Solomon C. Luo

Solomon Luo may be the newest member of the Board of Trustees, but to the extended Temple community — particularly the staff, faculty and alumni of the School of Medicine — he is an old friend.

An ophthalmologist with a large private practice in eastern Pennsylvania, Luo came to Temple 22 years ago as a resident at Temple University Hospital. Since then, he has become one of the most generous supporters of the School of Medicine’s missions of teaching, clinical and research excellence.

Luo’s support of those missions will soon be commemorated when the school’s new home opens; its auditorium will be named the Solomon and Wendy Luo Auditorium in honor of the family’s contributions. Groundbreaking begins this year.

“Medicine and technology change rapidly, and our facilities must keep pace,” Luo said. “I’m pleased to help Dean [John] Daly’s push to make Temple one of the best medical schools in the country.”

Luo came the United States in 1975 from his native Taiwan after receiving a B.S. from Fu-Jen Catholic University. His first stop: Texas, where he earned an M.S. from the University of Texas at Dallas and an M.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

Although his time in the Southwest cemented his affection for the United States, Luo was eager to leave Texas for a residency on the East Coast.

Luo chose Temple, where he came under influence of the late Guy Hugh Chan, then the chairman of Temple’s ophthalmology department. Born in Shanghai, Chan was the first person of Chinese origin to chair an ophthalmology department at an American medical school.

After completing his residency, Luo settled in Schuylkill County and founded the Eye Care Center. Now the Progressive Vision Institute, the practice has more than 50,000 patients.

Luo maintains close ties with the Medical School as a clinical associate professor and a member of the Board of Visitors. Now there are family ties as well: Daughters Betsy and Stella are medical students at Temple (son Caesar attends medical school at the University of Rochester).

As the only trustee with a medical degree, Luo will put his insider’s knowledge of the Health Sciences Center to good use. But don’t expect him to put the interests of the Medical School ahead of the interests of the University as a whole.

“I applaud President Adamany’s push to unify Temple and make our campuses safe and beautiful,” he said. “Temple’s improving reputation helps all our schools and colleges.”

- By Hillel J. Hoffmann

© 2005 Temple Times