Nancy Griffin Retires After 46 Years: ‘She Touched the Lives of Many’

 After 46 years, Nancy Griffin tried to quietly leave her job in the Office of Admissions at Salus University without much fanfare. But word got out she was retiring and the plethora of congratulations from her co-workers was anything but quiet.

“It was time to retire and turn it over to the younger group,” said Griffin, whose last official day was Jan. 4, 2024.

Griffin started at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO) in 1977 as the front desk person in the registrar’s office. After earning a degree in English from La Salle University, she moved over to Admissions and spent the rest of her career there.

“I come from a service-oriented family. We’re all policemen, military, school teachers,” said Griffin. “Being at PCO, you just saw the best and the brightest searching for their health profession, trying to give back. It just had a nice feel to it. I’ve met so many great faculty members, so many great alumni, and students. It was a fantastic time being there.”

Griffin added that during her career, she didn’t find anyone she didn’t enjoy learning from. The environment in Admissions and the Office of Student Affairs was conducive to learning from everyone with whom she came in contact.

“I was lucky to be in Student Affairs. It’s a nice group of people,” said Griffin, who also happens to be the mother of Shannon Boss, current registrar at Salus. “You see them become students, you see them get their white coats, and then because you’re part of Student Affairs, you’re also part of graduation, so you get to see them graduate. You also get to see the alumni come back and when they hood their sons and daughters, you get to see the love of the profession being carried to another generation.”

And, so far, retirement is treating her pretty spectacularly. She went from having a tight schedule in Admissions to now getting up every morning and asking herself, “What do I want to do today?”

“I’m doing some babysitting for my great-nieces and great-nephews and that’s a joy in itself. I love being with them,” said Griffin. “I’m taking each day as it comes and enjoying every moment of it. Every day is a new day and you get to decide what you want to do that day. Everything used to have a deadline and now there are none.”

According to Monica Scirrotto, MS, director of Admissions at Salus, Griffin has touched the lives of countless individuals through the guidance and service she has provided to prospective students and applicants, many of whom are now alumni.

“During her time at the University, she has led by example with her ‘student first’ philosophy, always dedicated to helping both prospective and current students reach their fullest potential,” said Scirrotto. “Nancy's work ethic was second to none and she imprinted her Admissions colleagues with whom she worked alongside. Needless to say, her influence on the culture of the office has been vast.”