Centennial
Many people have been part of the proud history of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) and Salus University. Alumni, faculty, and friends of the College helped establish PCO as a pioneer and leader in the field of optometric education and the profession of optometry. The following people - highlighted on Medal Mondays - were honored on May 20, 1995 at the 75th Anniversary Gala Celebration for their outstanding contributions to the College and the field of optometry and vision care.
At the Centennial Gala Celebration on April 27, 2019, additional alumni, faculty, and friends will be honored.
As the founder of the College and first President from 1919 until his death in February of 1960, Dr. Albert Fitch led the fight for optometric recognition and the establishment of optometry as a licensed profession. Almost single-handedly, he raised optometry to new professional levels by the high educational standards he established at the College. His belief that “a proper college of optometry must compete with any of the colleges of the other health professions, such as medicine and dentistry, and be on par with the best of them” was the hallmark of his outstanding leadership to the profession and to the College. He was a visionary and a doer, establishing many firsts for the College and the field of optometry. Through Dr. Fitch’s leadership, the College was the first to be given permission to grant the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree. He was a founding member of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. The main academic buildings that were located on the Oak Lane campus were named Albert and Lawrence Fitch Hall in honor of the College’s first two presidents.
