Several SCO alumni were prominently honored at last week's annual SECO meeting in Atlanta. Congratulations are in order for newly installed SECO President Jim Herman, OD '86, with Darby Chiasson OD '99 recognized as Immediate Past President. OD of the Year was bestowed upon Joe Ellis, OD '86. SCO Board Member Steven Reed, OD '95, had a member of his staff, Beverly Roberts, recognized as Paraoptometric of the Year. Numerous other SCO alumni were in the spotlight as speakers or presenters throughout the event. Photos from SCO's receptions and functions at SECO can be seen in our online photo galleries. Thanks to everyone who attended!

Thank you, Alumni & Friends

SCO's primary stakeholder in the college's mission - our students - were in the spotlight at SCO receptions held during SECO this year. Three Student Ambassadors were invited to speak by President Phillips at the President's Reception. The students expressed their appreciation to major donors for their role in supporting construction of the new academic facility and the campaign to increase support for scholarship and patient care initiatives. Students, along with faculty member Whitney Hauser, OD '01, feature prominently in a new video noting the importance of annual support by alumni in sustaining SCO's progress. The video, which debuted at SCO's reception for alumni and friends, may be viewed online at SCO's YouTube page or on the college's Facebook page.

Online registration closes on Friday, March 28 for SCO's Spring CE weekend in Memphis. This year's program will be held on campus April 11-13. Register now for up to 22 hours of COPE-approved education, including 10 different courses and two workshops. Speakers include Drs. Michelle Marciniak and John Winton and from the alumni, Jack Schaeffer, OD '77, and his son, Mark Schaeffer, OD '11.. Visit our website for a full line-up of course topics, speakers and other details.

Three individuals with outstanding contributions to the profession of optometry will receive honorary degrees at SCO's 2014 commencement ceremony in May. U.S. Senator John Boozman, OD '77, (R-AR), will receive SCO's honorary Doctor of Ocular Science degree and deliver the ceremony's commencement address. Also receiving the honorary Doctor of Ocular Science degree is former AOA President Dori Carlson, OD, the first female president of the AOA and of the North Dakota Optometric Association. Ralph Stone, PhD, will receive the Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Now retired as Vice President for Research and Development for Consumer Alcon Laboratories, Dr. Stone led the development of the OPTI-Free contact lens disinfection solutions and the Systane dry eye treatments. SCO's commencement ceremony will be held Friday, May 9 at 1 pm at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts in Memphis.

Faculty Updates

Freddy Chang, OD, PhD, and John Sharpe, OD '83, lectured earlier this month at the Southern Indiana Pharmacology Seminars in Evansville, Indiana. Dr. Sharpe lectured on "Diagnosis and Management of Posterior Segment Diseases Utilizing the OCT," and Dr. Chang lectured on "The Pharmacology of Anti Fungal Agents."

John Mark Jackson, OD '99, MS, published two articles in the February issue of Contact Lens Spectrum, one on toric fits and another co-authored with SCO resident, Dr. Nancy Chan, on increasing success with GP lenses.

Jared Powelson, OD '96, recently was joined by Drs. Bill Edmondson, Trish Walker, Michael Gerstner and Esla Subashi Speth in hosting the Saturday Memphis Laser Workshop for SCO's third-year interns. They were joined by a number of representatives from TLC Laser Eye Centers at the event. Dr. Powelson was also quoted in a recent Primary Care Optometry News story about ophthalmic lasers.

Glen Steele OD '69, lectured at SECO on "Does My Patient Need Vision Therapy? Questions to Ask. Tests to do." He serves on the SECO CE Committee.

James E. Venable, OD '89, published an article on incorporating informatics in curriculum in Optometric Education, the online Journal of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO).


In Memoriam:

• P.W. Reed, OD '49; Millington, TN 
• Gene Hall, OD '50; Yukon, OK 
• Farris M. Smith, OD '50; St. Augustine, FL 
• Dudley C. Beaty, Jr., OD '54; Bennettsville, SC
• Leon A. Johnson, OD '55; Greybull, WY 
• Norman Dery, OD '69; Naples, FL  
• Warren Eisenstein, OD '79; Richardson, TX  
• Jeffrey Fielding, OD '80; Cushing, OK  
• SCO Professor Emeritus Al Fors, OD '69, was recently remembered in this story published by Optometric Management.  

• April 4: Discover Optometry, SCO, Memphis  (deadline to register is Monday, March 24) 
• April 11-13: SCO Spring CE, Memphis
• May 9: SCO commencement, Memphis     

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