Centennial
President’s Medal Recipients
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.
During the weekend of the Centennial Gala Celebration, additional alumni, faculty, and friends will be honored.
Algernon A. Phillips, Jr., OD ’69, MD
Growing up with parents who both worked in the healthcare profession, Dr. Phillips was inspired at a young age to follow in their footsteps and give back.
While a student at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Dr. Phillips founded SOSH, the Student Optometric Service to Humanity. In over fifty years of service, the student organization has screened, examined, and treated thousands of people in need in the Caribbean Islands and Mexico. He also established and funded the A.A. Phillips – SOSH Scholarship which is awarded to a student from the former British West Indies or a non-U.S. citizen from the Caribbean.
After graduation from PCO, Dr. Phillips received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Howard University. In 1978, he founded Ophthalmic Service International, spearheading medical missions to Sengal, West Africa’s Ivory Coast, and the desert regions of Israel.
He currently serves as a Clinical Instructor of Ophthalmology at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in East Orange, N.J. Dr. Phillips, along with his wife, Dr. Elois Rogers-Phillips, MD, have served as members of the College Board of Trustees and their daughter, Adrienne A. Phillips MD, MPH, currently serves as a member.
