Week of January 10, 2025

Dear Salus Students, Faculty, Residents and Staff,

 

Happy New Year!  Hope you are rested and ready for the new semester! As we enter 2025, it is a great time to celebrate the achievements of our students, faculty, alumni, and staff:

 

THE YEAR IN REVIEW: Throughout 2024, Salus at Drexel University’s students, faculty, alumni and staff attained numerous goals and experienced many accomplishments. Check out this month-to-month look at the year’s most interesting stories. Click here for details.

 

O&P AWARD: Benjamin Jolley ‘26O&P recently won first prize at the New Jersey American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (NJAAOP) conference in the student poster division for his study on “Enhancing Clinical Interprofessional Competence of Salus Healthcare Students through an Immersion-Level Interprofessional Education Experience,” which he co-authored with Virginia Muthard, CPO/L, FAAOP, assistant professor in the Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) department, Salus at Drexel University. Read more here.

 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The career of Kurt Moody, OD ‘83, FAAO, spanning four decades, includes 12 U.S. and international patents in contact lens design. As he looks ahead, he’s preparing for the next chapter, which includes retirement and the launch of his own consulting company. Click here to read more.

 

The Power and Importance of Advocacy in Advancing Our Professions

 

Advocacy is critical in advancing the scope of practice across healthcare professions, ensuring practitioners can operate at the highest levels of their training. A recent development in optometry demonstrates the significant impact of such efforts: Congress passed the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act. This legislation ensures optometrists within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are compensated at the same scale as their physician colleagues, recognizing their contributions to comprehensive eyecare for veterans.

 

This achievement highlights the importance of collective advocacy and collaboration in expanding the professional scope of practice and ensuring equity within healthcare systems. The American Optometric Association – of which our Salus optometry students are members (through AOSA), and the Association of Armed Forces and Federal Optometric Services (AFOS), have led the way on this effort. At Salus, professionals across all programs are trained to the highest levels and often serve in systems like the VA, where such advancements benefit both practitioners and patients. As many of you know, this is a cause for which I have personally advocated over many years at the national level. Advocacy continues to be a key driver in shaping the future of healthcare professions and enhancing their impact on the communities they serve.

 

In closing, it’s going to be a cold, wintery weekend, so if you plan on venturing out, please be mindful of road conditions and the weather.

Mike

Week of July 29th:

 

Dear Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni, former and current Board members and Friends, 

What a beautiful morning! It’s been another busy week on the Elkins Park campus of Salus at Drexel. While some students have been preparing for final exams, others have been working in our clinics and their externship sites. We’ve also welcomed several international students from our distance audiology program to campus. In addition to these exciting things, here are some other items of interest for you:

WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Now that we’ve entered Phase I of the merger with Drexel University, there’s a lot to keep track of as we move forward. No one knows that better than two of the driving forces of the integration between the two institutions: Beth Moy, chief of staff at Salus University, and Elisabeth Van Bockstaele, PhD, Drexel’s senior vice president, chief strategy officer, dean of the Graduate College and founding dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies in the College of Medicine. These two leaders shared details about next steps in this question-and-answer session. Click here for details. 

NEW O&P FACULTY: Allison Bressler, CPO, LPO, MS, recently joined the faculty of the Orthotics and Prosthetics department. Before joining our faculty, Allison was director of education at Harry J. Lawall and Son, Inc., a company that specializes in custom prosthetics and orthotic braces. Welcome Allison! Read more here.

BLVS ALUMNA OF THE YEAR: Carlton Anne Cook Walker, MEd ‘11, has been named the Blindness and Low Vision Studies (BLVS) 2024 Alumna of the Year. Today, she runs a solo law practice in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and is also the principal at Blindness and Education Advocacy Resources, LLC (BEAR), which provides consultation and advocacy services to help blind/low vision individuals achieve independence and self-fulfillment in education, employment, and life. Click here to read more. 

