President's New Year's Message: Week of December 29, 2023

 

To Our Salus University Community:

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, one filled with hope and possibilities, I want to take a moment to reflect on our journey together and the exciting path that lies ahead.

The past year has been a testament to our resilience and commitment. Each one of you, through your dedication and spirit, has contributed to the vibrant tapestry that makes Salus a beacon of excellence and innovation. From our founding as the Pennsylvania State College of Optometry in 1919 through the evolution into the premier health science university we are today, we have always pushed the envelope to expand and improve those professions we serve. As we prepare to merge with Drexel in 2024, we are embarking on a journey of continued growth and expanded opportunities. This merger symbolizes the coming together of two storied institutions and the blending of our shared values and aspirations.

I understand that change, even positive, can be accompanied by a mix of emotions. While many are excited about the new prospects and collaborations this merger will bring, it's natural for some to feel uncertain about what the future holds. I want to assure you that every step we take is with the intention of strengthening our community, enhancing our educational environment, and expanding our impact.

As we look forward to this new chapter, we also need to be mindful of the broader challenges our world is facing. Many around the world are grappling with hardships and uncertainties. Therefore, we must carry forward our commitment to compassion and support, not just within our university walls but also in the wider community we are a part of.

The new year is a time for new beginnings, renewed commitments, and fresh perspectives. I encourage you to embrace it with an open heart and a united spirit. Together, we will continue to foster an environment of learning, discovery, innovation, and service. We will write a new chapter in the storied history of Salus University, one that is marked by innovation, collaboration, and a deep sense of community.

Thank you for being an integral part of this journey. Your passion, your ideas, and your spirit are what make Salus a remarkable place. As we move forward, we do so with the resolve and resilience that makes us SALUS STRONG. In the same spirit, we eagerly anticipate the synergies and strengths that our partnership with Drexel University will bring, embarking on this new era with a shared vision of excellence and innovation.

Here's to a new year filled with health, happiness, and transformative achievements. Together, we will write a new chapter in our history that reflects our legacy, collective spirit, and commitment to making a difference.

With regards and best wishes for the New Year,

Mike

Honoring the Memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: Week of January 13, 2022

 

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

Happy Friday from Elkins Park, where we are excited to welcome our students back to campus!

WINNING ACADEMIC POSTER: Salus University faculty members recently authored an award-winning academic poster at a recent Interprofessional Education Collaboration (IPEC) virtual poster fair showcase. Titled “Evolution of an IPE Case: An Interprofessional Approach for Large Student Cohorts,” the event highlighted research scholarship on interprofessional education for collaborative (IPECP) projects. The lead author is Dr. Radhika Aravamudhan, dean of the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA). Read more here.

ALUMNI AWARDS NOMINATIONS: The Salus University Alumni Association annually recognizes the professional contributions and achievements of graduates and friends of the institution. You are invited and encouraged to nominate members of the Salus community for one of our annual Alumni Awards. Nominations are open here until Jan. 19, 2023.

DEAN’S WINTERFEST: Dean’s Winterfest is back to being held in the winter. This year, the event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19, at The Hafter Center bringing our Salus community together after the holidays for some fun and face-to-face interaction.

FINAL THOUGHTS: As we prepare to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, I am reflecting much on the principles he modeled through the life he lived and how we might apply these to address societal challenges, including our ongoing pandemic recovery, the war in Ukraine, inflation, and many others. Righteousness, equality, justice, and nonviolence were key tenets in the American civil rights movement that he led. How might we, as healthcare providers, emulate and apply these principles to meet the challenges we face?

I encourage you to carve out seventeen minutes today to watch Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. I suspect that while we’ve all heard parts of it, many have never listened to the entire speech. My hope is that you experience something far greater than the momentary satisfaction of social media.

To honor Dr. King, let me share two quotes that reflect what we do at Salus:

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” 

 

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

So many of us at Salus come from very different backgrounds and cultures. Together on our wonderful campus, we bring all our diverse strengths to impact the future of healthcare, education and professional practice.

Monday’s holiday is the only national holiday designated as a Day of Service to encourage all Americans to do something to improve their communities as a tribute to Dr. King. Dr. King lived his life serving others through his actions and words. On Monday, try to do something that honors Dr. King’s life. As Dr. King said, “Those who are not looking for happiness are the most likely to find it, because those who are searching forget that the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.” Let’s try to live that adage in these turbulent times.

As you prepare for the weekend, try to reflect of some of Dr. King’s lessons and work to employ those lessons in your daily interactions with your patients, clients, family members and friends. Be safe, continue to wear a mask when around crowds, look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG! 

 - Mike

Greetings from Sunny San Diego: Week of September 14th

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

Greetings from sunny San Diego. I apologize for getting this out a little later than normal but every once in a while, I get to go back to my former life as a Naval Officer and this was one of those times. I had the distinct honor and pleasure to be the guest speaker at a retirement ceremony for Captain David Murphy, a physician that worked with me in the Navy for many years. It’s always great to put on the uniform and honor those who serve. As an added bonus I had the opportunity to go for a nice run along the water early this morning which helped to set the tone for the wonderful day that it was. I’ll be back on a plane to our Philadelphia humidity early tomorrow morning. 

