students to complete the traditional optometry program degree requirements in an accredited 36-month, year-round, campus-based program. To read more about their perspectives and experiences, click here.

OT vs. PT: In our latest podcast, we talk with Brianna Brim, MOT, OTR/L, CPAM, CLIPP, director of the Occupational Therapy Institute (OTI) and an assistant professor of Occupational Therapy. Second-year OT students — Bradley Hess, Aditi Kadakia and Rachel Boas; join in. They talk to us about the difference between OT and Physical Therapy (PT) and why they chose Salus University’s OT program. To read more, click here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Jaime Schulang, MA, director of Student Financial Affairs at the University. Find out about her lifelong love affair playing the viola and how she met her musical hero. Read more here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend Senator Bob Casey’s 2022 Higher Education Roundtable in Washington, DC. Thirty-five college presidents attended the meeting. Congresswoman Susan Wild, from the 7th Congressional District, kicked off the meeting with her priorities for higher education including support for college completion and obtaining skills that will allow them to earn livable wages. Ambassador Susan Rice, President Biden’s Domestic Policy Advisor, discussed the importance of Pell Grants. Of note, Ambassador Rice’s mother, Lois Rice -- a corporate executive and on the College Board, was instrumental in getting the original Pell Grant program passed almost 50 years ago. Ambassador Rice stressed the importance of making higher education accessible to everyone.

During the discussion period, I noted that while Pell grants are extremely beneficial for attending undergraduate schools, the current Pell guidelines have no impact on graduate programs. While we strongly advocate for additional funding for the Pell Grant program, these must be made available to graduate students as well as undergraduates. According to the Washington Post, 40 percent of today's federal student loans are given to graduate students with borrowing increasing by $2.3 billion over the course of six academic years. Comparatively, undergraduate borrowing decreased by $15 billion over the same time period.

These discussions are extremely important to raise awareness among leaders and policymakers to the challenges our students face. Know that I will continue to champion issues that impact you.

As you prepare for Super Bowl weekend, I hope your favorite team wins! In the meantime, as you participate in Super Bowl festivities or are out and about, please remember to wear your facemask around others (even in light of discussions to eliminate mask mandates, which I believe are premature) socially distance when you can, and continue to wash your hands frequently. As always, be safe, be smart and look out for one another – together we remain SALUS STRONG.

Mike

Additional Mitigation Strategies to Enhance Protection of Our Salus Community: Week of January 7th, 2022

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I’d like to welcome all of our students back as you prepare for next week’s activities on this snowy, frigid Friday! We look forward to seeing you in labs and clinics next week!

As COVID cases mount in the current surge, we will continue to update you on the steps we are taking to ensure the health and safety of our Salus community. Here is the latest: 

BOOSTER CLINICS: All students, faculty and staff are expected to have their booster by February 13, 2022, or as soon as eligible per CDC guidelines. Chelten Drug Store will host two booster clinics on campus for those who still require the booster:

• The Eye Institute on Friday, January 21: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Elkins Park Campus on Friday, January 28: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. 

Registration information is forthcoming.

UPGRADED MASKS: In last week’s update, I announced our upgraded mask requirement to provide increased protection against rampant transmission of the Omicron variant. If you do not have an upgraded mask, you can request one at the security desk.

VENTILATION: Last week, we noted the addition of MERV13 filtration systems in classrooms at Elkins Park. These filtration systems have also been added to multiple work areas and public spaces at The Eye Institute. These units will run continuously.

DINING: Food is permitted in designated dining areas only. No food is permitted in classrooms, stairwells or hallways. People are permitted to have water in classes.

RETURN TO WORK PROTOCOL: To all of our Salus family members who are recuperating from COVID-19, please know we are thinking of you and wishing you a quick recovery. Our Pandemic Safety Officer, Brian Zuckerman, is your single point of contact if you have questions regarding what to do if: you are exposed, develop symptoms, test positive or wonder when it is safe to return to campus and clinics. Please email him first at bzuckerman@salus.edu. He will then contact your program. 

In other news:

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Natalie Standig, who works in the Department of International and Continuing Education (DICE) department. Find out what new hobby Natalie and her husband took up when the pandemic hit and how it has become rewarding and enjoyable for the couple. Read more here.

OTD PROGRAM BENEFITS: In our latest podcast, we talk with Tavii El, MSOT ’21, and Mary Zhu, MSOT ‘21, two students currently in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. They discuss their transition from the Master of Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program to the OTD program, and the benefits of completing it all back to back at Salus University. To listen, click here.

FITNESS CENTER HOURS: The Hafter Student Community Center (HSCC) fitness center hours have changed. The new hours will be 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

FOND FAREWELL: Landon Godsey III, program director at the Hafter Center, has departed from Salus effective January 3, 2022. Landon served as a mentor and friend for many of our students over the years. We send him our best wishes for his future endeavors. Click here to read more about Landon. 

One more word about COVID: Thanks to the work of many members of our University community, our pandemic safety track record over the past twenty-one months suggests we are well prepared to handle this latest surge. Still, the coming few weeks will test our collective resiliency and fortitude. Know that as conditions change, we will remain focused on the health and safety of our Salus community. Together we are SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Thanks For All You've Done to Make This Semester Safe and Successful: Week of December 17th, 2021

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

Good morning on a very pleasant morning that feels more like March than mid- December! This week many of our students are finishing finals, while others complete these virtually. While things have been winding down on campus, other activities are buzzing:

SALUS STAFF HOLIDAY PARTY: Thanks to Maura Keenan and her HR staff for organizing a high-energy, virtual holiday party last evening. Over 75 people “zoomed in” for an evening of music, games and virtual dancing! It was great to see folks having fun with their family members on screen - hopefully, next year we can do this safely, in person! 

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Our latest Staff Spotlight features Jaime Schulang, who has been working in the Financial Aid office for the past 15 years. Through this position, she especially enjoys helping students achieve their career goals with financial assistance and has even performed at the Academy of Music! Learn more about Jaime’s many talents here.

PODCAST SERIES: In part two of our Biomedicine podcast series, Dr. Mitchell Scheiman, dean of Research and director of Graduate Programs in Biomed, explains how earning this degree can advance students’ careers in addition to sharing sound advice and tips. While last week we featured the podcast, this week we share the Q&A. Read more here. 

FIRST GEN VIDEOS: Recently, the Office of Communications launched a new series of video interviews with some of our first generation students. Learn more about their journeys, unique stories, and why they chose Salus here.

