SOUTHERN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY
1245 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more
information, contact:
Jim
Hollifield, 901-722-3343
Southern
College of Optometry Awards 119 Doctor of Optometry Degrees
MEMPHIS, Tennessee (May 2, 2008) – Southern College
of Optometry (SCO) graduated 119 students on Friday, May 2, 2008 in a ceremony
held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.
Actor and entertainer Tom Sullivan
delivered the commencement address. Sullivan, blind since birth, is a
motivational speaker and author of a number of best-selling books. In his
remarks, Sullivan highlighted the important role that optometrists play in the
lives of their patients as healthcare providers. He encouraged the graduates to
use their talents and energy to make a positive difference in their patients’
lives.
Kimberly Lewis Oncavage, president
of the senior class, delivered the class address to her fellow graduates. Class
valedictorian was Kristen Michelle DeHaven of Hoisington, Kansas; class salutatorian
was Jennifer Kragenbrink Mallory of Columbia, Tennessee
Retiring Professor James G. Saxon,
PhD, had the title of Professor Emeritus conferred upon him. Dr. Saxon, who
joined the SCO faculty in 1974, is retiring from the SCO faculty effective June
30, 2008.
Sam J. Galloway, former Executive
Director of SECO, and Dr. Linda Johnson, Director of Optometry for
Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center in Jackson, Mississippi, received
honorary degrees conferred by SCO President Richard W. Phillips.
Named Executive Director of Southern
Council and SECO in 1979, Galloway served as Executive Director of the
organization for 24 years. During his tenure, SECO attendance nearly tripled,
and SECO became SECO International as the optometric profession expanded its
international influence and moved toward the medical model of practice.
Dr. Linda Johnson formerly served a
six-year term on Southern College of Optometry’s Board of Trustees. She was
elected Board Chair in 2005. A former president of the National Optometric
Association, Dr. Johnson is a recognized leader of optometry both nationally
and in Mississippi, where she serves as Director of Optometry for Jackson-Hinds
Comprehensive Health Center.
Mr. Galloway was awarded the Doctor of Humane
Letters degree, and Dr. Johnson received the Doctor of Ocular Science honorary
degree.
Thursday evening prior to the
commencement ceremony, the college’s graduating class was honored with a Senior
Banquet and Award Ceremony. Prior to the commencement ceremony on Friday, a
reception was held from for graduates and their families at the SCO Activity
Center.
Southern College of Optometry’s
Class of 2008 graduates include:
Ginny Ahrens, B.S. ........................................................................................ West
Point, Nebraska
Jenny Nicole Alsop, B.S. ............................................................... Webster
Springs, West Virginia
Rachel
Anne Aughney, B.S. ......................................................................................... Firth,
Idaho
Andrea D.
Beedles, B.S. ...................................................................................... Rose
Hill, Kansas
Philip James Beggs, B.S. ....................................................................................... Wichita,
Kansas
Kiley Ann Berry, B.S. ................................................................................ Fairmont,
West Virginia
Kathleen Ann Biggs, B.S. ................................................................................ Jackson,
Mississippi
Ashley Mae Blasi, B.A. ......................................................................................... Wichita,
Kansas
James Dylan Bondurant, B.S. ..................................................................... Union
City, Tennessee
Cory James Boudreaux, B.S. ............................................................................... Paradis,
Louisiana
Rebecca Ann Bowers, B.S. ............................................................................. Paragould,
Arkansas
Ashley Ryan Brooks, B.A. ............................................................................ Bentonville,
Arkansas
Kristen Overman Bryant, B.S. .............................................................. Plainfield,
New Hampshire
Blake Bush, B.S. .............................................................................................. Ardmore,
Oklahoma
Ehryn Beth Cartwright, B.S. .................................................................................. Cincinnati,
Ohio
Peter Charron, B.A. ................................................................................................. Gorham,
Maine
Steven B. Codner, B.S................................................................................................... Orem,
Utah
Donald Wayne Connell, B.S. ............................................................................. Bartlett,
Tennessee
William Benjamin Conrad, B.S. ............................................................. Richwood,
West Virginia
Joshua G. Davis, B.S. ......................................................................................... Idaho
Falls, Idaho
Mark Davis, B.S. .............................................................................................. Batesville,
Arkansas
Kristin Michelle DeHaven, B.S., B.A. .............................................................. Hoisington,
Kansas
Amanda Rae Dellinger, B.S. .................................................................................. Dublin,
Georgia
Sarah Suzanne Denman, B.S. ............................................................................. DeWitt,
Arkansas
Kathryn Naomi Dowdy, B.S. .......................................................................... Carriere, Mississippi
Matthew L. Dugger, B.S. .......................................................................... Madisonville, Kentucky
Melissa Dawn Farley, B.S. ............................................................................ Wayne,
West Virginia
Jaclynn Rose Fisher, B.S. ....................................................................................... Muenster,
