SCO News

A message from Dr. Richard W. Phillips, SCO President:

This year proved to be momentous and historic for the college in all that we accomplished, from beginning work on our new academic facility to earning re-accreditation. Thanks to everyone who supported our institution and the profession.

At this season of giving, we're grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our students, patients and alumni. Your support of SCO helps turn these opportunities into achievements.

"Peace on earth" begins with the peace we have with one another. Let us each wish that hope, peace and contentment be a part of the lives of our colleagues and their families.

We hope you enjoy this short video below highlighting some of the ways that the SCO family spent 2012 serving others.

 

Designation ensures college’s accreditation through 2022

Southern College of Optometry recently earned re-accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commissions on Colleges (SACS-COC). The accreditation will last for 10 years, through 2022.

SCO received word during the annual SACS-COC meeting in Dallas, following re-accreditation earlier in the year from the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), the accreditation organization that oversees optometric education.

“The accreditation process is not easy, and I’m so proud of the SCO community for their hard work,” said Dr. Richard Phillips, president of SCO. “This news affirms our commitment to leading the nation for optometric education, and is a positive reflection of the forward-thinking commitment to quality and leadership demonstrated by our administration, faculty, staff and students.”

The accreditation process ensures that SCO maintains a clearly defined mission, succeeds in educating its students to prepare them for work as optometrists and meets all established criteria during external reviews. The designation ensures that SCO students will have access to federal financial aid dollars and to various internship and externship programs reserved for students of accredited institutions.

SCO is one of only 21 optometry colleges in the nation. Founded in 1932 in Memphis, the college awards the post-graduate, four-year optometry degree to approximately 130 optometric physicians each year. The college is currently constructing a $9.4 million new classroom and academic project at its midtown Memphis campus.

^{About Southern College of Optometry
Southern College of Optometry was established in Memphis, Tenn., in 1932. SCO is an independent, not-for-profit institution of higher education with more than 500 students and residents from 40 states. The Eye Center at SCO serves nearly 80,000 patients annually, helping make the college one of the top in the nation for clinical optometric education. SCO’s Community Outreach Program reaches more than 12,000 children through vision screenings provided annually to Shelby County students in public, private and charter schools. For more information on SCO, please visit www.sco.edu.}

At its fall meeting, Southern College of Optometry’s Board of Trustees named three new members to the board. Jarrett Johnson, OD ’90, pictured at top left, was named board chair.

The new board members include:

Ryan Powell, OD ’02, pictured lower left, practices in Kansas City, Missouri. Owner of Insight Eyecare Specialties, he is an adjunct faculty member and has been active on SCO’s Alumni Council and on several state and national optometry committees. He served six years as a trustee for the Northwest Missouri Optometric Society and has served as InfantSEE State Liaison in Missouri since 2005. He also is a member of the American Optometric Association’s InfantSEE committee. He served as President of the Missouri Optometric Association in 2009-10 and currently serves on the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence Steering Committee at SCO. He was named Optometrist of the Year in 2008 by his state association.

Al Spivey III, OD ’67, pictured top right, owner of Spivey Eye Clinic in McKenzie, Tennessee. Also an adjunct SCO faculty member, he is a past president of the Northwest Tennessee Optometric Association. He is a member of the American Optometric Association, the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians, Northwest Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians, and American Foundation for Vision Awareness. A member of the Tennessee Academy of Optometry, he’s chaired a number of committees at the state association level and is a past member of the National Board of Optometry Part III Council and National Board Optometry Clinical Skills Committee. In addition to serving on SCO’s Alumni Council Board, he was a 2011 recipient of SCO’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Leticia W. Towns, FACHE, pictured lower right, is senior vice president, external relations, for the Regional Medical Center of Memphis, a multi-state healthcare resource providing healthcare throughout a five-state region within 150 miles of Memphis. She has more than 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors and has served in senior executive roles in community not-for-profit, rural and urban academic delivery settings in Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Certified in healthcare management, she is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), a Delegate on the American Hospital Association (AHA) Regional Policy Board 4, and a member of the AHA Metropolitan Section Governing Council Nominating Committee.

_{About Southern College of Optometry
Southern College of Optometry was established in Memphis, Tenn., in 1932. SCO is an independent, not-for-profit institution of higher education with more than 500 students and residents from 40 states. The college’s clinical programs serve nearly 80,000 patients annually, helping make SCO one of the top colleges in the nation for clinical optometric education. SCO’s Community Outreach Program reaches more than 12,000 children through vision screenings provided annually to Shelby County students in public, private and charter schools. For more information on SCO, please visit www.sco.edu.}

Southern College of Optometry has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Assisi Foundation to support the college’s "Envision Our Progress" campaign and the $9.4 million academic building project that was announced in March 2012. The grant, which will be paid in a single lump sum before the end of the year, is the second major gift to the school’s campaign in as many months.

"The Assisi Foundation’s confidence in our vision to lead the profession of optometry by enhancing our academic facilities is a statement to SCO and our hard work and continuing success," said Dr. Richard W. Phillips, president of SCO. "This second major gift reinforces what we already know - for 80 years, optometry students have come to Memphis for a top quality education. The Assisi Foundation’s support will strengthen our ability to continue to recruit top students and encourage interdisciplinary work between Memphis’ health care professions."

The grant, which comes on the heels of a $300,000 grant from the Plough Foundation in September, will support SCO’s academic expansion efforts. Announced in March, the expansion plans include a 23,016-square-foot classroom and instructional facility under construction on the school’s former patio space. The college made plans to expand after outgrowing its current 11-story tower. The new facility, made possible in part by support from the Assisi Foundation, is expected to open in August 2013 and will allow SCO to expand its technology and instructional capabilities.

