October 2014

Fall Homecoming & CE Registration Recap

Thanks to everyone who attended a great Fall Homecoming and CE Weekend earlier this month. Alumni enjoyed a number of events, including reunion dinners, receptions, and 19 hours of COPE-approved CE. Joe Ellis, OD '87, received SCO's Lifetime Achievement Award, and Lindsay Elkins, OD '07, received the Young Alumni Award. They're pictured here with SCO Board of Trustees Chair Jarrett Johnson, OD '90, who officiated at SCO's Convocation ceremony in lieu of President Richard W. Phillips, OD '78, away at his father-in-law's funeral. We've uploaded nearly 1,500 photos in our photo galleries with nine different Homecoming-related categories, so be sure to find your photo or your classmates if you were unable to attend. Make plans to join us next year when SCO hosts Fall Homecoming and CE Weekend on September 24-27, 2015.

Reunion Classes Return to SCO Campus

Celebrating Memories and Milestones

SCO's Class of 1984, pictured, had the most attendees at Homecoming this year, with the Class of 1994 and 1974 not far behind. Reunion events were held throughout the weekend, beginning with SCO's traditional 50-year luncheon on campus. A significant number of 55-year reunion class members also joined the luncheon and festivities. The 50-year class reunion members were also recognized during SCO's Convocation ceremony. The weekend culminated with a reunion dinner in which President Richard W. Phillips, OD '78, saluted outstanding alumni achievement, and an after-party dance at the Peabody's rooftop Skyway. If you graduated in a year ending in '5' or '0,' SCO looks forward to helping you plan your reunion for next year!

Nominations Sought for Honorary Degrees

Deadline is October 31

The deadline is nearing for submissions for names of distinguished ODs and other individuals for consideration of honorary degrees to be awarded at SCO's commencement in 2015. Recipients must be of sufficient stature and character as to honor the college; anonymous submissions will not be accepted. Specific criteria must include at least two of these:

Distinguished record of scholarship;
Outstanding contributions to society through humanitarian efforts, public service or education;
Outstanding contributions to optometry or the optometric profession.

Nominations and supporting details should be sent to Academic Affairs (Honorary Degrees), c/o SCO, 1245 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN 38104, or emailed to degrees@sco.edu. The deadline is October 31.

CLASSNOTES AND UPDATES

News about SCO's Alumni and Faculty

The late William Dobbs, OD '50, has been honored by Covington, Georgia with a parkway renamed in his honor. Dr. Dobbs, who passed away earlier this year, was the city's longest-serving mayor.

W. Earl Malone, OD '69, will be honored next month as a 2014 Everyday Hero by Interfaith Partnerships in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Jerry Rogers, OD '72, pictured, was named OD of the Year at the annual fall meeting of the Tennessee Association of Optometry Physicians.

Eddie Abernathy, OD '79 was recently profiled in this newspaper story about his Rogersville, Tennessee-based practice that now includes five locations. Dr. Abernathy practices with his son and Amanda Dellinger, OD '08.

Jeff Foster, OD '81, pictured, was named OD of the Decade by the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians at the TAOP's annual fall meeting.

Francis L. Pinard, OD '87, recently completed his two-year term as president of the Vermont Optometric Association. Under his leadership, Vermont passed legislation to guarantee pay parity between ODs and ophthalmologists, decoupled vision plans from medical insurances, and eliminated the mandatory discount offered by vision plans. Dr. Pinard has two practice locations, and his son, Sean, is currently a second-year student at SCO.

Elizabeth Howard, OD '95, and Andrew Howard, OD '96, were recently interviewed in this video about their new practice in LaFollette, Tennessee.

A.B. Naylor II, OD '96, was recently named by Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas (PCCUA) as this year's recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

James Hertzog, OD '06, was recently inducted into the Cabot, Arkansas Schools Hall of Fame.

Emily Whitman, OD '06, and her husband, Chris, welcomed a daughter, Bethany, pictured, on June 17, 2014. She joins older siblings Neil (4), Lily (3), and Joanna (2).

Jared Cooper, OD '09, authored this Utah news story about protecting children's vision.

Christina Vranich, OD '09, pictured, was named Young OD of the Year at the annual fall meeting of

the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians.

Meredith McCormick Rhodes, OD '12, and her husband, Mark, welcomed a son, William Emmitt, born September 28. He weighed 9 lbs. and was 20.75 inches long.

Noushin Ahmed, OD '13, recently joined Baltimore Washington Eye Center.

Ashley Gentrup, OD '13, recently joined Vision Eye Care and Vision Therapy Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Matt MacDonald, OD '14, recently joined Holton King, OD '85, at King Vision in Cornelia, Georgia. Learn more in this news story.

Faculty and SCO Updates

Patricia Estes Walker, OD, pictured with her fellow officers, was installed as Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians President-elect at last weekend's annual fall meeting in Gatlinburg. President is Ross Lumpkin, OD '10, Board Chair is Tonya Reynoldson, OD '01, and Secretary/Treasurer is Jessica Ellis Durham, OD '10. L-R are Drs. Durham, Walker, Lumpkin and Reynoldson being sworn in by AOA Trustee Sam Pierce, OD.

President Richard W. Phillips, OD '78, attended SECO's 2014 Education Destination held in partnership with the UK's Association of Optometrists (AOP) annual meeting in London. He's pictured visiting with David Shannon, OD '86, past chair of the AOP, and SECO President Jim Herman, OD '86.

SCO's faculty were well represented at the recent meeting of the International Congress of Behavioral Optometry in the UK. Presenting posters were Drs. Marc Taub, Melissa Zarn and Karen Kehbein. Glen Steele, OD '69, and Melissa Zarn, OD, lectured. Paul Harris, OD, served as Program Coordinator, while Marc Taub, OD, was the poster organizer and also lectured on Traumatic Brain Injury. As reported last month, Drs. Taub and Steele also received awards at the event. Congratulations to all on such positive representative by our faculty abroad!

Taylor Kiser, OD '12, Alan Kabat, OD, and Patricia Cisarik, OD, were recently selected by their fellow faculty peers to serve as faculty liaisons to the TAOP, SECO, and AOA, respectively.

Alan Kabat, OD, recently authored articles in Review of Optometry and Optometric Management.

In Memoriam:

Jim Tanner, OD '64; Harrisburg, IL
Robert Ebbers, OD, Professor Emeritus and longtime faculty member, died earlier this month. Survivors include his wife of 62 years. Our condolences to his family and friends.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Note the Dates for SCO's Events!

Oct. 30-Nov. 2: Mississippi Optometric Association fall meeting

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