AUDIOLOGY ALUMNI OF THE YEAR: Brian Urban, AuD ‘06, has been named the Audiology 2024 Alumni of the Year. Shortly after graduating, Urban simultaneously started a private practice while establishing CounselEAR, an online office management system for hearing healthcare practices. To read more about Brian, click here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we reach the midpoint of the summer, it is an opportune time to pause and reflect on your journey so far. This period provides a unique chance to look back on your past successes, challenges, and the various experiences you have encountered during the past semester. 

Take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments. Recognize the hard work and dedication that have brought you to this point. Each success, no matter how small, is a testament to your perseverance and commitment to your education and future career. 

Equally important is reflecting on the challenges you faced. Consider the obstacles you encountered and how you overcame them. These experiences are valuable lessons that contribute to your personal and professional growth. Reflecting on these challenges can help you develop resilience and adaptability, qualities that are essential in the healthcare and educational professions. 

As you prepare for the upcoming fall semester, think about how you can build on these lessons learned. Consider how you can plan for continued success. This is an excellent time to set new goals and create a roadmap for achieving them. Think about the strategies that worked for you and how you can refine them to be even more effective. 

Teamwork and collaboration will play a crucial role in your future success. As you move forward, remember the importance of working together and drawing on each other’s experiences. In healthcare and education, the ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues is vital. By supporting one another and sharing knowledge, you can create a strong, cohesive team that is better equipped to handle the complexities of patient care and education. 

Lastly, remember that all the hard work you are putting in today will pay off in the future. The dedication and effort you invest in your studies now will directly impact your ability to provide excellent care to the patients and clients we are training you to serve. Your commitment to your education is a commitment to the well-being of those you will care for in the future. 

As we continue through the summer and prepare for the fall, keep these thoughts in mind. Reflect, plan, collaborate, and stay dedicated. Your journey is just beginning, and the best is yet to come. 

Have a great weekend. Be safe, remember to hydrate when going out and about so you can remain SALUS AT DREXEL STRONG for everything you do over the weekend.

-Mike

Week of June 3, 2024

 

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

Good morning on a beautiful Friday from our Elkins Park Campus. While the week was short, it certainly has been busy. The Drexel Human Resources team hosted the first of at least two Benefit Fairs on Wednesday where they filled the Hafter Center with experts to help answer questions and sign people up. The next one is scheduled for 6 June at TEI. And yesterday, Dr. Elisabeth Van Bockstaele and the Drexel team provided an informative Drexel Speaker Series that discussed Library, Educational Support & IT. While all this was happening, students and faculty have been engaged in normal classroom, clinic and lab activities. This campus never rests!

Here are other items I hope you will find of interest:

JOYOUS COMMENCEMENT: Drexel president John Fry delivered an inspirational and motivational keynote address at our 128th commencement ceremony May 23, 2024, at the Kimmel Cultural Center in Philadelphia. We were also honored to present President Fry with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. To read more about the day, click here. 

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL: Dr. Rita Chaiken has been involved with the University’s Osborne College of Audiology virtually since its establishment in 2000. She was asked by the College’s founder, George S. Osborne, to teach the second-ever cohort of the program in 2001. Now, she and four other winners will be awarded with the Salus Presidential Medal of Honor at the annual recognition reception at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, June 2, at PineCrest Country Club in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Click here to read more about Dr. Chaiken and her contributions to the profession of Audiology. 

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL, TAKE II: In his house, Jim Saviola, OD, FAAO ‘85, has what he calls a “fancy” piano his wife and three daughters all play. About a year-and-a-half ago, Dr. Saviola wanted to do something outside work to “keep his brain working.” So, he took up piano lessons. He was sitting at the piano recently for one of those lessons when his phone rang informing him that he had been named a Presidential Medal of Honor winner by Salus University. Click here to read more. 

PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL, TAKE III: It’s turning out to be a banner year for Paul B. Freeman, OD '74, FAAO. Not only is he celebrating his 50th anniversary of graduating from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University, but he is also adding to his long list of accolades the 2024 Presidential Medal of Honor from his alma mater. Click here for more details. 