NEW CHIEF OF STAFF: As I announced last week, Beth Moy started as our new Chief of Staff. Previously serving as the executive director of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Consortium for Higher Education (SEPCHE), of which Salus is a member, Beth was aware of the University’s “community of excellence” well before her arrival. To learn more about Beth, click here. 

WINTER COAT DRIVE: Students at Salus have been busy this holiday season donating time and service in support our community. The main lobby of the Elkins Park campus has been overflowing – with winter coats, that is! The Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) is still collecting new and used coats through Dec. 20. All donations are being made to Face to Face – a human services organization dedicated to the health, well-being, and stability of our Philadelphia community. 

FACULTY FOCUS: This week’s Faculty Focus features Jeffrey Nyman, OD, an associate professor and director of Emergency Services at The Eye Institute. It’s been 44 years since Dr. Nyman joined the faculty at PCO, and he’s been instrumental growing and advancing the profession and College. Read more here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we prepare for our holiday break beginning later next week, my personal thanks to each of you for making this challenging semester successful and safe. A special “thank you” to our Covid Advisory Committee and Deans and Directors who continue to provide guidance and advice on how best to keep us all healthy allowing our educational mission to advance without missing a beat. As many of you travel home to be with families and friends, please try to maintain the same level of vigilance you’ve been doing while here. Take this time to recharge and relax. Wishing you and your family a healthy and safe holiday season.

One last reminder to get your flu shot if you haven’t and to get that booster as soon as you’re eligible. Together we are SALUS STRONG! See you in the New Year!

Mike

Importance of Getting Your Booster Now: Week of December 10th, 2021

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

Greetings from a chilly Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week at Salus as we wind down the semester. Some students are already off-campus completing virtual final exams while others are still in clinic and doing practical exams in labs. In addition to all of this, here are points of interest for your review:

PODCAST SERIES: In part one of our new Biomedicine podcast series, we hear from Dr. Mitchell Scheiman, dean of Research and director of Graduate Programs in Biomedicine. He talks to us about the uniqueness of the Biomedicine program and how it can advance any healthcare career. Listen to it here.

BLIND TENNIS: Richard Feldstein, OD ‘62, has been playing tennis for more than 75 years. His love of the sport combined with his passion for helping people as an optometrist led him to Highland Park Tennis Club in Pittsburgh, a clinic teaching blind children and adults ages six to 80 to play tennis. Dr. Feldstein offers his consulting expertise at the Pittsburgh club where he's made significant contributions to a research project that now runs in conjunction with the United States Tennis Association (USTA). Read more about Dr. Feldstein's impact here.

O&M PILOT PROJECT: A pilot program developed and implemented by the University's Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) department in partnership with Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, specifically for Vanderbilt’s on-staff Physical Therapists (PTs), provided Orientation and Mobility (O&M) skills-based training PTs could offer their patients. Read more about the extremely unique opportunity we are thrilled to offer with Vanderbilt here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Our latest Staff Spotlight features someone with whom I have the pleasure of working every day. After serving first PCO, and then the University for a total of 30 years, most of you already know Lisa Lonie, who serves as my executive assistant keeping the office running smoothly. She's the best! As you will see by clicking here, Lisa has many talents and interests!

MEET THE CAST OF THE COLLEGE TOUR: In our next profile on the cast of The College Tour, meet Ashka Patel '23OD. During the show's "Building Community" segment, Ashka described her experience providing care to patients in the University’s clinical facilities first and foremost and then at local elementary schools and abroad to places like Panama treating underserved populations. Read more about Ashka here.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today, Dec. 10 at 12:15 p.m. Kris Such will present on “Dementia & Adapting Testing Procedures to the Condition.” Click here to join the meeting.

FACULTY AND STAFF GIFTS: Don't forget to pick up your Salus hoodie sweatshirts and large Salus umbrellas for all (regular FT/PT) faculty and staff. Academic Affairs is giving out the gifts to faculty and academic administrative staff. Union and administrative staff can stop by the new Human Resources located on the 4th floor of the Breyer Office Park building at the Elkins Park campus to grab your gifts. Human Resources will also be at The Eye Institute (TEI) today to continue with distribution. 

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER: Help Pi Theta Epsilon, the Occupational Therapy honor society, meet their goal of raising $1,000 for OT research in the St. Catherine Challenge. You have a couple more days to participate in the holiday fundraiser by purchasing Gertrude Hawk Chocolates. Order your chocolates by Dec. 12 by placing your order here.

TOY DRIVE: The National Physician Assistant Student Society (NPASS) is asking for support with a Marine Toys for Tots Drive to support children in our community. Happening now through Dec. 13, they are seeking new, unwrapped toys to donate to local children. The drop-off location is a large, white Toys for Tots bin outside the cafeteria at the Elkins Park campus. Monetary donations can also be made via QR code available on the collection box. For more information, please visit https://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx.

FINAL THOUGHTS: We have been closely following the Omicron variant, especially the studies that have been looking at the efficacy of our vaccines. The most recent laboratory studies suggest that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, with a booster, offers good protection against the variant. Given Moderna is also an mRNA vaccine, many have suggested that it will perform similarly. Thanks to all who have already taken the initiative to get a booster. To our students, I strongly encourage you to get your booster prior to heading home for the holiday break. If you can’t, please get a booster while home prior to returning to campus in January. To Salus faculty and staff, now is the time to get your booster.

In addition to Montgomery County facilities, many nearby pharmacies provide boosters: 

• Yorktown Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• CVS
• Riteaid
• Walmart

Let’s aim to have everyone on campus “boosted” by February 1st. It’s the only way to ensure our health and safety as a campus community and stay ahead of these threats.

Between the Omicron COVID-19 variant, final exams, preparing for externships and everything else swirling around us, our stress levels are understandably high. Over the holiday break, I’d like to suggest that you use that time as a mental health respite. Take the time to mentally disengage, unwind, enjoy being with your friends and families, get outside, get some exercise (in anticipation of all the great food we’ll enjoy during the holidays), rest and recharge for the upcoming semester. As always, counselors in the Center for Personal and Professional Development are available to talk with students. For benefit-eligible employees, Unum has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing unlimited access to consultants by telephone ((800) 854-1446), in addition to other resources.

