If you're planning to attend the SECO meeting in Atlanta next month, please note important dates with some key changes to SCO's schedule from years past. SCO's reception for alumni and friends, always one of the best attended events at SECO, moves from Friday to Saturday night this year. The reception will be held from 6:30-8:30 pm on Saturday, March 15 in the Atrium Terrace at the Omni Hotel. Invitations have been extended to our most dedicated supporters and friends to the annual President's Reception. It moves to Thursday, March 13 from 7:30-9 pm; see your invitation for additional details. We hope to see everyone at SCO's booth on the convention floor. Visit our SECO pages to learn more.

SCO has introduced a new nine-minute recruiting video featuring some of our top students sharing their experiences about choosing SCO and optometry as a career. First introduced on SCO's Facebook page, the original post went viral, with more than 61,000 views. Alumni and friends can also benefit by seeing video images of our new academic facility. If you know a prospective student interested in optometry, bookmark our video page, where both the longer nine-minute version and a shorter two-minute version (with a few different scenes) may be enjoyed. We invite you to share the video and help us spread the word about all that SCO is accomplishing!

Nearly 100 alumni and friends recently attended SCO's first Destination CE event held in New Orleans. SCO's Continuing Education program for 2014 continues with our Spring CE weekend in Memphis, to be held on campus April 11-13. Registration is now open, so register today for up to 22 hours of COPE-approved education, including 10 different courses and two workshops. A number of alumni will be speaking, including Jack Schaeffer, OD '77, joined by his son, Mark Schaeffer, OD '11. Visit our website for a full line-up of course topics, speakers and other details.

Four new members were recently appointed to SCO's Board of Trustees. The appointees include three alumni, Steve Compton, OD '78, Terry Tucker, OD '84, and Chris Wroten, OD '02. Dr. Wroten is serving as the Alumni Council's representative to the board. The fourth appointee is Memphis CPA Henry Lindeman, founder and board chair of School Advocates for Vision & Education (SAVE) in Memphis, an organization that has partnered with SCO in recent years to provide vision care to school children. Pictured from L-R are Dr. Compton, Mr. Lindeman, and Drs. Tucker and Wroten. Learn more about our new board members in this SCO news blog post.

Faculty Updates

Scott Ensor, OD '01, published an article entitled "Don't Avoid Steroid Use" in Review of Optometry.

Dan Fuller, OD, pictured, recently received his Fellowship in the Scleral Lens Educators Society from President Bruce Baldwin, OD, PhD. He and Dr. Bill Edmondson were joined by some SCO students in presenting a poster during the Global Specialty Lens Symposium in Las Vegas, where Dr. Fuller also participated in a panel discussion during the Bausch & Lomb Educators Meeting.

Paul Harris, OD, was recently elected to Distinguished Fellowship in the National Academies of Practice and the Optometry Academy as a Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow. M&S Technologies, meanwhile, is expanding its Smart System with the addition of the Harris Contrast Sensitivity and Visual Acuity Test that bears his name.  

Alan Kabat, OD, authored an article entitled "Pathology in Perspective: Know the Limits of Clinical Evaluation," for the January 2014 issue of Review of Optometry.

Chris Lievens, OD, published an article entitled "Lessons Learned from FDA-Sponsored Research" with Crystal Brimer, OD '00, in Review of Cornea and Contact Lenses. He also authored "IOP as a cornerstone to glaucoma management" Optometry Times. He was also appointed Vice-Chair of the American Academy of Optometry Admittance Committee, Region 6.

Glen Steele '69, pictured, recently presented at the Zero to Three Conference in San Antonio. Zero to Three is a multi-disciplinary organization dealing with the needs of the child from birth to age three. 

Daniel Taylor, OD '06, was awarded a Vistakon Innovation in Education Grant of $3,980 from the American Optometric Foundation.


In Memoriam:

 

SCO Professor Al Fors, OD '69, died earlier this month after a period of illness. Dr. Fors was one of SCO's longest-serving faculty members and will be remembered for his work with SVOSH and the Lions Club. Read more in this news post about his life and career. Read comments from Dr. Fors' children and other alumni remembering him in this post from SCO's Facebook page. 

• Arthur H. Spitz, OD '47; Andersonville, SC
• James O. Bryant, OD '49; Nashville, AR
• John L. O'Leary, OD '49; San Antonio, TX 
• Jim G. Taylor, OD '53; Paris, TN
• Joseph Belgard, OD '54; Alexandria, LA   
• Luarent G. Cowling, OD '64; Jeffersonville, IN
• Ronald T. Jabaley, OD '66; McCaysville, GA 
• Howard Mathis, OD '68; Salem, KY 
• David Friedman, OD '73; Memphis, TN; former SCO faculty member   
• Paul E. Monroe, Jr., OD '73; Englewood, FL 
• Whit Lord, OD '76; Statesboro, GA 
• Laura J. Layton, OD '97; Jonesboro, AR      

• March 12-16: SECO, Atlanta
• April 4: Discover Optometry, SCO, Memphis 
• April 11-13: SCO Spring CE, Memphis    

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