University Development Day Highlighted Faculty Achievements

For Chad Duncan, PhD, CRC, CPO, the recent faculty social provided a double shot of good news. Not only was he promoted to professor, but he also earned tenure at Salus at Drexel University.  

“It means a lot that my peers viewed my past accomplishments and what I am currently doing positively,” said Dr. Duncan, director of the Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program at Salus/Drexel. “Earning tenure and being promoted to professor are the ultimate personal goals for somebody in academia. It really makes you feel like what you’ve done means something and that all the hard work has paid off.” 

Two longtime educators and mainstays in Osborne Audiology, were also promoted to professor: Radhika Aravamudhan, PhD, EdD, current dean of Osborne Audiology, and Victor Bray, MSC, PhD, FNAP, former dean of the Osborne College of Audiology (OCA). “I think becoming a professor is one of the highest levels one can achieve in academia and I’m honored I was able to do that during my time at Salus,” said Dr. Aravamudhan. 

Dr. Bray was also thankful for his promotion to professor. “It means a lot. Largely it means recognition by the institution of the work that’s been done over a career that not only included being in administration here at the University, but also in the other areas of research, teaching, and service to the profession,” he said. 

The faculty social on the evening of Aug. 22, 2024, in the Bennett Lounge of the Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus kicked off University Development Day the following day. On Friday morning, Juliana Mosley-Williams, PhD, CDP, special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Gregory Benjamin, PhD, MPH, executive director of Institutional Research, Assessment and Academic Operations, presented the employee findings from the 2023 Campus Climate Survey, including faculty, staff, and administration. Student findings were previously presented.  

Salus at Drexel president Michael H. Mittelman, OD ‘80, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE, used the social as an opportunity to thank the faculty for their level of commitment to both the institution as a whole and their individual programs or clinical facilities. “And, I think this year is a more special thank you because we’ve just been through the merger and everybody has been going through all this transition and change. Don’t think that’s not recognized by all of us because we do recognize it,” said Dr. Mittelman. “More so than ever, your leadership in your individual departments and colleges really means so much even more now because everybody is under a lot of stress. I personally appreciate all the work you all do.” 

Among the faculty recognized were:

Julie Quinlan, who was promoted to assistant professor in the O&P program, entered academia from private industry and was the first faculty hire for the program when it launched in 2021. “I do love patient care, so it was a very difficult decision to make the move into academia,” said Quinlan. “But what I valued tremendously in clinical care was working with residents. I know the students that I’m working with are going to go out and help so many more people than I could help on my own.” 

New faculty members were also recognized at the reception. They include Ashley Anderson, MS, OTR/L, Allison Bressler, CPO, LPO, MS and Kaitlyn Dietz, MS, CCC-SLP, all in CHER; and Nikhil Bansal, OD ‘20, Dariela Cardo, OD ‘23, and Karan Johal, OD, all at PCO.