Many students have already left campus since some of our final exams are being administered virtually. While we take all appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, even if you are fully vaccinated with a booster, continue to wear a mask when around large groups, both inside and outdoors, socially distance when you can and wash your hands frequently. Remember, what you do off campus, even during the break, can directly affect all of us on campus.

Enjoy the weekend, especially Saturday, when the temperatures are supposed to get close to 70, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Get Your Booster/3rd Shot Now: Week of December 3rd, 2021

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

Good morning from a blustery Elkins Park campus where most of our students begin finals. Wishing our students and faculty an successful end to a very full semester! Even as the final exam cycle of the semester commences, many other activities have been occurring on and off campus:

BLVS ADMISSIONS: In our latest podcast, we talk with Candida Mulligan, admissions officer in the University's Office of Admissions. She talks about the Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) program, and tips and tricks for applications. Listen to it here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHTS: Two new Staff Spotlights feature Stella Lee, who works in our Finance department, and Andrew Rohe, a security officer at Salus. Get to know more about Stella here as well as Andrew and his work beyond Salus as a performance coach here.

MEET THE CAST OF THE COLLEGE TOUR: In our next profile on the cast of The College Tour, meet Sonja Makitan ‘23OD. For the on-campus programs at Salus, a large percentage of the student body hail straight from undergraduate institutions with the average age being 23-years-old. But for Sonja, this is not the case. Although she is a traditional Doctor of Optometry student, she took a non-traditional route to the University’s Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO). Read more about Sonja here.

FACULTY AND STAFF GIFTS: Last year, Academic Affairs and Human Resources purchased Salus hoodie sweatshirts for all faculty and staff around Nov/Dec. Unfortunately, they took so long to come in, we decided to give them out this winter. This year, Human Resources purchased large Salus umbrellas for all (regular FT/PT) faculty and staff. Hoodies and umbrellas for faculty will be distributed by Academic Affairs sometime in the upcoming weeks. Hoodies and umbrellas for staff will be distributed by Human Resources around the same time. Be on the lookout for emails regarding distribution/pick up.

OT HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER: Pi Theta Epsilon, the Occupational Therapy honor society, is participating in the St. Catherine Challenge to raise money for OT research. The goal is to reach $1,000 with a holiday fundraiser through Gertrude Hawk Chocolates. To order your chocolates, place your order here. The fundraiser is underway now and runs through Dec 12.

A DAY IN THE LIFE: Check out “A Day In the Life” featuring second-year Physician Assistant (PA) student Lauren Wychowski. She is currently in her third rotation, which is pediatrics. Read more about a typical day for Lauren here.

SLI SUPPORT GROUP: Join Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the Speech-Language Pathology department, as he moderates a podcast that focuses on the Traumatic Brain Injury Group at the Speech-Language Institute (SLI). He is joined by one of its members as well as the supervisor and two students who have had the pleasure of working within the group. Click here to listen. 

COCHLEAR IMPLANT WORKSHOP: Thahira Kallumurikkal ‘22AUD was an audiologist in India for 14 years, but decided she wanted to upgrade her skills. That’s why she decided to enter the MSc in Clinical Audiology program in Salus University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA) where she had the opportunity to attend the College’s Cochlear Implant Workshop from Nov. 2-5. Read how beneficial the program was according to Kallumurikkal and other OCA students here. 

HOLIDAY TRADITION: For those who stayed local this holiday, the University provided a complimentary “Turkey Gobbler” dinner — prepared by the University Cafe’s Metz Culinary. Salus also continued its longtime Thanksgiving tradition of delivering meals to Jenkintown and Cheltenham police departments on Thanksgiving Day as well as AstraZeneca Hope Lodge in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. Read more about the festive to-go feasts here.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today, Dec. 3 at 12:15 p.m. Julie Jimenez and Renee Kochinski will present on “Seesaw Nystagmus.” Click here to join the meeting.

TOY DRIVE: From Nov. 29 to Dec. 13, NPASS is hosting a Marine Toys for Tots Drive to support children in our community. They are seeking new, unwrapped toys to donate to local children. The drop-off location is a large white Toys for Tots bin outside the cafeteria at the Elkins Park campus. Monetary donations can also be made via a QR code that's available on the collection box as well. For more information, please visit https://www.toysfortots.org/Default.aspx and consider making the holiday brighter for less fortunate children in our community.

FINAL THOUGHTS: If you’ve been to our Learning Resource Center and in most of our larger classrooms, you’ve seen some large, white devices placed around the rooms making a very soft swishing noise (see below). These custom-built air filters are the work of Mr. Rick Echevarria and our exceptional facilities team. The design for the filters was developed by the dean of Engineering at the University of California, Richard Corsi. Tested by several labs, they have been proven more effective than more expensive HEPA-based portable air cleaners on the market. These devices give us an additional level of protection against the spread of the virus.

While taking the extra step to filter out the virus from our environment is helpful, the most important things we can do to prevent spread remain the same: get vaccinated, wear a face mask, wash hands frequently and social distance. As studies are ongoing, most public health and infectious disease experts agree that getting a booster/3rd dose enhances our protection from the newly identified Omicron variant. If you haven’t gotten your booster, make a point to get one now, especially as you prepare to head home for the holidays. It’s only a matter of time when the third shot will be considered “fully vaccinated.” I’d like everyone to be ahead of that. Additionally, if you’re not feeling well, please stay home and get tested to ensure no one is bringing the virus to campus or our clinics.

I know how frustrating this is. Just as we thought things were getting better, along comes a new variant. This is the nature of pandemics, especially when such a large portion of the world’s population remains unvaccinated. Things will get better. We need to continue holding our course. Thank you for all that you’re doing to help us stay the course.

Please take some time to relax during your study breaks. Get outside, if you can and just enjoy the fresh air! Continue to look out for one another and be safe. You are SALUS STRONG!

Mike

A Thanksgiving Message: Week of November 19th, 2021

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

Good morning of the longest lunar eclipse (see below)in over 568 years from our Elkins Park campus. I was crazy enough to get up to see part of it, which was well worth the extra cup(s) of coffee! Even as the earth eclipsed the sun from the moon, our students, faculty and staff have been extremely busy administering and taking practical exams, sitting in both virtual and face to face lectures and providing world-class care to our patients and clients. Below are items of merit to share with you:

DISTINGUISHED CAREER: After half a century of excellence, Dr. Satya Verma is retiring at the end of the year. During his long and distinguished career at PCO/Salus, Dr. Verma has served in various capacities stacking accolades during his tenure. Read more about Dr. Verma’s storied career and future plans here and join me in wishing him fair winds and following seas as he prepares for retirement.