Texas
Ashley Ayn Fortney, B.S. ........................................................................... Lawrenceville,
Georgia
Alisha Marie Freyberger, B.S. .................................................................................. Jasper,
Indiana
Aaron Bishop Glass, B.S. ................................................................................ Elon,
North Carolina
William Brian Guice, B.S. ............................................................................. Little
Rock, Arkansas
Emily Lynn Halbur, B.S. .............................................................................................. Ames,
Iowa
Tressie Carol Hall, B.S. ........................................................................... Bogue
Chitto, Mississippi
Jennifer Lee Anne Haverkamp, B.G.S. .................................................................. Wichita,
Kansas
Marc Sacha Helmy, B.S. ................................................................................ Cocoa
Beach, Florida
Lauren Denae Henson, B.A. .............................................................................. Sweetwater,
Texas
Kyle Hiatt
................................................................................................................... Payson,
Utah
Lesley Katherine Horan, B.A. .................................................................................. Manson,
Iowa
Alette Patrece Howard, B.E. .......................................................................... Memphis,
Tennessee
Claire S. Hunter, B.S. ............................................................................. Davidson,
North Carolina
Nadine Molly Hynes, B.S. ..................................................... St.
Philip’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Erin Atwater Jackson, B.S., B.A. .......................................................... Burlington,
North Carolina
Julia Rebecca Meyer Jackson, B.S. ...................................................................... Wynne,
Arkansas
Melinda D. Johnson, B.S. .............................................................................. Shreveport,
Louisiana
Narges
Kasraie, B.S. ........................................................................................ Jonesboro,
Arkansas
Marzuka Khan Jalal, B.S. ........................................................................ New
Britain, Connecticut
William Freese Kimmer, B.S. ........................................................................... Batesville,
Arkansas
Kyle J. Klika, B.S. .......................................................................................... Greenleaf,
Wisconsin
Sarah Elizabeth Langan, B.S. ............................................................................. Norfolk,
Nebraska
Sara Ruth Langer, B.S., B.S.Ed. ..................................................................... Syracuse,
New York
Lana Dee Lewis, B.S. ....................................................................................... Corinth,
Mississippi
Alissa Renae Long, B.S. ............................................................................................... Essex,
Iowa
Lynn Ann Lowell, B.S. ....................................................................................... Fort
Worth, Texas
Jill Lynn Magargee, B.S. ................................................................................ Brandon,
Mississippi
Jennifer Kragenbrink Mallory ......................................................................... Columbia,
Tennessee
Alyssa E. Markowitz, M.S., B.E.S. ......................................................... Toronto,
Ontario, Canada
Dustin Eugene Martin, B.S. .................................................................................... Wichita,
Kansas
Miranda W. Maynard, B.S. ................................................................................ Tupelo,
Mississippi
James B.
McDaniel, B.S. ......................................................................................... Houston,
Texas
Shemeeka
L. McFadden, B.S. .................................................................. Florence,
South Carolina
Robert C. McGarvey, Jr., M.S., B.S. ......................................................... Chattanooga,
Tennessee
Robin Stevenson McKeel, M.S., B.S. .................................................... New
Bern, North Carolina
Jerad Lee Meinke, B.S. ...................................................................................... Lincoln,
Nebraska
Amanda Lee Miller, B.S. ................................................................................... Wellington,
Kansas
Janet
Lynn Monaco, B.S. ........................................................................ Columbia,
South Carolina
Michelle Kathleen Mumford, B.S................................................................... Knoxville,
Tennessee
Emily Kathryn Nail, B.A. .................................................................................. Tupelo,
Mississippi
Emily Jean Naugle, B.S..................................................................................... Marshalltown,
Iowa
Aarti Nayar, B.S. ..................................................................................... Calgary,
Alberta, Canada
Jaymini Nayee, B.S................................................................................................. Atlanta,
Georgia
Christy M. Neeley, B.S. ................................................................................... Jonesboro,
Arkansas
Ryan Wesley Nelson, B.A. ......................................................................................... Marion,
Iowa
Xuandao Lam Nguyen, B.S............................................................................. Memphis,
Tennessee
Lisa Dianne Niven, B.S.......................................................................................... Milan,
Tennessee
Elizabeth Gay Nordtvedt, B.S. ................................................................... Brownsville,
Tennessee
Kimberly Lewis Oncavage, B.A. ........................................................... Whiteville,
North Carolina
Matthew Steven Owens, M.B.A., B.S........................................................... St.