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: She’s always had a passion for Occupational Therapy (OT), so when her husband was transferred to Washington by the Air Force, Amber Fessler, OTD ‘20, started looking into doctoral programs in that area. When she didn’t find any program in the state that suited her, she started looking elsewhere. That’s when she found Salus University’s post-professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy program, particularly the Remedial Vision Rehabilitation aspect. Read more here. 

FINAL THOUGHTS: Last week, we had the privilege of celebrating the achievements of our graduates. This coming weekend, we will extend our celebrations to honor several of our outstanding alumni. On Sunday, we will present the Presidential Medal of Honor to individuals from various professions who have distinguished themselves on international, national, and local stages. Their remarkable work has improved the lives of thousands and impacted countless more. 

Salus University, along with our founding college, The Pennsylvania College of Optometry, has long been renowned for developing leaders in the fields we educate. As we prepare to merge with Drexel University, our legacy of leadership, innovation, and community service will be further enriched by the numerous opportunities Drexel will bring to our students, faculty, and staff. It’s an exhilarating time—both to celebrate those who have achieved so much and to anticipate the exciting possibilities ahead. Our only limitations are those we place on ourselves, so let’s dream big and prepare to accomplish even greater things! 

As you head into the weekend, please keep in your thoughts and prayers all those who are suffering around the world. Continue to respect one another and remain SALUS STRONG as we look forward to our bright future!

-Mike

Updating Our Salus Community: Week of March 17, 2023

 

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

Good morning on this Saint Patrick’s Day Friday! I hope the luck of the Irish finds its way to all of you! It’s been yet another busy week at Salus with many of our PCO students preparing to take Part I of the National Examiners in Optometry Board exam and others completing practicums in their respective professions. We’ve also seen a hint of Spring as we have 4 adorable goslings wandering around our pond (see below). Here are additional items of interest:

OFF-CAMPUS RESIDENCY: Halfway through his master’s studies, Alex Kass, OD, ’23 Resident, found himself burned out from his science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies, and he felt bleak about his future career options. As a result, he decided to take his studies and career in another direction by pursuing a Doctor of Optometry degree. To read more about Dr. Kass and his career path, click here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: After getting a degree in Communications Sciences and Disorders, Brianna Casey, AuD ‘20, wasn’t sure if she wanted to pursue a career in speech-language pathology or audiology. Click here to find out how her decision led her to Salus University’s Osborne College of Audiology.

PRESIDENTIAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS: The University is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Presidential Awards. Among the highest honors bestowed by the University, the Presidential Awards honor faculty and alumni work that reach well beyond our campus. Nominations are accepted from alumni, faculty, friends and students. Deadline to submit nominations is April 3, 2023. Click here for the nomination form. 

DEI Speaks!: On Thursday, March 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) will welcome Dee Singley, PhD, who will give a virtual presentation and lead a Q&A session on "Reframing Disability; Understanding Access and Success Through the Lens of the Unseen." We look forward to learning with Dr. Singley.

FINAL THOUGHTS: At this time every year, I like to check in with our University community on our strategic plan priorities. Here’s a recap of progress highlights I shared earlier this week:

1. Creating a Salus “Community of Excellence” is Goal #1. Lowering the cost of education through a $2 million state appropriation for in-state students pursuing optometry helps us and Pennsylvania attract and retain qualified and diverse students and graduates. We could not have done this without our legislative partners to whom we owe tremendous thanks;
2. Providing a superior educational experience includes inclusive excellence. We’re proud of achieving the highest rates of completion of our first-ever externally administered climate survey measuring the state of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts on campus. We’re also midway through a campus-wide compensation study to ensure we retain the best faculty and staff. And we’ve started our first-floor renovation creating new café and student lounge spaces;
3. Strengthening and growing clinical and educational programs is key to preparing exceptional graduates who will become leaders in their fields. Visits, collections and enthusiasm are “up” in our Chestnut Hill private practice model. New program development continues with a closer look at Health Informatics;
4. Exploring strategic alliances helps us achieve our mission to advance integrated healthcare through innovative education, research and clinical services. Over the past year, we’ve nurtured multiple, one-to-one relationships and network alliances through our SEPCHE consortium. There is no shortage of interest among institutions seeking to pursue a range of affiliations with Salus -- including program development, clinical affiliations and mergers, given our range of programs and strong financial standing.

