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Accepted Students Day at Salus University this year was a little different for Nina Danko. That's because visiting the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus, meeting the faculty and getting a feel for life at Salus wasn’t exactly a new experience for her.
Danko, who is on the master’s track in the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences program at Drexel University, has had her eye on the Salus University Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program for some time now. She’s been on campus several times and has even shadowed in the Pennsylvania Ear Institute (PEI) of Salus, the on-campus clinical facility for the Audiology program.
So, even though she’s an incoming new student, she’s not really as new to the experience as some of the other newbies who visited the campus and facilities over the course of three different Accepted Students Days offered by individual programs by the University.
“I had the opportunity to meet students who are already in the program and also talk to some of the faculty and staff. Because I had shadowed there, it was nice that they remembered me and addressed me by name,” said Danko, originally from Northeast Philadelphia who completed her undergraduate degree in biology from Holy Family University.
“I also had the opportunity to speak with two other professors in the program and they were there when I had my interview, and they also remembered me. That was a nice personal connection, having the faculty remember you by name. That was a touching experience,” she said. “It really reaffirmed my decision. Every time I would step on campus everyone was super-friendly and had a positive attitude. I never experienced any sort of negativity or felt stress. I always felt relaxed and excited to be on this campus.”
Salus hosted three Accepted Student Days this year, including for the Doctor of Audiology and Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) students on April 6; Physician Assistant (PA) Studies students on April 15; and for the Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Orthotics and Prosthetics, Blindness and Low Vision Studies, Biomedicine and Post-baccalaureate programs on April 20. In total, the events attracted more than 110 accepted students and about 200 guests from across all programs.
“It was exciting to welcome the accepted students and their families to campus for the opportunity to meet with future classmates, current students and faculty,” said Monica Scirrotto, MS, director of Admissions at Salus. “Starting a new program can be overwhelming, especially if a student needs to move into the area, so we aim to provide the resources they need to make the transition to the Salus community (and the Philadelphia area) as seamless as possible. We can't wait to see everyone in August.”
Amanda Dearborn, of Northfield, New Jersey, and Diana Sanchez, of Galloway, New Jersey, attended Accepted Students Day together. The two, who have both been accepted in the University’s PA program, work together in the heart and vascular unit of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Galloway.
“When I first came here for my interview, I felt really welcomed by the staff,” said Dearborn, who graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Public Health. “Just talking to them and the interactions I had with them, they seemed very open to getting to know the students on a personal level, and that is important to me. There is definitely a good faculty-student relationship here.”
Sanchez, who completed her undergraduate studies at Stockton University in Galloway, earned her degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. She chose Salus because it’s an established University with a stellar reputation that’s close to home.
“Everybody has been so welcoming and explained everything so thoroughly,” said Sanchez. “Meeting students in the class ahead of me has been really helpful. They’ve been answering my questions. I feel like I’ll be well prepared when I start in the fall.”
For more information, contact the Salus Office of Admissions here or call 215.780.1300 or 800.824.6262.
