Remembering Black History Month: Week of February 9, 2024

 

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

Greetings on this beautiful February morning from our Elkins Park campus. It’s been another busy week -- welcoming our Drexel colleagues to our beautiful facilities to show them our programs and to mix, mingle and talk about our combined future. Special thanks to our deans and program directors, admissions, student life and student ambassadors, Kristen Dittrich and Jennifer Brown in Academic Affairs, TLS, LRC, facilities, security, housekeeping, and dining services staff for organizing and supporting this event. Here are some other items that I hope you will find interest in:

ALL THINGS SLP: In our latest podcast, we discuss all things clinical for the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program at Salus University with Taylor Evans, office manager for the Speech-Language Institute, Robert Serianni, MS, CCC-SLP, chair and program director of the SLP department, and Kara Maharay, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, director of clinical education for the SLP department. Click here for details.

YOUNG AUD ALUMNI: Make sure to check out this interesting and informative question and answer session with one of our young alumni from the Doctor of Audiology program, Payton Burke, AuD ‘21. For more, click here.

STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD: Raman Badh ‘26OD, a second-year student at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University, is one of 18 current optometry students from across the country named to the Women in Optometry student advisory board. She has been enthusiastic about immersing herself in clinical experiences this semester to further develop her skills in delivering quality eye care. Women In Optometry (WO) is an online publication that targets the fast-growing female OD segment. It caters to women ODs’ professional informational needs with one key distinction: articles are written from the uniquely female perspective.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Since 1976, February has been designated Black History Month, providing an opportunity to learn, reflect and acknowledge the accomplishments of Black Americans. While there is much rich history to explore, I am always drawn to the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. This group of highly talented and motivated Black pilots, who trained at several, segregated, Black only, Tuskegee, Alabama airfields, was assigned to multiple escort and bomber squadrons throughout World War II. Eventually, they combined into a single squadron, the 332nd Fighter Group in Europe. Their primary mission was to escort bombing missions over Germany and other occupied territory in Europe and Africa. They earned the reputation of being among the best fighter pilots the Army Air Corps (predecessor to the U.S. Air Force) had with multiple commendation awards along the way.

It wasn’t until 1947, under President Truman, that the Army Air Corps and later the entire U.S. military was integrated. We’ve come a long way since then. In 1940 Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr, a former Tuskegee Airman, became the first Black American general officer in the U.S. Army and later served in the U.S. Air Force. Since then, there have been many others. Colin Powell became the first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1989 and Secretary of State for President George W. Bush in 2001. General Lloyd Austin became the first Black Secretary of Defense in 2021. Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely was selected as the first Black Navy Admiral in 1971. He retired as a Vice-Admiral several years later. In 2022, Gen. Michael E. Langley became the first Black four-star in Marine history. Most are unaware that the Tuskegee Airmen have a presence in Philadelphia, with an office at Enon Tabernacle East (2800 Cheltenham Ave.). You may visit this link to find out more about the local chapter and visiting the office.

As you prepare for the weekend, please take time to reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of Black soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines throughout history. They all have played a role in preserving the freedoms we all enjoy today. Be safe, continue to look out for one another and remain SALUS STRONG!

- Mike

Giving Week: Week of October 11th

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

Good morning from Elkins Park!  It’s great to be back on campus to feel the energy after being gone for over a week!

Unfortunately, I need to start this week’s update with some sad news.  Mr. Richard DePiano, a Board member since 2003, passed away late last week.  Rich was a mentor and friend who brought a great deal of financial expertise and experience to our board.  He was the Chairman of Escalon Medical Corporation, which develops, manufactures and distributes surgical and diagnostic products for ophthalmic applications.  He also served on the board of LaFrace Corporation and Drexel University, his alma mater.  At Salus, he served on our Finance and Institutional Advancement committees.   He will be sorely missed.  Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. 

On the much brighter side, congratulations to Ms. Donna Agnew, interim Dean of the College of Health Sciences and Director of our Physician Assistant (PA) program for receiving the Leadership Development award from the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA).  The award recognizes an individual who develops future leaders among faculty through mentoring. This is the third year this award has been given. PAEA is the education arm of the profession that supports those working in PA education.  Please join me in congratulating Donna on this well-deserved honor!    

This is also National PA week, which recognizes the Physician Assistant profession and its contributions to the nation's health. Before it was a week-long event, National PA Day was first celebrated on October 7, 1987 in honor of the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class of PAs from Duke University.

Congratulations to Dr. Victor Bray who was elected President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology at last week’s meeting.  In his new role, Dr. Bray will work to forward the mission of the ADA which includes the positively affecting the advancement of practitioner excellence, high ethical standards, professional autonomy and sound business practices in the provision of quality audiologic care.

Last week, some of our faculty and students from Audiology, Optometry, Speech-Language Pathology, and Physician Assistant programs attended the 26th annual Pennsylvania Academy of Audiology (PAA) Convention in Lancaster, Pa. This convention is a chance to obtain continuing education units for audiologists and I’m very proud of our faculty across programs who came together for this occasion. PAA is especially significant to Salus, as Dr. George Osborne was its original founder and first president. Thank you to everyone who attended and represented Salus! 

On Monday, the Optical Women’s Association (OWA) partnered with Salus to present an evening of networking, learning and fellowship with University staff, students and local optical professionals. OWA is committed to enhancing and promoting the leadership role of women in the optical industry and raise the level of awareness of the multifaceted roles and contributions made by women. The event also included an opportunity to raise money for our Looking Out for Kids (LOFK) charity. Thank you to everyone who made this special event happen.

Yesterday was World Sight Day.  In the morning, I had the pleasure of introducing EyeSafe to our Salus community as we announced the release of the first-ever blue light handbook, “How to Save Your Eyes in the Digital Age.” Throughout the next year, members of our staff from Salus, led by Dr. Mitch Scheiman, will be working in partnership with EyeSafe on further research for the second blue light handbook. 

I’d like to thank everyone who helped Salus and our Office of Institutional Advancement this week with our first ever Giving Week. It truly was a remarkable week of receiving support from faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends. Today is the last day to reach the goal of 100 gifts – as of yesterday afternoon, we were really close to meeting our goal!   Please help to put us over the top!  Visit salus.edu/givingweek to see exactly how this week has impacted Salus. 

Looking ahead, we have a special week ahead of us!  First, is the Graduate Luncheon followed by the traditional Physician Assistant Long White Coat Ceremony on Monday, and our 119th Commencement on Tuesday!  It's an honor to have Sen. Marie Collett deliver the keynote address at Commencement and as always, I look forward to this momentous occasion for our graduating students and their families. 

Tomorrow is the AOSA Optometry Cares 5K run at 9am in Alverthorpe Park in Jenkintown.  All proceeds will go towards the American Optometric Association’s Optometry Cares charity.  So, if you’re up for nice run, walk or combination of the two in a really nice place, come join us Saturday morning!

Finally, while it’s supposed to be a little cloudy, the weather is exactly what you’d expect for Fall around here.  I encourage you to get out and enjoy the weather while it lasts!  It will be snowing before we know it!  Have a great weekend – be safe and look out for one another!

Mike