I mentioned on Monday the types of partnerships we seek to nurture — those that reflect a shared vision to provide an educational program of the highest quality, that maximize opportunities for our graduates to achieve success in their practice and as leaders of the profession; that strengthen and expand enrollment and grow clinical training opportunities; and that expand research collaboration and grant funding.

You have my commitment that we will continue to be open and transparent about any partnerships we decide to pursue, and we will continue to seek input from the entire Salus community as we do.

I hope everyone has had a chance to adapt to the one-hour time change. Please continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG as you enjoy your weekend.

-Mike

Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis: Week of December 2, 2022

 

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

Good morning from our Elkins Park campus. It’s a nice crisp December morning here, reminding us that winter is nipping at our heals! Even with the colder weather outside, things are heating up inside as our students and faculty prepare for final exams and new and exciting clinical rotations. In addition to all that’s happening on campus, here are some other areas of interest I hope you will read about:

NEW NSSLHA BOARD: The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)’s chapter at Salus University welcomes a new executive board; Stevie Goldman ‘23SLP, as president, Alyssa Dallmer ‘23SLP, as vice president, Jess Kusters ‘23SLP, as treasurer and Emily Steinslofer ‘23SLP as secretary. The purpose of NSSLHA is to support students within the communication sciences and disorders professions as they prepare for their future careers. Read more here.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Healey Miller, MSOT ‘21, ‘23OTD, focuses on people. But after coming out of Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, she was wondering what career path she was going to take. She then decided to attend Salus University to pursue OT as her career. Read more here about what Healey’s doing now.

FACULTY FOCUS: The path to Salus University has taken Maria Boka, MSPAS, PA-C, to quite a few different places. Click here to find out what route she took to become one of the newest members of the faculty in the University’s Physician Assistant Studies program.

SWANKY SOIREE: The annual Salus Soiree, held Nov. 18, attracted approximately 225 students — all transported to the museum from the University’s Elkins Park campus in four school buses — all dressed to the nines and ready to party. Read more about the evening here.

VACCINATION EVENT: We will host a vaccination event Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the Hafter Center gym. In collaboration with Walmart Pharmacy, the event will provide the new bivalent COVID booster as well as the flu vaccination. Registration is required. Attached is an information sheet with registration information and a list of documents that you will need to bring with you.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Today I wanted to highlight recent research on gun violence, the connection between social determinants of health and this growing epidemic, and local and federal efforts to address it. As I have before, I want to be sure this public health emergency remains on our radar. The more we can learn about this epidemic, the more prepared we will be to curtail its impact on the patients we serve and the broader society.

New data released on Tuesday from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) looks across 32 years of national data and is the first of its kind to track firearm fatality trends over time by intent, demographics and geographics. The findings are striking: 

• Men account for the overwhelming percentage of fatalities over time (86% male vs 14% female);
• White, non-Hispanic individuals (61%) comprise the largest share, followed by Black, non-Hispanic (26%), and Hispanic (10%) individuals;
• Males had higher rates of suicide and homicide compared to females, with the highest rates of firearm suicides among White men aged 80-84;
• The sharpest rise in maximum rates of firearm homicides over time has occurred among men aged 20-24 with Black fatality rates rising 22 times higher (up to 142 per 100,000) and Hispanic fatality rates rising 3.6 times higher (up to 23 per 100,000) compared to White men (up to 6 fatalities per 100,000 persons aged 30-34 years).

