JUNE 2015 
In This Issue
Spring Commmencement
New Alumni Association Tradition
Associate Deans Appointed
CER Students on Campus
Speech-Language Institute Opens
Running A Muck for MS
Reggio Emilia to Baltimore to Salus
Pop Up Cafe
OT Students at POTA
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Salus University Alumni Association
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_____________________
WE SALUTE
  
The Salus community extends a warm welcome to the following new members: 
 
Anthony Patterson, Housekeeper
  
Barbara Schwartz-Bechet, PhD, Associate Dean, College of Education and Rehabilitation
 
Jermaine Smith, Security officer
 
Shereena Weideman, Housekeeper
  
The Salus community extends its sincere congratulations to
the following members:
 

Dr. Michael Gallaway, associate professor, on being named winner of this year's A.M. Skeffington Award for "outstanding contributions to the optometric literature in the areas of behavioral vision care and vision therapy." Dr. Gallaway is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD).


 

Dr. Khanh Trinh '10, on being named Louisiana Young OD for 2015 by the Optometry Association of Louisiana. Dr. Trinh has served two terms as president of the Central Louisiana Optometric Society and is in practice in 

Alexandria, Louisiana.  

  

Good Luck, Best Wishes

The University is saying farewell to four individuals, each with a long history at PCO/Salus, who are retiring this month. Their combined service to our students is 141 years and they will be greatly missed:


 

Anthony Litwak, OD '85, adjunct and preceptor at Baltimore VAMC, 30 years


 

Janice Mignogna, FAAO, instructor and director of the Irving G. Bennett Center, 26 years


 

John Siegfried, PhD, professor, 42 years


 

Michael "Rick" Spinell, OD '70, FAAO, associate professor, 43 years


 

Thank you and best wishes to each of you from your many Salus friends, colleagues, peers and students! 

_____________________

Roll Out the Red Carpet:
 
Orientation Week begins August 17
 
Get ready to welcome the newest members of the Salus community!      
SAVE THE DATE
                        Looking Out for Kids 2015
                               Saturday, November 14
 
Our annual fundraiser to provide vision care and eyeglasses to uninsured and underinsured children.
 
Details to follow. Watch your inbox/mailbox! 

 

                       
Spring Commencement 

In addition to the long held traditions that mark a Salus graduation ceremony, this year's commencement - the University's 109th - included several events of note. The first was the conferring of the University's first Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree to Michael Baertschi, MSc '97, FAAO, of Switzerland. The second was the inaugural graduating class of the international Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree bridge program (above, with President Mittelman, OCA faculty and on-campus graduates). The third event was the graduate commencement address by Master of Public Health (MPH) degree graduate Dr. David G. Durkee, who is assistant dean for clinical education and director of externships at Ferris State University Michigan College of Optometry. This year and moving forward, the graduate commencement speaker is chosen by committee from among all class members who submit an essay to ensure equity between all programs in the selection process. (continue)     

New Tradition for the Salus University Alumni Association

by Jamie Lemisch, director, Alumni Relations    
                 

The Salus University Alumni Association has a long tradition of presenting an Alumni Association Award for outstanding scholarship in recognition of the graduates with the highest GPA in their program. This year the first Alumni Association award medallions were presented to graduates by Alumni Association president, Dr. Kenneth Savitski '87, at the graduate luncheon.
Associate Dean Appointments
PCO Dean Lori Grover announced the appointment of Maria Parisi, OD '85, FAAO, as associate dean, Practice of Optometric Medicine. Dr. Parisi was appointed to the faculty at Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in 1987 and has been the director of the PCO externship program for the past seven years. In her announcement to PCO faculty, Dr. Grover noted that Dr. Parisi will maintain her director role into the summer "to assist our program with a transition and search for a new candidate to replace her as director of externships."

 

Dean Audrey Smith announced the appointment of Dr. Barbara Schwartz-Bechet as the new associate dean of the College of Education and  Rehabilitation (CER). Dr. Schwartz-Bechet was a professor at Northern Illinois University, where she served in a dual role as the chairperson of Special and Early Education, and the interim chairperson of the Departments of Elementary Education and Literacy. In her announcement to the Salus community, Dr. Smith noted of the new associate dean, "We know her background experience and obvious ability to juggle will serve her well in CER, where we welcome her with open hands and heart."                                       

CER Students On Campus 

As part of their curriculum, students from the College of Education and Rehabilitation's (CER) Blindness and Low Vision Studies programs have a summer residency of classes and training from two to twelve weeks in length, depending on their program's requirements.

This year's group of students (above, with BLVS faculty), who arrived on campus the week of June 8 and will spend their time learning how to travel without vision in an indoor setting before they move onto more complex outdoor environments. (continue)                

Salus Speech-Language Institute Opens

The Speech-Language Institute (SLI), the clinical facility for the Department of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), will open next month for patient care. Located on the Elkins Park campus, SLI is the University's newest clinical facility, joining The Eye Institute and Pennsylvania Ear Institute. (continue)  
Running A Muck for MS
by Mela Kuieh, Communications Intern
This year's MuckFest MS Philadelphia Mud Run was held on May 30 and 31. Runners teamed up and ran the 5K race with over 15 obstacles to help put a stop to Multiple Sclerosis. The Salus University team - one of the 10 largest teams nationally and fifth largest locally - competed in the Mud Run with 71 members
(list) and raised over $4,000 through a combination of donations and corporate support. 
Pictured at the finish line are Melissa and Mark Budd; Lauren Fabrizzio '15OT, Leighanna Milby '15OT and Lindsey Britt '15OT. Photo credit: Caitlyn Foy, MOTR/L, OT faculty member.(continue)   
Reggio Emilia to Baltimore to Salus
What do an Italian-originated system of learning, a Baltimore charter school and Salus University have in common? In addition to the obvious answer of education, the answer is Ms. Brittany Horne, a fourth and fifth grade teacher at City Neighbors Charter School in Baltimore and the daughter of retired dean of Student Affairs and current director of the University's Summer Enrichment Program, Mr. Robert Horne, MS. (continue) 
Pop Up Cafe
"Pop up" for lunch is a new, relaxed approach to summer's less crowded campus by Williamson's Culinart, the company that provides weekday breakfast, lunch and snacks in the University's Caf�, as well as catering for luncheons and special events. Over the course of the next few months, there will be a random Pop Up Caf� on campus that will feature lighter, tasty fare designed with an eye toward warm weather enjoyment. (continue)  

OT Student Presents at POTA

Occupational Therapy student, Jessica Rudolph '15OT (left), was selected to present her capstone project, "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Education for Pregnant Women," at the District V Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA) annual banquet on June 9.  Pictured with her on the right is Nicole Perry '15OT,
who was selected to attend the banquet with Jessica.