June 15, 2007
With profound sorrow, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry announces the sudden death June 14, 2007, of George S. Osborne, PhD, DDS, Dean of the PCO School of Audiology.
Dr. Osborne was a pioneer in the field of audiology, working tirelessly to advance the profession. He was the co-founder and director of both the American Academy of Audiology and the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education; co-founder and past chair of the Audiology Foundation of America, and founder and past president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Audiology.
George Osborne was a driving force in the founding of the PCO School of Audiology, which conferred Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degrees on its first class of residential students on May 18. That day was one that some in audiology feared might never happen. Paul Pessis, President of the American Academy of Audiology and a speaker at the commencement, praised the efforts of Dr. Osborne, telling graduates, “Your dean created a program with the highest academic standards” noting, “it has become clear throughout the country that PCO is a prized program at which to matriculate.”
Dr. Anthony Di Stefano, vice president and dean of academic affairs for PCO, made this statement: “Dr. Osborne brought audiology to PCO with excitement and a spirit of interdisciplinary commitment to the sensory needs of patients. He enriched our academic environment and realized his unique dream to develop the profession of audiology in a health professions school setting. His contributions to the college are historical and will never be forgotten.”
Dr. Osborne was persistent in his efforts to ensure that audiologists would become limited license practitioners and achieve recognition among healthcare professionals. In his commitment to educate audiologists, he created AuDonline, a rigorous and comprehensive distance education program. This program, open solely to licensed, practicing audiologists, was designed as a bridge for them to earn their doctorate. It began at the PCO School of Audiology in 2000 and to date, the school has awarded 960 doctorates in audiology.
The audiology programs at PCO contain an intensive biomedical component, making them rigorous programs of the highest quality. With his curriculum, Dr. Osborne set the standard not just for the PCO School of Audiology, but for the profession.
Dr. Osborne leaves his wife, Joan, his son, Brian, daughter-in-law, Karen, daughter, Tonya Delborne, son-in-law, Jason Delborne and four granddaughters.