NEW DIRECTOR: Dr. Chad Killen has been named the new director of PCO/Salus’ On-Campus Residency Programs where he will oversee all residents at The Eye Institute (TEI) in Primary Care/Ocular Disease, Low Vision Rehabilitation/Ocular Disease, Cornea/Contact Lenses, Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease and Pediatrics/Vision Therapy. Currently, there are 12 on-campus residents. Congratulations, Dr. Killen! Click here to read more.

INSIDE AUDIOLOGY AND SLP, PART II: In part two of our latest podcast, we talk with Dr. Lindsay Bondurant, director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) and associate professor for Salus University's Osborne College of Audiology, and with Robert Serianni, chair, program director and associate professor for the Speech-Language Pathology program, about the audiology and speech-language pathology professions. Listen to the podcast here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight features Ruby Singleton, who has been with the University for 35 years in the Technology and Learning Resource Center Services department. Find out more about Ruby, what she enjoys about her job and what she does in her free time by clicking here. 

FLU SHOTS: Many of you probably have read about the flu outbreak at the University of Michigan. None of us would like to see that replicated here. If you have not already gotten your flu shot, please take the time to get it done prior to next week’s holiday. They are available throughout our region at most pharmacies as well as healthcare institutions.

ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING: As an unfortunate requirement of the times, the University will host an active shooter training for the Salus community from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, in the Toland Classroom at TEI. Philadelphia Police Detective Joseph Rovnan will lead instructor our training. He is nationally recognized as a subject matter expert in active shooter strategies, programs and response. Detective Rovnan will talk about safety both in and around the workplace, communications and tips for preventing, preparing and responding to situations including unauthorized visitors and threats to our Salus community. 

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: This week’s Audiology Grand Rounds begin at 12:15 p.m. today, Nov. 19. Kathleen McGovern and Maria Kirifides will present on “Cochlear Implantation Candidacy after Two Decades Without Sound Stimulation.” Click here to join the meeting.

FUNDRAISER FOR PHILABUNDANCE: Our chapter of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) is conducting a fundraiser for Philabundance from now through Dec. 1. Boxes are outside the cafeteria for donations of nonperishable food and drinks. The top 10 items most needed are: peanut butter and jelly, cooking oil, canned tuna or meat, canned fruits and vegetables, canned stew and soups, oatmeal/breakfast cereal, whole grain pasta, 100% juice, rice, and boxed non-refrigerated milk. Foods low in sodium and sugar, and free of high fructose corn syrup, are preferred. SOTA is also accepting money donations for the organization. 

STUDENT ACADEMY OF AUDIOLOGY FUNDRAISER: Stop by CycleBar, 1470 Old York Road in Abington, at noon Saturday, Nov. 20, to ride and raise money for the Salus chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) organization.

GRANT AWARDED: Anna Grasso, OTD, MS, OTR/L, CAPS, ECHM, assistant professor and academic fieldwork coordinator in the Occupational Therapy (OT) program at Salus University, was recently awarded a subgrant in partnership with Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP) to help low-income older adult homeowners in the Philadelphia area age in place. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Older Adults Home Modification Grant Program (OAHMP), which gave the project more than $824,000 to apply safety and functional home modifications and limited repairs to meet the needs of the local aging population. Read more about it here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday next week, COVID-19 cases have been increasing in certain parts of the country. Thankfully, our region is still doing pretty well. Thanks to the miraculous vaccines that have been developed, this year we can, once again, celebrate the holiday with friends and loved ones. If you do decide to travel during the holiday, please take appropriate precautions: know what the spread of the virus is where you are going, wear your facemask when appropriate and test yourself prior to returning to campus.

Thanksgiving is traditionally a holiday when family and friends gather to recount the joys and blessings of the past year. I hope you use this time to take stock of the kindnesses we have shared; grateful for all that enriches our lives every day, even in the midst of the pandemic. With all that’s happening in our country and the rest of the world, we have much to reflect on, and also much for which to be thankful. During this challenging year, I offer thanks to our extremely dedicated faculty, residents, staff and trustees for your professional excellence, energy, compassion, enthusiasm in support of our students and our institution. You’ve accomplished so much, often without fanfare, but with great impact on our mission. It’s an honor and pleasure to work with such a committed group of professionals! I also thank our students for selecting Salus to pursue your chosen professions and for trusting us with your health and safety as we have navigated through the pandemic. You are the reason we’re here. We are extremely thankful.

As neighbors and friends pause to lend a hand to those in need, we are reminded of the indelible spirit of compassion and mutual responsibility. This spirit is alive and well here at Salus daily -- whether taking care of patients or clients in our Eye, Ear, Speech and Language or Occupational Therapy Institutes, caring for children in schools or serving clients in the many clinical settings we support. Salus people live the Thanksgiving spirit every day. I sincerely thank and admire you for that.

As we prepare for next week’s holiday, thank you for all that you do every day to make Salus the special place it is to learn, work and support our community.

Mike

Remaining Vigilant About the Pandemic: Week of November 12th, 2021

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

Good morning from a cool, soggy Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week with many of us catching up from a week away while attending the American Academy of Optometry’s annual meeting last week. I know that many of our students are preparing for finals and clinical practical exams which we recognize adds a little more stress to an already packed academic schedule. Please don’t hesitate to contact our counselors in CPPD who are ready to help support anyone who thinks it would be helpful. Below are some additional things I hope you’ll find interesting:

COMBINING FUN AND SCIENCE: According to Bre Myers, AuD ‘06, PhD ‘17, CH-AP, a lot of amusement park rides excite the vestibular system in very specific ways. That gave Dr. Myers an idea: Take her students to an amusement park and have them report on how they felt after riding the rides. Find out more about that went by clicking here.

INSIDE AUDIOLOGY AND SLP: In part one of our most recent podcast, we talk with Dr. Lindsay Bondurant, director of the Pennsylvania Ear Institute and associate professor for Salus University's Osborne College of Audiology, and with Robert Serianni, chair, program director and associate professor for the Speech-Language Pathology program. They detail the audiology and speech-language pathology professions, how to know which one to choose, and how they work together in the healthcare field. Listen to the podcast here.

