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 were honored.
John D. Robinson, OD ‘54
Dr. Robinson’s career-long commitment to organizational service and optometric advancement made him highly influential in expanding responsibilities for optometrists in his home state of North Carolina and throughout the country. Dr. Robinson served on various committees of the American Optometric Association (AOA). He was president of the North Carolina State Optometric Society (NCSOA), a member and executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry, president of the Federation of Associations of Health Regulatory Boards, and president of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). He was selected Optometrist of the South by the Southern Council of Optometrists in 1970. Dr. Robinson was a Distinguished Practitioner in the National Academy of Practice in Optometry and maintained a private practice in Wallace, North Carolina his entire career. Not only did Dr. Robinson receive the Presidential Medal of Honor from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in 1995 during its 75th Anniversary Celebration, but also in 1999, Dr. Robinson received an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO). In 2006, Dr. Robinson was elected to the National Optometry Hall of Fame. He died at 89 years old in 2016.
