Nontraditional Students

Transcript

All right, let’s head over and meet Sonja, a traditional optometry student who took a non-traditional route to Salus. She’s gonna spend a few minutes talking about Salus university as a welcome place for students from all walks of life. Despite being in a traditional program, Sonja is considered a non-traditional student at Salus because she came to the university later in life, to pursue a second career. Whether it’s someone who came to Salus after a career outside of health sciences, like Sonja, or an international student looking to expand their studies, the university offers plenty of opportunities for non-traditional students to excel and succeed in their chosen field. Sonja, please take it away.

– Thanks Alex. My path to Salus University has looked a little different than most. I immigrated to the United States from Bosnia when I was nine years old. After getting my degree in communication studies, I was five years post undergrad, trying to find a more fulfilling and challenging career path for myself when I went in for a routine eye exam. I was struck by my optometrist’s passion and her ability to be able to help people in a tangible way. So I returned to work only to spend the rest of the day researching optometry programs. Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University stood out as an all-inclusive welcoming place for all types of students at all stages of their educational journey. Just a few weeks later, I jumped in the car with my best friend and we drove from North Carolina to Philadelphia. I met with the admissions staff for a pre-application visit. We went over my transcript and we went over the prerequisite. So when I left that meeting, I felt reassured, empowered and set with a game plan to start my second career, I could do this. Starting fresh can feel a little intimidating, but at Salus, I immediately felt like I belonged because Salus has a strong non-traditional student presence and offers plenty of opportunities and resources for them to succeed. Honestly, it all took about three years, but when I put on my white coat at the end of that last week on campus I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride. I want those who come here to feel the same sense of inclusion I did when I arrived. So I am part of the peer mentoring program where I help new students adjust to their first year at Salus. I’m also a teaching assistant in the clinical skills lab where I help the first year students hone their skills and bolster their confidence. I wouldn’t change my journey because everything that I’ve done up until this point has grounded me, made me a better communicator and more empathetic. And with the skills that I’m learning here at Salus, every day, I feel more prepared to take care of an advocate for my future patients. Thank you so much for letting me share my story, now let’s send it back to Alex.

– Wow Sonja, successfully completing your graduate studies in optometry will certainly give you a sense of pride and accomplishment. And the fact that Salus is such a welcoming place for you and other non-traditional students is a tremendous benefit of the university. Thanks again for sharing your story Sonja.