Director of Publications

Southern College Optometry Raises Record Amount To Close

75^th Anniversary Campaign

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (March 21, 2008) – Southern College of Optometry (SCO) officially ended its 75^th Anniversary Campaign by making the event one for the record books.

Working to secure support for scholarships and endowments right up to the SCO Alumni Reception at this year’s SECO conference in Atlanta, the college more than doubled its fundraising goal of $1.25 million.

Before a group of more than 600 alumni and friends of the college, SCO students unveiled a tally of $2,540,413. When a final ally was totaled following the close of SECO, the official number came in at $2,550,184, an all-time record for the college.

SCO President Richard W. Phillips, OD ’78, thanked alumni, industry and the SCO community for meeting the fundraising challenge and encouraged those in attendance to continue raising the bar as SCO strives for excellence. “It should not be enough to say that we’re one of the best optometry schools,” he noted. “We shouldn’t be satisfied until everyone knows that SCO is the best.”

Campaign Co-Chair Martha Rosemore Greenberg, OD ’74, encouraged alumni to continue to build upon the success of this campaign. “This type of success only happens through your support and effort,” she added.

The college’s historic fundraising effort began in late 2006 with a silent phase leading up to the college’s 75^th anniversary. Several significant gifts were received during the campaign, including substantial support from the internal college community of faculty, staff and even students.

In addition to Dr. Greenberg, members of the 75^th Anniversary Campaign Committee included Co-Chair Donna Abney, Allan L. Barker, OD ’75, Camile L. Chiasson, OD ’81, Richard L. Hopping, OD ’52, Paul D. Mormon, OD ’01, Fredric M. Rosemore, OD ’48 and Mrs. Marion Rosemore, and James D. Sandefur, OD ’65.

Established in Memphis, Tennessee in 1932, Southern College of Optometry is an independent, not-for-profit institution of higher education with a mission to educate men and women in the art and science of optometry.

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