SCO News

Southern College of Optometry (SCO) held its 27th annual Convocation ceremony on Thursday, October 4 to honor achievement by SCO’s alumni, students, faculty, and staff.   First-year students were formally welcomed into the profession of optometry by receiving their white coats, signing SCO’s academic honor code and reciting the optometric oath for students. Scholarships and other honors totaling nearly $100,000 were awarded in recognition of academic excellence, leadership or service.... Read More

Nathan Ford, OD '50, long-time optometrist and civic leader in Eastern Tennessee, recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Southern College of Optometry (SCO) in Memphis. The highest award bestowed by the college, the award is presented to SCO graduates who have made a lasting impact on the profession of optometry and the lives of their patients. Dr. Ford was presented his award by Richard W. Phillips, OD '78, SCO’s president, during the college’s 27th annual Convocation... Read More

Kelly Kerksick, OD ’02, received the Young Alumni Award from Southern College of Optometry (SCO) during the college’s annual convocation ceremony on Thursday, October 4 in Memphis. The award is presented to SCO alumni who have graduated within the last 10 years and have demonstrated a commitment to service, leadership and support of the college’s mission. Following her graduation from SCO in 2002, Dr. Kerksick founded Midwest Vision Care in Columbia, Illinois. She serves as a Key Opinion... Read More

Newly released numbers from the U.S. Department of Education show that SCO’s graduates are performing exceedingly well in their transition to optometric practice. Student loan cohort default rates for Southern College of Optometry remained at zero percent for the 16th consecutive year. A cohort default rate represents the percentage of a college’s borrowers who have defaulted on their student loans. The national average was 9.1%, up from last year’s rate of 8.8%, yet SCO’s default rate... Read More