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.
Dr. Charles Mullen was a special assistant to the president for Clinical Development of the New England College of Optometry (NECO) from 1970 to1976. While there, he developed and implemented a practical model for the interprofessional team approach to eye care using existing healthcare institutions. Later, from 1976 to 1990, he was directly involved in helping establish The Eye Institute (TEI) of Salus University, serving as its executive director. In 1993, he was awarded the Carel Koch Memorial Medal for Outstanding Contributions in Interprofessional Relations, one of the profession’s highest honors by the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). In 1994, he was the recipient of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry’s Distinguished Service Award. He was president of the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) from 1996 to 2002. In 2009, Dr. Mullen was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame. He co-founded, and remains president of, the American Board of Optometry Specialties (ABOS) - a non-profit organization that works collaboratively with Member Specialty Boards to develop and maintain the standards for optometrist specialty and subspecialty certification - in Big Rapids, Mich.