HOCKEY CHAMPION: Our very own David Meltzer, OD ‘02, FAAO, an assistant professor and clinical instructor at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University and a U.S. Army veteran, can add ice hockey champion to his resume. The team on which he plays, the Flyer Warriors, won the 2021 USA Hockey Warrior Classic recently in New Jersey. The tournament is the signature annual event of USA Hockey's Warrior program, which provides hockey access to nationwide teams of military veterans with VA-certified disabilities of at least 10 percent. Congratulations Dr. Meltzer! 

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: Our latest Students At Leisure (SAL) story features Angela Delfino ‘23OT. When Angela looks to break away from studies for physical exercise and mental stimulation, she goes all out. Whether it’s rock-climbing, yarn crafting or aerial circus. Read more about Angela here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight features Monica Scirrotto, our director of Admissions here at Salus University. Recently, much of her free time has been devoted to her seven-month-old daughter. Read more about Monica here.

AUDIOLOGY GRAND ROUNDS: The next Audiology Grand Rounds will be today, Nov. 12, at 12:15 p.m. Jocelyn Jacob and Kathleen Wezensky will present on “Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Management in a Type II Diabetic.” Click here to join the meeting.

THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: During filming of The College Tour, Mohit Batra, OD ‘21, was a fourth-year student whose main goal upon his entrance to the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) was to leave the school better than when he started. As student body president, he was able to do just that. Read more about Dr. Batra and his segment of The College Tour here.

TURKEY GIVE-AWAY: As has been our tradition for many years, as a way of saying, “Thank You” to our faculty and staff for all of your hard work, we will again be providing a free turkey, ham or tofurkey to all faculty and staff who would like one. Please sign up here by 4PM today to order one.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As I go about my travels, I sometimes think I live in two different worlds – one at Salus where we have been diligent about getting vaccinated and wearing our face masks on campus and in our clinics – and one where many people are still refusing vaccination and more commonly, not wearing facemasks when out and about. This was once again accentuated in the news this week when a popular NFL star tried to rationalize why he wasn’t getting vaccinated.

The truth of the matter is that we are still very much in the throes of the pandemic (as evidenced by the recent increase in cases in many parts of the country) and to let our guard down now would be inconsistent with the way in which we’ve addressed our mitigation strategies to date. While numbers are currently trending in the right direction in our area in terms of numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, vaccination rates have slowed down considerably.

I am extremely happy and proud that our internal vaccination rate is about 98%, which speaks to everyone’s commitment to doing the right thing for themselves, their families and those we care for clinically. Our random testing program has yielded no more than a 1% positivity rate, which is well below what would be expected, which is great.

I am hopeful that sometime after the holidays the numbers will continue to trend in the right direction here and the CDC will be able to adjust the guidelines we currently follow. Until then, we’ll continue to stay our current course. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everyone’s cooperation! Like you, I cannot wait to get rid of these masks! But, until it’s safe, masked we will continue to be. For those of you who are eligible for a 3rd dose/booster vaccine, I strongly encourage you to get one as soon as you can. They are readily available through the county or most local pharmacies.

I hope everyone has a restful weekend. It won’t be long before the holidays are upon us. As you begin your planning, please keep in mind that what you do off campus will directly affect all of us on campus.

Please, remain vigilant, stay healthy, continue to look out for one another to stay SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of "Thinking Bigger": Week of October 15th, 2021

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

Greetings on a delightful Fall morning from our Elkins Park Campus. It’s been an exciting, fun and busy week for all of us, especially those who participated in the Physician Assistant Long White Coat ceremony and our first in-person commencement ceremony since the pandemic began in March, 2020! We had the opportunity to celebrate some members of the Class of 2020 as well as the Class of 2021 during the festivities as well as hear an extremely inspiring message from our honorary degree recipient, the Honorable Alison Beam, Acting Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Check our website for stories on the Kimmel Center ceremony, our Graduate Awards Luncheon and the Physician Assistant Studies program’s Long White Coat ceremony.

NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY: We celebrated National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, a day that recognizes the milestones of being seen and heard and the continued strides for equity and respect, specific to the LGBTQ+ communities. The day allowed us to continue to raise awareness for individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, and combat the silence that often breeds homophobia and the hierarchy of sexual orientation and identity norms. National Coming Out Day originated 33 years ago with a march on Washington for lesbian and gay rights, and has been celebrated in all 50 states since 1990.

GRAND ROUNDS: Audiology Grand Rounds will be today (Friday, Oct. 15) at 12:15 p.m. The topic is “Navigating Patient Comorbidities and Subjectivity,” presented by Alexander Wozniacki and Luke Obenrader. Click here to join the meeting. 

IMPACT HBCU: On Tuesday evening Drs. Trego, Mosley-Williams and I had the opportunity to participate in Impact HBCU, where over 300 attendees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other undergraduate schools were able to learn about optometry, PCO, Salus DEI efforts, our Summer Enrichment Program and certain aspects of the optical industry. It was an informative and fun event!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: The Staff Spotlight this week is on Joe Noce, who works in the University bookstore. Joe has been playing in a classic rock/blues band for nearly 30 years. To read more about Joe, click here.

THE INSPIRATION CENTER: Join Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) at Salus University, as he moderates a podcast that focuses on The Inspiration Center, a community therapy organization in the country of Belize, where physical, occupational and speech therapists work with the families in Belize with children from birth through 16 years of age. He is joined by the students and the speech pathologists from the program who had the opportunity to cross borders to provide speech pathology care in areas of great need. Click here to listen.

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL WINNER: In our continuing series featuring the individual Presidential Medal of Honor winners for 2021, read more here about Reade Fahs, Chief Executive Officer of National Vision Inc. and a member of our Board of Trustees since 2017.

THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: In another continuing feature for us, “Meet the Cast of The College Tour,” we introduce you to Samantha Wereszczak ‘22PA. Samantha was a respiratory therapist working on the frontlines of the Medical ICU where she experienced working collaboratively with other healthcare disciplines, which is what initiated her decision to start her path at Salus to become a physician assistant. Read more about her here.