Importantly, the data shows over time the increase in gun fatalities from west to southeast over the past three decades:

Figure 1: Trends and Disparities in Firearm Fatalities in the United States, 1990-202

JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(11):e2244221. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.44221

I draw your attention to this, as just yesterday, I gave a lecture to students on the effects of social vulnerability on diabetes. Check out the slide below:

Figure 2: Effects of Social Vulnerability on Diabetes. Lecture, 1 December 2022. 

What we see when we compare the maps is this: Socioeconomic status, lowered health outcomes and homicides follow the same geographic patterns. Disparities in health outcomes follow disparities in economic income, access, and stability.

Mounting evidence shows the array of promising responses that make a difference in addressing this complex public health issue:

• Firstly, stronger state policies designed to reduce firearm violence are effective in reducing firearm fatalities (JAMA, Firearm Laws and Firearm Homicides: A Systematic Review, 2017).
• This week I attended a Leadership Breakfast hosted by State Senator Art Haywood in which gun violence was discussed by several experts. They included the establishment of Nightly Street Teams to build relationships with shooters and victims; deploying mental health and social service providers to deliver services to shooters, victims, and their family members; sponsoring frequent job fairs for neighbors in high crime areas; increased police presence and weekly block cleanups. Systemic approaches that strengthen community support while attending to the root causes of gun violence are effective.
• A growing number of resources also address gun violence prevention and related supports. Check out the following:
• CDC’s Gun Violence Prevention website
• Montgomery County Gun Violence Prevention Page
• National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

As current and future health care providers, we have a responsibility to continue to call attention to this epidemic with our local and federal representatives and to advocate for our patients’ increased resources that improve access and equity in health outcomes.

As you prepare for the weekend, please take some time to think about how you can have an impact on the gun violence epidemic in our region. Change will take time but unless we make the efforts now, nothing will improve.

Please be safe, look out for one another and remain 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

Equality, Decency and Freedom: Week of June 5th, 2020

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

Good morning from Horsham. Summer is upon us with hot and muggy weather, compounded with strong thunder storms. I hope, as you’re reading this, if you’ve lost power, it has been restored. If not, I hope it will be on soon! It’s been quite the week. Let me start by filling you in on what’s been happening on campus and then I’d like close in sharing my thoughts on external events, but not unrelated to us at Salus. 

This week’s Faculty Focus is on Dr. Tracy Offerdahl-McGowan and her role as both a pharmacist and a “farmacist.” She’s got some great stories you can read more about here. 

The inaugural Post-baccalaureate in Health Sciences class certainly left its mark on the University. I want to congratulate all of those students who finished the program and thank Drs. Darryl Horn and Brooke Kruemmling for taking the lead on this program, as well as the rest of our Rock Star faculty who helped to make it a success. Check out the virtual celebration to commemorate the accomplishments of the inaugural class here.

Congratulations to Faye Miller, O&M ’14, who was named the Blindness and Low Vision Studies Alumna of the Year by the Alumni Association. You can read more about Faye’s numerous accomplishments and contributions to her field here. 

Best of luck to our Osborne College of Audiology externs who are about to begin their clinical rotations. Thanks for including me in your celebration last night. I know you all will just hit it out of the park!

A reminder that the next Continuing Education Grand Rounds lecture is titled “Personal Equipment in the Clinical Setting” from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 12. This is a mandatory session for PCO students, but I’d also highly recommend as many people as possible try to listen in as the use of PPE has become an integral part of everyone’s clinical lives. For more information about the program, click here. 

While I have historically tried to remain apolitical in writing these posts, the events of the last couple of weeks have pushed me to the point where I can no longer stay quiet and keep my opinions to myself. 

