May 2016

Reich Inaugurated as SCO President

Pictured clockwise from top left: SCO Board members Ryan Powell, OD '02, and Cristie Upshaw Travis; Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, Dean of The Ohio State University College of Optometry; Larry Otten, OD '77, SCO's Alumni Council Representative to the Board, and Professor Emeritus Jim Newman, OD '73; and Board Chair Steven Reed, OD '95, placing the presidential medallion upon Dr. Reich.

SCO last week celebrated the inauguration of Lewis Reich, OD, PhD, as the institution's seventh president. Joined by more than 300 visitors, including representatives from other colleges and the local community, Dr. Reich was formally installed into office by Board Chair Steven Reed, OD '95. In his inaugural address, Dr. Reich outlined three top priorities: making SCO a top school of choice for the best qualified students, ensuring stewardship of the college's financial resources to help control student expenditures, and working to enhance SCO's reputation within Memphis and the local medical community. A reception was held the evening prior in honor of Dr. Reich, and following the ceremony, a luncheon was held to offer guests food and sounds of Memphis. A video recording and photos from the ceremony will be shared online soon, and a PDF of the inaugural program may be downloaded here.

SCO Commencement Welcomes New ODs

Boozman, Cochran Receive Honorary Degrees

SCO's annual commencement ceremony earlier this month welcomed 129 graduates to the profession of optometry. Monica Perry was named Valedictorian, with Ryan Wilkerson as Salutatorian. The day prior to commencement, top achievers were honored at SCO's 31st Annual Student Awards program. Katie Araiza-Brown delivered the class address, with U.S. Senator John Boozman, OD '77, delivering the commencement address. Senator Boozman joined SCO President Emeritus Billy Cochran, OD '68, in receiving honorary degrees. Craig Baxter, who passed away in January, was honored with a moment of silence, a posthumous degree, and the establishment of a memorial scholarship in his honor. Three graduates - Kate Allen, Emy Thompson, and Trent Gaasch - were also commissioned into military service. More than 500 photos and a video recording from commencement are being finalized for online sharing.

Graduates Follow in Family Footsteps

10 Graduates Continue Optometry Traditions

The Class of 2016 included ten second- and third-generation optometry school graduates. Seven of the ten were SCO legacies, and three were children or grandchildren of ODs who graduated from other optometry schools:

Eric Brinkley, son of John Brinkley, OD '80
Alex Compton, son of Steve Compton, OD '78
Kevin Davis, son of Michael Davis, OD '87, and nephew of Peter Davis, OD '87
Angela Haas, daughter of Daniel Haas, OD '83 (Ohio State)
Matt Hennen, son of Mark Hennen, OD '83 (ICO)
Daniel Kelly, son of Marie Kelly, OD '85
Scott McIntosh, son of Thomas McIntosh, OD '85
Logan Oliver, son of Keith Oliver, OD '79
Whitney Seltman, granddaughter of Herbert Seltman, OD '51 (UAB)
Andrew Shum, son of Steven Shum, OD '71.

ClassNotes and Updates

News about SCO's Alumni and Faculty

Alumni are encouraged to submit nominations for the college's 21st annual Lifetime Achievement and Young Alumni Awards. Any SCO graduate may nominate fellow alumni by using nomination forms available on SCO's website. Completed forms may also be mailed, emailed or faxed. Nominations must be received by June 30, 2016. The awards will be presented during Fall Homecoming and CE weekend. Contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at (901) 722-3216 for additional information or questions.

SCO's annual Faculty/Staff campaign recently raised more than $103,396 in financial gifts. The total represents a 92% participation rate by the college's employees.

ClassNotes

Dwight Blackwood, OD '61, recently retired after 53 years in practice, the last 10 of which were merged within a multi/clinical OD/MD group in Kansas. Dr. Blackwood writes: "Retirement makes me aware I have one regret: I miss the satisfaction of that 'good day on the job' feeling it gave me. There is, however, a lasting realization and enjoyment in knowing I selected the "Best life's work for myself" while in the seventh grade. It's been a great trip and I would have hated to miss the ride!"

Joseph A. Lamendola, OD '62, recently was honored for outstanding accomplishments in his community, profession, and fraternity at the 12th Annual Greek Excellence Gala held by the LSU Greek Community.

Stephen R. Kepley, OD '83, pictured, was appointed to the Florida Board of Optometry by Governor Rick Scott to serve a four-year term. Dr. Kepley served as President of the Florida Optometric Association in 2013-14.

Fred Farias III, OD '87, has been named the AOA's 2016 OD of the Year. A member of SCO's Alumni Council, he will formally receive the award at the AOA meeting in Boston later this summer.

Ryan Halpern, OD '07, has been named Director of Professional Services for Acquisitions at MyEyeDr. Read more in this story.

Shannon Shelley, OD '08, was recently profiled in this online story about the practice she owns in Sparta, Tennessee. Also included is Amanda Kirk, OD '10.

Our thoughts are with Stephen Wetick, OD '08, whose wife and four-year-old daughter were severely injured in a recent car accident.

Melia Robertson, OD '10, was named Young OD of the Year by the

Arkansas Optometric Association. Read more in this story.

Catherine Abbott, OD '13 and Travis Thompson, OD '13, pictured, were married April 16 in Roanoke, Virginia. They now live and practice in the Knoxville, Tennessee area.

Brittany Tounsel, OD '15, and Kirsten McKnight, OD '16, were recently interviewed for this story about their consecutive leadership of NOSA and the work the organization is accomplishing.

In Memorial...

Randall W. Ahlstrom, OD '50, Middleton, WI
William Garstang, OD '51, Belle, MO

Faculty Updates

Marie Bodack, OD, has been named the new primary investigator for the Pediatric Eye Disease Group (PEDIG). She also was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD).

Janette Dumas, OD, recently served as a panelist at the Morehouse College Health Awareness symposium in Atlanta and was honored by a Memphis organization for her work with SCO's summer program for minority students.

Cynthia Heard, OD, Greg Wolfe, OD, MPH, and Marc Taub, OD, MS, pictured, recently presented a low vision rehabilitation workshop for students from the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at Concorde Career College.

John Mark Jackson, OD '99, and SCO resident Brayden Lundquist, OD, co-authored "A Review of GP Lenticulation and Carriers" in the May issue of Contact Lens Spectrum.

Glen Steele, OD '69, was joined by entertainer Tom Sullivan on campus recently to promote the InfantSEE program. They also appeared as a guests on the local CBS-TV affiliate's morning talk program to discuss pediatric vision and the importance of InfantSEE. Dr. Steele was also recently profiled in this blog story about his work with pediatric vision.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Note the Dates for SCO's Events

* June 29-July 3, AOA meeting, Boston

* July 30, Discover Optometry, SCO campus

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