RESIDENT CLASS OF 2022: This week’s new resident feature is on Bailey Ford, OD, ‘22Resident. Because she had such great experiences with her eye doctors, Dr. Ford wanted to be the best doctor she could be for her patients. She believed that pursuing a residency would ensure that, especially at PCO/Salus. Read more about Dr. Ford here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we celebrated our graduates on Tuesday, I was extremely pleased to hear that one of Secretary Beam’s recommendations to our graduates, as well as all of us listening, was to, “think bigger.” As she mentioned the challenges of “inequitable healthcare, stalled education, hungry families, oversubscribed mental health and unemployment,” Secretary Beam challenged us to use this “once in a lifetime experience” to take “preconceived, rigid constructs and turn them on their head”. Noting that the pandemic has exposed many of the challenges that have existed for a while but surfaced because everything was so stressed.

Let’s try to capitalize on Secretary Beam’s wisdom and challenge what many have always accepted as societal norms and work to develop creative and effective solutions that will serve to improve the lives of all those we are entrusted to care for. Much of that work starts here, at Salus. We are committed to working towards improving access to quality equitable healthcare for everyone. For example, ensuring those students that did have their education “stalled,” have good vision, hearing and important tactile skills to succeed, and screening and appropriately referring those we find have food insecurity or mental health challenges. The care we provide must be holistic, integrated and empathetic.

As I told our graduates on Tuesday, and Secretary Beam also noted during her remarks, they’ve all been given a great gift – and this is their time to transform all they have learned into something that will positively affect the lives of all those they will care for. While each graduate will confront these challenges differently, they all will be extremely successful. For those of us remaining behind, our gift will be to operationalize these lessons as we care for our patients and clients in all of our clinics, seek to innovate our programs to apply lessons learned during the pandemic and to continue to push the envelope of excellence in everything we do.

As you prepare for the weekend, please take the time listen to Secretary Beam’s comments on our website to hear them first hand. Continue to wear your face mask when around others, vaccinated or not, wash your hands frequently and socially distance when you can. When you have the alternative, I highly encourage you not to eat inside when going to restaurants or bars. Take advantage of the nice weather while we have it! Remember, what you do off campus really does affect all of us on campus. Have a great weekend. Be safe, be smart, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

The Importance of Taking Care of Yourself: Week of September 17th, 2021

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

Good morning! It’s been another busy week on campus and in our clinics! The weather has even cooperated as it’s getting cooler again! In addition to our normal campus activities, here are some other things that I hope will be of interest to you:

PAYING IT FORWARD: Kathy Foltner, AuD ‘02, knows firsthand the value of scholarships. Now, Dr. Foltner is eager to ease the financial burden for future Salus University audiologists through an endowed scholarship for students in the University’s Osborne College of Audiology (OCA). Read more about Dr. Foltner’s generous gift here.

FACULTY FOCUS: Korey Patrizi, OD, Resident ‘21, joined the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University faculty in July 2021. Read more about Dr. Patrizi’s desire to find and fit in with her “people” and the feeling of comfort she experienced during the interview process at PCO/Salus here. 

MSCHE SELF-STUDY: Thanks to the hard work of many of our faculty, staff and Board members, our MSCHE self-study has been submitted. The final copy will be posted on Blackboard if any members of our University community would like to see all the processes, procedures and policies that are involved in running our university in accordance with accreditation standards.

RANDOM COVID TESTING: If you have been selected to be tested this week, you will have received an email asking you to pick up your home testing kit from security at either Elkins Park or TEI, depending upon where you are assigned. Please ensure you remember to do that!

STUDENTS AT LEISURE: Her first love is optometry, but Olivia Burger ‘22OD has discovered that while healthcare providers are passionate about the fields of healthcare in which they practice, they can also have passion for other activities. In Olivia’s case, it’s concert photography. Click here to find out how she got interested in photography and what famous artists she’s photographed, all while pursuing her dream to become an optometrist.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: This week marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month — Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 — where we celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from the Americas (North, Central and South), the Caribbean and Spain. There are lots of ways to acknowledge Hispanic Heritage Month, whether it’s engaging with books, films, documentaries or live programming related to Hispanics and Latinos and their history in the United States. At Salus, we are choosing to highlight a few of our Hispanic/Latino alumni. The offices of DEI, Communications and Institutional Advancement are collaborating to feature some of our alums during this month. Keep an eye on the University's social media outlets for the Hispanic Alumni Highlight campaign in the coming weeks. 

MEET THE COLLEGE TOUR CAST: While filming The College Tour segment focused on Career Flexibility, Jaqueline Wiafe ‘24AUD was a first-year Doctor of Audiology student. During her time on camera, she educated the audience about the various career settings and the flexibility achieving a degree from Salus University affords its graduates. To read more about Jaqueline’s experience, click here.

SLP PODCAST SERIES: The latest in our podcast series is titled “SLP Q&A: From Externship to Clinical Fellowship, Part 1,” featuring Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Salus University, as he speaks with externship supervisor Joanna Smith and one of our recent graduates, Rebecca Ritsick, MMS ‘21. Click here for the podcast.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Optometric Grand Rounds will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 24. Dr. Kelly Malloy will speak on “Getting to the Heart of the Matter.” For more information about that, click here. Audiology Grand Rounds will be held today at noon. Taylor Fisher and Sarah Gallagher (AUD 23) will be presenting Hyperacusis and Other Symptoms after a Traumatic Brain Injury. Click here to listen in.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I know all of you are getting into your normal routines by now. I want to take a few moments to once again remind you about the importance of taking care of yourselves - not just physically, but also mentally. Getting out for some exercise, eating healthy foods and just taking “brain breaks” every once in a while can be helpful tools to relieve stress and just allow you become more effective learners. It’s not lost on any of us that we’re still in the midst of the pandemic, which just adds another layer of stress to everyone in the University community. If you feel like you would like to talk with someone about ways to relieve some of that stress I highly encourage you to seek out our fantastic behavior health counselors in the Center for Personal and Professional Development. You can begin the appointment process here. It’s not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of great self-awareness to reach out. Similarly, for faculty and staff, Human Resources can help you contact similar expertise if you desire. 

As we approach the weekend, please be cognizant of the fact that what you do off campus can affect all of us on campus. Please wear your face mask when around others not in your normal social network; certainly, when you go to the grocery store and other places where the large numbers of people can congregate and try to restrict your dining out to outdoor venues. Have a great weekend - be safe, be smart, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Remembering 9/11: Week of September 10th, 2021

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

Good morning on a beautiful day from our Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week on campus with our classes, labs and clinics all going strong. 20 years ago tomorrow, it was also a beautiful day when terrorists attacked our country. Tomorrow we remember this heinous event. Following is information that I thought you’d want to know: 

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF HONOR: Congratulations to the 2021 Presidential Medal of Honor Awardees! As you know, the Presidential Medal of Honor is bestowed upon those who have made contributions to their professions and for their service to Salus University. Check out the biographies on this year’s winners and look for extended feature stories on each of them in the future on our website. Click here for more information. 