Augustine, Florida
Cara J. Patterson, B.S. .................................................................................. Forrest
City, Arkansas
William Donald Pentecost, B.S. ...................................................................... Memphis,
Tennessee
Tracy Burnett Phillips, B.S. ....................................................................... Philadelphia,
Mississippi
Samuel James Presley, B.S. ................................................................................... Tulsa,
Oklahoma
Alicia Kaye Price, B.S. ........................................................................................ Deville,
Louisiana
Craig John Quintal, B.S. ............................................................................ New
Orleans, Louisiana
Ionut Radu, B.S. ............................................................................................. Tuscaloosa,
Alabama
Dorian Max Rammell, B.S..................................................................................... Blackfoot,
Idaho
Daniel Franklin Reames, B.S.................................................................... Charlotte,
North Carolina
John Michael Reed, B.S. ..................................................................................... Forest,
Mississippi
Carolanne Hope Roach, B.S. ................................................................. Oklahoma
City, Oklahoma
Lee William Robertson, B.S. ........................................................................................ Ely,
Nevada
Kevin Rogers, B.S...................................................................................... Baton
Rouge, Louisiana
Matthew Allen Schekirke .................................................................................. Bellevue,
Nebraska
Amir Mohamed Shama, B.S........................................................................ Los
Angeles, California
Ann Hardin Shaw, B.B.A........................................................................... Baton
Rouge, Louisiana
Shannon Franklin Shelley, B.S. ...................................................................... Crossville,
Tennessee
Lindsay Lorraine Slemp, B.S. ...................................................................... Church
Hill, Tennessee
Christopher Allen Smith, B.S. ................................................................................ Parsons,
Kansas
Jordan Dewitt Smith, B.S. ............................................................................ Jamestown,
Tennessee
Andrea Nicole Steele, B.S. ................................................................................ Fairbury,
Nebraska
Jodi Hayley Streich, B.S. ................................................................................. Wichita
Falls, Texas
Ann Morgan Tarter, B.S. ........................................................................ Campbellsville,
Kentucky
William Teague, B.A. ......................................................................... Tobaccoville,
North Carolina
Christopher Robert Testa ............................................................................... Rochester,
New York
Amy Lynn Thomas, B.S. ........................................................................... Newton,
North Carolina
Amanda Trudeau Townsend, B.S. .................................................................... Sallisaw,
Oklahoma
Melissa
Dianne Turner, B.S. .......................................................................... Muskogee,
Oklahoma
Susan
Andrea Waller, B.S. ............................................................................ Cookeville,
Tennessee
Brandon Wayne Walley, B.S. ......................................................................... Madison,
Mississippi
Casey Austin Wells, B.S. ...................................................................................... Manila,
Arkansas
Stephen Matthew Wetick, B.S. ....................................................................... Memphis,
Tennessee
David Burke Whitemarsh, B.S. ..................................................................... Puyallup,
Washington
Jeffrey Ryan Wiedrich, B.S. ............................................................................... Lincoln,
Nebraska
Justin Carrol Wilkins, B.S. .................................................................................... Glen,
Mississippi
Lauren Parrish Williams, B.S. .................................................................... Sanford,
North Carolina
Melinda Sue Williams, B.S.......................................................................... Junction
City, Arkansas
Benjamin Christopher Winters, B.S................................................................ Spokane,
Washington
Bret D. Wise, B.S................................................................................................... Emporia,
Kansas
Dina Ala Witko, B.S....................................................................... St.
Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Lauren S. Woodworth, B.S......................................................................... Raleigh,
North Carolina
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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