I want to comment on a couple events that have offended, disgusted and appalled me this week. The first was watching peaceful demonstrators being forcibly and violently removed from Lafayette Square in Washington, DC, so Donald Trump could have a “photo opportunity” holding up a bible in front of St. John’s Church on the square. This abhorrent abuse of power highlighted his disregard for the rights of those conducting a peaceful protest, voicing their indignation with racism, white supremacy and police brutality. Threatening the use of military intervention and force against protesters, as Trump has, is something a dictator would do and is not consistent with our Constitutional First Amendment right of peaceful assembly to be heard. I do not condone any of the violence and looting that went on, but that was a small minority, distracting us from the principal message we all need to hear – the injustice Black and other people of color have suffered over two centuries. 

The second event was the unbelievably racist, incendiary and offensive press release from Joseph Gale, a Montgomery County Commissioner. I’ve already responded to his comments very publicly. We need to expect and demand more from our elected officials, especially one that lacks a sense of decency, compassion and respect. Dr. Di Stefano reminded us of the importance of voting during his commencement speech – this takes on an even more important role for all of us given the strife our nation is feeling right as a result of incompetent, immature and failing leadership at several levels. Our country and our democracy are at an inflection point today, and, while it will not be easy, we have an obligation to get us back on track to the ideals we were founded upon – equality, decency and freedom for all.

Even with all of that going on, I was uplifted and educated earlier in the week by the candidness and professionalism of our students, faculty and staff as we began to openly address the issues of race inequality and police brutality in our society.  

Salus University stands in solidarity with the Black community and all communities of color. We must be diligent and actively listen to, learn from, and support each other. As healthcare providers we must actively address disparities in access to quality healthcare that are based on race, gender or sexual orientation. We must commit to making this moment in history a turning point for positive change rather than a blip in time. Let the actions of all of those working for a more just society further demonstrate that Black lives matter, and let us all commit to working together as one to build a better future. I would encourage all of you move out of your comfort zones and speak out and take action against these social injustices. 

I hope you have a chance to reflect on this over the weekend. Today, Montgomery and surrounding counties move into the Yellow Phase of The Process to Reopen PA, so next week there might be several more people on campus. If you have to be on campus, please ensure you follow all social distance guidelines, continue aggressive hygiene routines, to include frequent hand washing and cleaning flat surfaces and wearing a face mask that covers your nose and mouth while on campus or in clinic.  You can review our Yellow Phase guidelines here.

Stay safe, stay healthy, be respectful of one another - stay SALUS STRONG!

Mike

Cabin Fever: Week of May 1st, 2020

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

Good morning from a damp and relatively warm Horsham, PA! It’s been another busy virtual week at Salus. We’ve completed our 8^th week of distance teaching and learning. On Tuesday, we recorded several segments of our virtual commencement ceremony. While not even close to ideal, Dr. Jim Caldwell and his staff, Ms. Alexis Abate and her staff, and our great facilities and security teams all worked together to help us celebrate the hard-earned successes of the graduating class of 2020. We are trying to make this as special and memorable as possible.

Around our virtual campus, we’re continuing with our observance of National Occupational Therapy Month. I encourage you read the Faculty Focus feature on Anna Grasso, assistant professor and the OT department’s academic fieldwork coordinator. If you’re like me, you might be surprised to learn about her love of the rough-and-tumble sport of rugby. No wonder all the students really listen to her! We’ve got a firsthand account from one of our OT graduates, Katlyn McCaw, MSOT ’16, detailing what it’s like on the front lines battling COVID-19 at the 182-bed nursing home where she works.

Congratulations to Kathryn Dowd, AuD ’08, who has been named the Audiology Alumna of the Year by our Alumni Association. Kathryn has dedicated years of service to the profession of Audiology, promoting awareness of chronic and infectious diseases and ototoxic medication and the impact of hearing loss among patients, diabetes educators and audiologists nationally. Bios for all the 2020 alumni award winners can be found the alumni page of our website.