RESIDENT CLASS FEATURE: This week’s Resident Class of 2022 features Natalie Rackus, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident. She only applied to PCO/Salus for her residency because she knew that the William Feinbloom Vision Rehabilitation Center was a world-class place to learn. Read more about Dr. Rackus here. 

DEEP DIVE INTO OT: Check out our latest podcast, which features Melissa Cinciruk, associate director of Admissions at Salus University, as she talks about the Occupational Therapy (OT) program as well as tips and tricks for application. Click here for details.

RANDOM COVID TESTING: As most of you have already been notified, we will begin our random COVID testing program next week. This initial phase will extend until the end of the fall 2021 semester. Please be on the lookout for emails that will be sent out each week to determine if you’ve been selected to be tested.

HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR: A very Happy and Healthy New Year to all of our Jewish community and friends who celebrated Rosh Hashanah earlier this week and will observe Yom Kippur late next week.

STARS OF ‘THE COLLEGE TOUR’: We’re featuring a closer look at some of the “stars” of our recent episode of “The College Tour.” In this edition, get to know Zachary LaBarth ‘23AUD and Sierra Niesen ‘24AUD, how they got to Salus and how their careers have been advancing. Click here for more. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed 2,977 people and injured thousands at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Flags will be at half-staff and there will be a country-wide moment of silence at 8:46 am, which is when the first plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers.

September 11th is designated as Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance. On this day Americans across the country are called to volunteer in their local communities as a tribute to the individuals who were lost or injured in the attacks, first responders, and the many who have been called to service to defend our freedom. It is my hope that 9/11 can also present an opportunity for all Americans to come together in unity. Even with all of our differences, we were united in our pain and humanity regarding loss of life, injury, and way of being. And just like we rebuilt the World Trade Center and Pentagon, it’s time to ‘rebuild’ what it should mean to be an American; united in cause, intolerant of racial injustice, sexual and gender inequality and dedicated to the betterment of society. It’s what we should strive to do as healthcare providers. Most of us can remember exactly where we were when the first jet hit the World Trade Center, with that moment engrained in our memories for the rest of our lives, which changed from that point forward. I ask each of you to reflect upon what this day means to you and how you are going to embrace what’s best about our democracy to help make other’s lives better.

Please, also keep those who have been affected by the recent storms, fires out west, political and social unrest around the world in your thoughts and prayers. Do, however, enjoy the weekend. The weather is supposed to be perfect. Please remember to socially distance, wear your face mask when around others and wash your hands frequently, as what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be responsible, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Rebounding After the Storm & Labor Day Weekend: Week of September 3rd, 2021

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus where we were very lucky in that we did not sustain any damage from the storms Wednesday evening. We know that several of our students, faculty and staff members were directly affected by the storms and want them to know that we are here to help and will continue to stand by to assist as needed. Students may contact either Dr. Jim Caldwell in Student Affairs (jcaldwell@salus.edu) or CPPD (see below) if they need assistance, and faculty and staff should contact their dean, program director or Human Resources. I know I speak for everyone when I say thank you for your flexibility yesterday as we rebounded from the storms. On a much lighter note, below are some things that I hope you will find both interesting and informative:

A WHO’S WHO PATIENT LIST: If you’re unaware of the fascinating experience that David Meltzer, OD ‘02, FAAO, had before joining our faculty in January 2019 as an assistant professor and clinic instructor, you should really check out this story. Dr. Meltzer had some famous — and infamous — patients during his time as an optometrist and captain in the U.S. Army. Find out more here.

MSCHE UPDATE: Thank you to all who sent in comments on our self-study draft. And a big thank you to our steering committee and working group members who are furiously working to finalize the self-study for submission. We look forward to our virtual site visit the last week of October and reaccreditation.

NEWEST STUDENT GROUP: A group of Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) students have formed Salus Students Promoting Awareness in the Community about Education and Rehabilitation Services for People with Visual Impairments (SPACERS), one of the University’s newest student groups on campus. Read more about the group here.

CONNECTING TO CPPD: You might be wondering how to best connect with the Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD). It’s currently operating virtually, so contacting counselors by email is the most efficient way to meet. The virtual office hours are as follows: Monday: Bob O'Brien, MS, ATR, LPC, (robrien@salus.edu) 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Tuesday: Tamara April-Davis, PsyD (tdavis@salus.edu) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday: Tamara April-Davis, PsyD (tdavis@salus.edu) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Molly Marcus, PsyD (mmarcus@salus.edu) 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday: Tamara April-Davis, PsyD (tdavis@salus.edu) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday: Bob O'Brien, MS, ATR, LPC, (robrien@salus.edu) 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you are interested in meeting with a counselor please email the counselor who has office hours available. CPPD is open Monday through Friday. To learn more about CPPD and each of the counselors click here.

FOCUS ON NEW RESIDENTS: In our ongoing feature introducing the Resident Class of 2022 to the Salus community, this week’s focus is on Crystal Liu, OD ’21, ‘22Resident. A recent graduate of PCO/Salus, she is back at PCO/Salus for her residency. To read more about Dr. Liu, click here.

SLI PODCAST: Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, FNAP, the chair and program director of the department of Speech-Language Pathology at Salus University, moderates a podcast that focuses on the services provided at the Speech-Language Institute (SLI). He is joined by a pediatric SLI client, a student working with that client and the supervisor overseeing the care of the client. Click here for details.

PEDIATRICS LAB: Now that we are masked and back face-to-face on campus, our Physician Assistant (PA) Studies students had a chance to examine some youngsters recently in our Pediatrics Lab. This type of experiential learning is where the students get to practice taking histories and performing physical exams on children. Read more about it here.

GRAND ROUNDS: The next Optometry Grand Rounds will be at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10, titled “The Systemic Benefits of Cataract Surgery” with Dr. Carlo Pelino. Click here for more information. Audiology Grand Rounds are scheduled for later today from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m., where you can learn from a case study about a Patient Experiencing Fluctuating Hearing Loss with Menstrual Cycle. Click here to join.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Glenn Roedel, who works in the Network and Security Services Department. Find out more about Glenn, who has worked at the University for 30 years, by clicking here.