Closer to home, I’d like to congratulate Dr. Lauren Sponseller who was presented with the Making a Difference Award from the Breastfeeding Resource Center in recognition of her commitment of time and generous support of that organization. This show of appreciation is so well deserved - Lauren is a great example of service in action and we should all wish her a hardy "Congrats" for her efforts!

When you have a moment between studies, make sure to check out the new art exhibit hanging in the D’Arrigo Family Gallery in the Hafter Student Community Center. The show exhibits member work from the Summer 2018 Cooperative MamaCITA - an award-winning arts collective that provides its members a collective voice within the art world. All members are professional artists and mothers. The show runs from September 5 through October 28, with an opening reception today, September 14 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Thanks to our resident artist, Elynne Rosenfeld for making all this happen!

The PCO Private Practice Club (PPC) invited Dr. Kristin O’Brien to talk to students on Thursday evening about her journey from student to doctor and how she not only deciphered what she was going to do with her career, but more importantly, why.  It was extremely well-received.  Thanks to Dr. O’Brien for taking the time to help educate our students.

Buckets for Blindness, a 3v3 basketball tournament to raise money for the Foundation Fighting for Blindness is Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Hafter Center and is open to students across all programs. The cost is $5/person.

As summer wrapped up, the University's Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and Occupational Therapy (OT) students spent a morning at Arcadia University sharing information about their respective professions with middle school students from the local Philadelphia community. Both groups of students provided an excellent overview and a variety of hands-on activities to engage the kids.

We are extremely proud to announce Rosemary Connors, anchor and reporter for NBC10 News in Philadelphia and Emmy award recipient, will again co-host Salus University's 12th annual “Looking Out for Kids” (LOFK) charity fundraiser on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at the Hilton City Avenue in Philadelphia. This is the fourth time Connors has graciously hosted the event.  Invitations have gone out so we hope many of you will join us for this important charity fundraising event.

Finally, our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by Hurricane Florence.  We still don’t know the extent of all the damage but we want all of our students, alumni and friends who might have been impacted by the storm to know that we’re here to support you and will keep you all in our thoughts and prayers.

Have a safe and restful weekend.

Mike

A Sunny Friday the 13th: Week of April 13th

Happy Friday the 13th and greetings from a sunny and warmer Elkins Park! I think Spring has finally come – at least for part of this weekend.

On Wednesday, Salus hosted the 10th annual intercollegiate Occupational Therapy night organized by occupational therapy (OT) student representatives from each of the local Philadelphia OT and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) programs.  The event's speaker, Stephen Kern, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, and OT faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University, spoke about his work embedding OT services within the Philadelphia non-profit organization Nationalities Service Center (NSC), a refugee and community integration center meeting the needs of newly arriving refugees, victims of human trafficking and unaccompanied children.  There were over 125 OT/COTA students at this very successful event.

As most of you know, I like to walk around the campus every day to see what’s going on. I am often struck with all the creativity and energy that is generated by our students and faculty, no matter where I am.  I was thrilled to see a combined SLP and OT class discussing education and language, which is exactly what our interprofessional educational initiatives are designed to facilitate.  I always feel a sense of pride and humility when I walk through the Learning Resource Center, Virtual Reality and Clinical Procedures labs knowing that we helped to bring these venues to campus and to see our students and faculty interacting at a level that surpasses most other institutions.  The creativity and energy generated by our faculty and students is amazing and greatly appreciated!  

One of my favorite stops is generally new construction projects we’re doing.  Seeing the progress from day to day is fun.  Our new Lombardi classroom is progressing nicely with a dedication ceremony planned for graduation week.  The new state-of-the-art classroom will enable us to bring large numbers together without having to set up the gymnasium at the Hafter Center, as well as provide a much more conducive learning environment.  I can’t wait to see it all done!


If you haven’t been over to the Hafter Center lately, I strongly encourage you to go and check out the latest ArtSisters exhibition, in the D’Arrigo Family Gallery, that focuses on colors.  There are some really beautiful and colorful works on display that will just cheer you up the moment you see them.  They’re all for sale in the event you wanted to take one home. The exhibit runs through August 26th.

I want to wish all of our Thai students and alumni สวัสดีปีใหม่ (sà-wàt-dee bpee mài) or Happy New Year.  I had the opportunity to celebrate the Thai New Year with our international students last evening and it was just a wonderful event.  Thanks to Dr. Vitek, Natalie Standig, and all of our international students for arranging this.

Tonight is the annual AOSA Quiz Bowl in the Hafter Center.  This is a wonderful event that selects who will be representing PCO in Essilor's Quiz Bowl which is held at Optometry’s Meeting in June, this year in Denver, Co. If you have some time, I encourage you to attend – it starts at 5:30 p.m. – it’s always a great deal of fun!

It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful weekend, so try to get out and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather on Saturday before the rain and cooler weather returns. 

Be safe, be respectful of each other and have fun.

Mike