I’ll be participating in a special meeting of the Sunday Breakfast Club this coming Wednesday evening. The club originated during the Great Depression to attempt an understanding of the economic happenings causing unemployment in the city. It has evolved into an influential group of current and emerging leaders from the Greater Philadelphia Region’s business, non-profit and government sectors who come together to learn from each other, as well as other thought leaders, and engage in conversation about the issues of our time. In 1935 they moved their meetings from Sunday mornings to Wednesday evenings, but kept their original name. They are holding a special Zoom event to discuss region's response to and recovery from the pandemic. I’ll be representing the Higher Education sector with speakers from other sectors addressing their areas of expertise. They include Steve Mullin, President of Econsult, who will discuss how the pandemic affects the economy, Donna Cooper, Executive Director, of Public Citizens for Children and Youth will discuss the effects on Children and Families, Dr. Harvey Rubin, Professor, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania, will address the Public Health impact of the pandemic, Pedro Ramos, President and CEO, Philadelphia Foundation will discuss the effects on our community and cultures and finally, David Thornburgh, President and CEO, Committee of Seventy will address how this might affect our democracy and future elections. It should be a fascinating evening. 

Finally, as you get ready to enjoy the weekend, I realize that many of you are getting cabin fever and just want to be done with sheltering in place. This will end but it’s going to take a little more time before we can resume even some “normal” activities. As I noted in my message on Monday, the “next normal” is going to require us to continue to practice social distancing, frequent hand washing (that’s always been a good idea) and not gathering in large groups. We are preparing for all this as we plan to reopen our campus and clinics in what I hope will be the near future. In the meantime, please be safe, continue with your social distancing, hand washing and sheltering in place.

We are all SALUS STRONG, with the emphasis on US! We are one team - ONE SALUS – working as a team, we will come out of this stronger and ready to take on any challenges that may come our way. Have a great weekend! 

Mike

Singapore Graduation Ceremony & Alumni Weekend

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Singapore to officiate at what turned out to be our first official graduation ceremony for Salus Singaporean students (say that three times fast) earning their Master of Science degree in Clinical Optometry.

Graduation ceremonies are chock full of many traditions that are well worth duplicating half a world away for such important celebrations. We're about to do the same on a much larger scale here in Philadelphia in a few weeks. We also decided to start the tradition of Singapore alumni receptions, and we planned our first one for the evening of the graduation ceremony. The reception was attended by members from all five graduating classes. What was striking to me, as well as the others who were traveling with me, was that our Singaporean students and alumni really appreciated the fact that we took the time and effort to conduct the graduation ceremony and then co-host the alumni event later that evening. They couldn't thank us enough. I told our hosts that it is generally considered a tradition to celebrate these types of events with pomp and circumstance as well as to have opportunities for alumni to get together to renew friendships and experiences. One could feel the excitement and pride in our Singaporean contingent, so much so that they've asked us to pledge to do this every two years. From my perspective, it was pretty cool to see the faces on our graduates' and their families' faces when they walked across the stage, as well as to watch everyone socialize later that evening. It was truly a successful evolution.

So, now to this tradition thing. We also celebrate these traditions here at Salus. Graduations occur twice annually and enable us to celebrate our students' academic accomplishments. We also have an annual alumni reunion to help continue to foster the bond between all of us. It's my belief that our alumni are the glue that helps to hold Salus together. As we grow new cadres of alumni in our newer specialties, I'm hoping that a true tradition of participation and inter-professional education and interaction becomes ingrained in our institutional DNA. 

From looking at alumni participation in some of our events, I don't believe that's the case today. Everyone gets so busy with everything else they have to do, I think it's easy to lose sight of the importance of maintaining or even developing new traditions as a University family. University traditions are important, as I believe they help to bind us as a University community both while here as students and later as alumni. 

We don't have a football or basketball team to draw us to an event but we do have alumni reunions, receptions, commencements and other events that do. I'm a strong advocate for participation in these to foster professional camaraderie as well as pride in our alma mater. These are all traditions that greatly matter. As Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof said, "Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as a Fiddler on the Roof!" Let's not ignore those traditions that can serve us so well - lest we risk becoming that shaky fiddler on the roof. 

Happy Alumni Weekend!