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.
A PCO faculty member since 1973, Dr. Larry Gray made his academic mark in the area of ocular neurology. When he received the president’s medal at the 75th anniversary celebration, he was an associate professor in the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) and was chief of the Neuro-Eye Service at The Eye Institute, which he maintained from 1980 until his death in 2004.
Dr. Gray gained an international reputation as a lecturer and published extensively. He was a pioneer in optometry as he forged an interprofessional relationship between optometrists, ophthalmologists, and neurologists for the first time. Dr. Gray initiated course work in neuro-eye service and neuro-ophthalmology and it primarily responsible for educating the optometric profession about this area of eye-care.
Dr. Gray served on the faculty of several Universities and Colleges; he was co-director of neuro-ophthalmic disease services as well as an assistant professor of ophthalmology and neurology at Hahnemann University; an assistant professor at the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago; and an adjunct assistant professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 2004, he received the Michael G. Harris Family Award for Excellence in Optometric Education from the American Optometric Foundation posthumously for his ongoing and consistent excellence in the education of optometry students and the advancement of optometric education. The same year, Dr. Gray also received the Faculty of the Year award by PCO in recognition of his impact, dedication, and talent.
Dr. Gray was known for his tremendous influence on his students and fellow clinicians. His students described him as ingenuous, creative, and passionate. Even in the midst of his illness, Dr. Gray returned to PCO to teach the Neuro-Ophthalmic Disease course one final time with an increased sense of responsibility and devotion to educate another generation of optometrists. Throughout his career, he was a mentor, educator, clinician, and a pioneer. His legacy and contributions to PCO, optometry, and society are immeasurable.
