Latest Summer Enrichment Program Cohort Off and Running

Pursuing a career in optometry was a decision David Osei, PBHS ‘23, made a few years ago. His father, Francis Osei, was working in a mental health facility when he was injured by some patients throwing chemicals into his eyes.

“I watched that whole process unfold, starting in the emergency room,” said David, who graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in public health science. “And, then going to his eye exams with him and seeing what optometrists do really inspired me.”

Osei, who also graduated from the Salus Post-bacc program, is one of nine students pursuing a career in optometry and participating in the University’s Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), which kicked off July 10, 2023.

The SEP program, initially started in 1977 by Dr. Robert E. Horne, former dean of Student Affairs at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) at Salus University, ran continuously for 39 years before going on hiatus. It returned in 2021 — delayed by one year because of the pandemic — made possible through a five-year sponsorship by National Vision, Inc.

The original intent of SEP was to introduce underrepresented prospective students to PCO’s curriculum through a six-week residential program, which consisted of mini-courses on topics such as optics, human anatomy, biochemistry, neuroscience, pathology and clinical applications. The revived program maintains the same goals as established by dean Dr. Horne — improving the matriculation, attrition and graduation rates of underrepresented minority (URM) applicants while fostering a safety net of support and mentorship.

According to Julianna Mosley-Williams, PhD, CDP, special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Salus, this year’s SEP cohort of nine students includes two of whom have gone through the Salus Post-bacc program as well.

"I think that will change the dynamic of this group this year because they’re already going to have some connections and networks they’ll be able to share with the rest of the group,” she said.

In addition, there are a couple of structural changes in this year’s program. The program is now four weeks instead of six and it’s being held later in the summer — after the Fourth of July — because University officials realized many students were on family vacations during that time. Secondly, many students worked during the summer and it was difficult to take time away from their jobs in the middle of the summer rather than later in the summer.

“To have to stop working, come do a program for four weeks, then they have another month to go back home, they couldn’t get their jobs back,” said Dr. Mosley-Williams, who is co-directing the SEP program this year with Bisant Labib, OD ‘14, Resident ‘15, FAAO, associate dean of Optometric Special Programs and co-chief of Suite 3 in Primary Care Services at The Eye Institute (TEI). "This new schedule allows them to stop working, come do the program, go home for a week to get their heads right, then come back for orientation.”

During their first day on campus, the students heard from a variety of administrators, faculty, staff and Donald R. Smith, OD ‘73, director of professional relations at National Vision, Inc., the program’s sponsor.

“It (sponsoring this program) makes sense and it’s the right thing to do,” said Dr. Smith, who recently announced that National Vision, Inc. agreed to sponsor an additional five years of the program, bringing the company’s commitment to more than a half-million dollars over a 10-year period.

“My challenge to you is to figure out how to make a difference in this world in the eye care field, help people and change their lives,” Dr. Smith said to the students virtually. “And, don’t lose sight of the fact that a simple pair of glasses can literally change somebody’s life. It’s a small part of what we do as optometrists, but I believe it’s an important part. Collectively, we are stronger than we are individually. Together we can literally solve this eyecare problem.”

Salus president Michael H. Mittelman, OD ‘80, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE, also offered encouraging words to the cohort of students, saying that the SEP will challenge them to be their best.

“One of things that we really believe here at Salus is the fact that the patient population we care for is very diverse and should be cared for by people who look like them, think like them and make them feel comfortable,” said Dr. Mittelman. “You will have the best clinical training in the country - that I can guarantee you.”

Even though it was the first day of the program, Andrea Diaz was impressed. “Growing up I used to go to the eye doctor a lot when I was eight or nine years old and my mom couldn’t really understand the doctor,” said Diaz, who graduated with a degree in biology and a chemistry minor in 2022 from Caldwell University in New Jersey. “That always impacted me. I wanted to grow up and be that person who could speak Spanish and communicate to the parents of a child so the child doesn’t have to do it.”

Diaz hopes to someday perform missionary work in her home country of Guatemala and anticipates that the SEP program will give her a leg up as she continues on her educational journey to become an optometrist.

“I feel like I’m being taken care of here. This program will prepare me so much more than if I didn’t do it,” she said. “I hope to make as many connections as I can and be able to help other students as well. I love Salus so far. I love the campus and I like the feel.”