PUBLISHING HIGHLIGHTS: Congratulations to Lauren Sponseller, PhD, OTD, MSOTR/L, M.Ed, chair of our Occupational Therapy (OT) Department, who has recently had two articles published. The first, in collaboration with Salus OT graduates, is titled “Occupational Therapy Considerations for New Mothers” (L. Sponseller, L. N., Pereira, O., Schaffer, N., & Miller, H. 2021) in Special Interest Sections (SIS) Quarterly Practice Connections; the second is “Infusing Women’s Health Into Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education” (Podvey, M., Lichtman, E., Sponseller, L., Picard, M., & Reaume, C., 2021) also in SIS Quarterly Practice Connections.

FINAL THOUGHTS - LABOR DAY WEEKEND: As we approach Labor Day weekend, I always like to remind people why we celebrate this holiday, which celebrates 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 had 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. This is why we have this coming Monday off. I hope everyone enjoys their 3-day weekend that is honoring American workers.

Many people across our country and other places around the world are suffering a great deal due to the recent storms, fires, earthquakes and other world events. Let’s ensure we keep those people in our thoughts as we go about our daily activities.

Have a great weekend. I hope that the waters in the city and surrounding areas begin to recede quickly and roads are cleared so we can get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather that’s predicted for the weekend. Please remember to wear a face mask when around others, socially distance, wash your hands frequently, and remember that what you do off campus directly affects all of us on campus. Be safe, be responsible, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Welcome New Students: Week of August 27th, 2021

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

Good morning from a warm and rather steamy Elkins Park campus that has been buzzing with activity since our new and returning students have arrived on campus. It has been wonderful to see our parking lot filled (although not everyone shares my joy in this) and smiling eyes filling every other seat in many or our classrooms. Here are some things that I thought might be of interest to you as you read through this update: 

ORIENTATION WEEK HIGHLIGHTS: Last year for the first time, Orientation Week was a hybrid experience for students — mostly virtual with some on-campus elements of small groupings based on programs, practicing social distancing and mask-wearing rules established to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. But this year, everybody was back in-person, masked and mostly vaccinated. And what a great Orientation Week it was! Click here to read more about it.

WHITE COAT EMOTIONS AND EXCITEMENT: The annual White Coat ceremony, which capped off Orientation Week at the University, had a bit of a twist this year. Because there was no face-to-face ceremony last year due to COVID-19 protocols, this year’s event featured five separate White Coat ceremonies over a two-day period Aug. 19-20. It reminded me of running a marathon and having fun in the process. Read more about this special event for students and their families here.

COVID UPDATE: I am very happy to report that as a campus community we are more than 96% vaccinated. In addition to those who are required to test weekly (approved exemptions and others), we will be commencing a routine testing program in the upcoming weeks. This will allow us to “check the health” of our Salus community over time, allowing us to make adjustments, as needed. To that end, I want to thank everyone for strictly adhering to our masking policy and getting vaccinated and ask that when you sit in the cafeteria, you socially distance yourselves so that there are no more than four people at any table. All these efforts will keep us all healthily and safe in the long run!

INTERNATIONAL FOCUS: Antonio Martinez Barrera considers the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University the perfect place to continue his dream of becoming a licensed optometrist in the United States. Antonio was among the international students we’ve had on campus recently as he pursues a Master of Science (MSc) in Clinical Optometry degree through the University’s Department of International and Continuing Education (DICE). Read more about his journey here.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Staff Spotlight is on Carlos Rodriguez, Director of the Department of Safety and Security at the University. You’ll notice that Carlos always leaves the door to the Security office open so that students, staff and faculty can feel free to interact with any member of the security team. To read more about Carlos, click here.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEI: Check out the latest podcast with Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, the special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), as she talks about how important it is for the University to have a DEI Committee on campus. Click here for details.

NEW RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT: This week’s Class of 2022 new Resident Spotlight features Dr. Liana Ferreira, OD ‘21, ‘22Resident. Read about how her mother, a nurse practitioner, helped fuel Dr. Ferreira’s decision to pursue a career in healthcare. For the full story, click here.

ARTWORK RETURNS TO GALLERY: After months of having been bare, the wall of the D’Arrigo Family Art Gallery outside of the Bennett Lounge within the Hafter Student Community Center is once again alive with spectacular artwork. An exhibit titled “Textures” was installed Aug. 3, 2021, and will be displayed through September. It features the work of Elynne Rosenfeld, the gallery’s curator, and local artist Rhea Dennis. Check it out next time you’re in the Hafter Center. Read more about it here.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I again would like to welcome all our new students to campus. We are thrilled that you’ve entrusted your professional education to us. You won’t be disappointed! A great deal of thought and planning has gone into preparing for your arrival this semester with much of the credit belonging to our fantastic faculty and staff here at Salus. I want to publicly acknowledge their efforts throughout the pandemic, as they have worked to ensure all our students receive the best professional education possible. While Superman was faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings at a single bound, he is no match for our faculty who were able to pivot from face-to-face teaching and learning to a totally virtual environment over the course of a single weekend last March. They are incredible and I believe you will see that, firsthand, as you begin or continue with your academic and clinical endeavors this semester.

I’d also like to thank Dr. Jim Caldwell and his very talented and energetic team for their herculean efforts in flawlessly organizing both our Orientation program and the five White Coat ceremonies that culminated orientation week. In addition to this, Dr. Caldwell and his team also organized our vaccine and testing tracking programs which are now in place.

As you begin this semester, I’d like to remind you about the importance of taking care of yourselves, both physically and mentally. That means eating healthy, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. While I realize everyone will have busy schedules I want you to think about now how you’re going to prioritize these things into your busy professional lives. For our new students, I strongly encourage you to get into those good habits now – they will be much easier to maintain later. If any of you are feeling a bit overwhelmed this first week, know that it’s not unusual, as the pace here is probably much greater than it was in undergraduate school. If you feel you need to reach out and talk with someone, please don’t forget about our counseling center in the Center for Personal and Professional Development. You can easily make an appoint to speak with any of our counselors by hitting this link. It’s okay to reach out when you think you need some help – believe me, you are not alone!

We’ve made it to the weekend – so I encourage you to get out and enjoy some fresh air and get some exercise. As you go out and about, please remember to wear your face mask when around others and to continue to wash your hands frequently. Be safe, look out for each other and remain SALUS STRONG!

Mike