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
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