Director of Publications

jhollifield@sco.edu

Southern College of Optometry Awards 119 Doctor of Optometry Degrees

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (May 2, 2008) – Southern College of Optometry (SCO) honored its 119 graduates in the Class of 2008 with the college’s 23^rd Annual Student Awards Banquet.

Held the evening of Thursday, May 1 prior to the next day’s formal commencement ceremony, the event saw more than 600 people, including family and friends, in attendance.

SCO President Richard W. Phillips welcomed the gathering, while Dr. Rob Drescher emceed as the master of ceremonies. Drew Shelley, the minister husband of 2008 graduate Shannon Shelley, delivered the invocation.

Kimberly Lewis Oncavage, president of the senior class, signed a class scholarship agreement for the Class of 2008. She also recognized the Class of 2008’s teacher of the year, Dr. John Sharpe, with a plaque from her class.

Members of SCO Awards Committee included Drs. Aaron Kerr, Kristin Anderson, Betty Harville and Glen Steele. More than $20,000 in awards was made possible by businesses, companies and individuals. Representatives of Eschenbach, Essilor America/Southern Optical, Odyssey, Marchon and Vistakon were in attendance and on hand to present their companies’ awards.

Graduates were recognized for academic achievements and scholarship. Those honored during the ceremony included:

· Gold Key membership, the highest leadership honor attainable by an optometry student: Jenny Alsop, Kristen Bryant, Claire Hunter, Lynn Lowell, Jerad Meinke, Emily Naugle, Jaymini Nayee, Kimberly Oncavage, Matthew Schekirke, Shannon Shelley, Christopher Smith, Brandon Walley

· Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges: Cory Boudreaux, Wayne Connell, Matt Dugger, Alisha Freyberger, Kristin DeHaven, Lesley Horan, Claire Hunter, Lynn Lowell, Robert McGarvey, Jerad Meinke, Amanda Miller, Emily Nail, Emily Naugle, Jaymini Nayee, Ryan Nelson, Kimberly Oncavage, John Reed, Carolanne Roach, Lee Robertson, Matthew Schekirke, Shannon Shelley, Christopher Smith, Ann Tarter, David Whitemarsh

· Beta Sigma Kappa silver medal for academic achievement: Kristin DeHaven

· NBEO Part II award of $1,000 and plaque to senior with the highest score on this portion of the National Boards: Kristin DeHaven

· Valedictorian: Kristen DeHaven; Salutatorian: Jennifer Mallory

· Student Ambassadors: Matt Dugger, Lesley Horan, Lynn Lowell, Robert McGarvey, Jerad Meinke, Janet Monaco, Jaymini Nayee, Ryan Nelson, Kimberly Oncavage, Stephen Wetick

· Southern Optical ($400 Award): Lana Lewis

· Essilor CRIZAL Award of Excellence: Cory Boudreaux

· Vistakon/American Optometric Foundation Vistakon Award of Excellence in Contact Lens patient Care ($1,000 Award and Plaque): Casey Wells

· G.T. Laboraties, Inc. (GP Fitting Set): Dustin Martin

· GP Lens Institute’s Contact Lens Clinical Excellence Award ($500 value): Becca Jackson

· X-Cel Contacts Outstanding GP Fitting ($250 award): Aarti Nayar

· Southwest Contact Lens Society ($2,000 Scholarship): Narges Kasraie

· LS&S Group Pocket Magnifier Assortment: Andrea Beedles

· NoIR Low Vision Award ($450 value): Lisa Niven

· Eschenbach Low Vision Student Award ($1,300 value): Melinda Johnson

· Designs for Visions, Inc. William Feinbloom Low Vision Award Plaque and Clear Image II Diagnostic Set ($2,000 value): Michelle Mumford

· Marchon Eyewear Practice Management Award ($1,000 grant and plaque): Ben Winters

· Alcon Case Study Scholarship Award ($1,000 scholarship and plaque): Aarti Nayar

· Southern Council of Optometrists Clinical Excellence ($1,000 scholarship): Lauren Williams

· Dr. Bernard L. Kahn $2,000 Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Sara Ruth Langer

· American Optometric Association Award ($1,450): Lynn Lowell

· Wal-mart $1,000 awards for academic and clinical performance: Kristin DeHaven and Ashley Blasi

· Bausch and Lomb ($1,000 award): Lesley Horan

· Ocular Instruments, Inc. Award of Excellence ($400 value): Emily Nail

· Odyssey Medical Partners in Optometry Award ($325 value): Matt Schekirke and Chris Smith

· Eagle Vision Super Eagle Practice Builder’s Kit ($485 value): Alisha Freyberger

· College of Optometrists in Vision Development Excellence in Vision Therapy plaque: Ben Winters

· Stereo Optical Co., Inc. Borish Vectrographic Near Point Card ($175 value): Carolanne Roach

· Outstanding Clinician Award recipients: Ashley Blasi, Kristin DeHaven, Lesley Horan, Narges Kasraie, Lynn Lowell, Michelle Mumford, Emily Nell, Casey Wells, Ben Winters

· Ooh La La de Paris Award ($2,000 value): Ryan Nelson

· Drs. Fred and Charlene Burnett Award for outstanding scholarship in the area of student research ($1,000): Ashley Brooks

· Dr. David P. Sloan Memorial Award ($300): Emily Naugle

· Bays Family Service Award ($400): Emily Nail

· Spirit Award, given to a senior who has shown great poise and determination ($750): Shannon Shelley

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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