Greetings from Bangkok: Week of April 28th

Greetings from Bangkok, Thailand where Dr. Melissa Vitek and I have been participating in Rangsit University’s International Research Conference.  Both Dr. Vitek and I had the opportunity to lecture to an extremely diverse group of optometry students, faculty and local providers.  It’s been a great experience to see the evolution of Rangsit’s optometry program leading the way in Thailand very similar to the way PCO did in the US. It was also fun to see how one of our alumni, Dr. Christopher Rugaber (OD ’84) has had an impact on how optometry is being taught in Bangkok as a Rangsit faculty member.  Not only did we have the opportunity to meet with my counterpart, Dr. Arthit Ourairot, who is an extremely accomplished statesman and diplomate in addition to being a visionary president, but we also have met several prospective students who are very excited about having the opportunity to study at Salus. Tomorrow morning we’re off to Singapore to celebrate the commencement of 14 of our Master of Science in Clinical Optometry students.  It will be a busy couple of days.

On the home front, I want to congratulate Drs. Audrey Smith and Fabiana Perla who both received very prestigious awards.  Dr. Smith received the Richard L. Welsh Service Award, which recognizes a professional who has demonstrated outstanding contributions and performance to the field serving the education and/or rehabilitation needs of individuals with visual impairment.  Dr. Perla received the Elinor Long Educator of the Year Award, which recognizes an educator who has demonstrated outstanding contributions and performance in the field.  Those were the only two awards given during the Penn-Del AER Conference and our Salus faculty earned both!  Congratulations to Audrey and Fabiana on your accomplishments!

For those of you who come in through the front of the Elkins Park campus every morning, you've probably seen Wayne Pancza, our director of Security sitting at his desk helping to greet folks. After several years at Salus, Wayne has decided to relocate to Florida where he can enjoy his boat and the warmer weather.  Please join me in wishing Wayne and his wife fair winds and following seas as they begin their new adventure in the south.

As you all are beginning your Friday, I am ending mine, so I’m going to keep this short as we have an early departure tomorrow morning.  I would like to wish everyone a safe and restful weekend.

Mike