"SCO is such an asset to the Memphis health care and higher education communities," said Dr. Jan Young, executive director of the Assisi Foundation. "The Assisi board is happy to pledge their support to expanding SCO’s already impressive reach to improve optometric education."

In conjunction with the March announcement of the expansion, SCO launched a five-year $4 million capital campaign to finance the project. An advance phase has raised over $2.25 million, and grants from the Plough and Assisi Foundations have provided the school with an additional $550,000 in funding. SCO’s board of trustees will finance the remainder of the project through investments and cost-savings measures over the five-year period. 

^{About the Assisi Foundation: The Assisi Foundation of Memphis, Inc. serves nonprofit organizations that work to improve Memphis and the Mid-South. Through the foundation’s partnerships, it addresses pressing challenges while searching for root causes with the goal of creating community-wide transformation. The Assisi Foundation’s focus areas include health and human services; education and literacy; social justice and ethics; and cultural enrichment and the arts. For more information, visit www.assisifoundation.org.}

^{About Southern College of Optometry: Southern College of Optometry was established in Memphis, Tenn., in 1932. SCO is an independent, not-for-profit institution of higher education with more than 500 students and residents from 40 states. The college’s clinical programs serve nearly 80,000 patients annually, helping make SCO one of the top colleges in the nation for clinical optometric education. SCO’s Community Outreach Program reaches more than 12,000 children through vision screenings provided annually to Shelby County students in public, private and charter schools. For more information on SCO, please visit www.sco.edu.}  

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. Many student scholarships were made possible through the generous and consistent financial support of SCO alumni to the Annual Fund and the Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Among those recognized:

Military Services Scholarships

U.S. Air Force: Megan Kortum ’13, Marc Musto ’15
U.S. Army: Derek Black, ’13, Todd Christensen ’14, Amy Combs ’14, Andrew Loudon ’14, Diana Pust ’13
U.S. Navy: Katherine Allen ’16, Jordan Paul ’14

Class Scholarships
The following Endowed Class Scholarships recognize outstanding leadership and professionalism by members of the Classes of 2013, 2014, and 2015.

Classes of ’54, ’56, ’59 Scholarship ($1,000): Christina Grosshans ’14
Classes of ’60, ’61, ’63 Scholarship ($1,000): Aja Kimrey ’15
Classes of ’64, ’65, ’66 Scholarship ($1,000): Stacey Hoins ’14
Classes of ’67, ’68, ’69 Scholarship ($1,000): Kaila Egan ’13
Classes of ’70, ’71, ’74 Scholarship ($2,000): David Hite ’13
Class of 1977 Scholarship ($2,000): Brittany Radke ’13
Class of 1978 Scholarship ($1,000): Lekha Samuel ’14, Ashley Ballard ’14
Class of 1984 Scholarship ($1,000): Justin Jackman ’13, Christopher Prough ’14
Class of 1997 Jimmy Sheridan Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Keri Cassels ’14
Class of 2001 Scott Whitaker Memorial Scholarship ($1,000): Adam Young ’14

Alumni and Friends Scholarships:
SCO alumni and friends generously support and recognize academic accomplishments and leadership within the student body. As such, the following endowed scholarships and awards have been established in support of SCO students.

Rosemore Family Endowed Scholarship ($2,000): Jennifer Henry ’13, Ashley Gentrup ’13, Stephanie Lew ’14
National Board of Examiners in Optometry Award ($500): Nathan Rock ’13, Robyn Christenson ’13
Mauldin Family Scholarship ($1,000): Sara Faulkenberry ’13
James and Edna Duncan Award ($500): Kathryn Huebner ’14
Alumni Council Endowed Scholarship ($1,000): Heather Jones ’13
Dr. Allan and Mrs. Susan Barker Endowed Scholarship ($2,000): Erinn Tolomei ’14
Dr. Freddy Wilfred Chang Endowed Scholarship ($1,000): Nathan Rock ’13
W. David Sullins Endowed Scholarship for Leadership ($1,000): Scott Matthews ’13
Dr. Charles L. Haine Human Physiology Endowed Award ($1,000): Andrew Brown ’15
Wayne W. Pyeatt Endowed Scholarship ($2,000): Robyn Christensen ’13
Peggy Remke Memorial Endowed Scholarship ($2,000): Kyle Kragenbrink ’13
Dr. John A. Gazaway Endowed Scholarship ($1,000): Samuel Johnson ’13
Kansas Alumni Endowed Scholarship ($1,000): Brandon Hadel ’14

State and Professional Association Scholarships

Kentucky Optometric Association Scholarship ($1,000): Amanda Phelps ’13, Canaan Montgomery ’14
Michigan Foundation for Vision Awareness Scholarship ($4,000): Heather Jones ’13
Mississippi Optometric Association Scholarship, honoring Dr. William E. Cochran ($1,000): Aubrey Fulton ’13
Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians Scholarship ($1,000): Jennifer Elder ’13
The Virginia Lindsey Lions Leadership Award: Ellen Elmore ’13

Corporate Partners and Ophthalmic Industry

OneSight Research Foundation Dr. Stanley Pearle Scholarship ($2,000): Ellen Elmore ’13, Janine Henry ’13
Review of Optometry Award ($500): Meaghan Horton ’14
Walman Optical Company Award ($1,800): Lucas Cook ’14, Heather Jones ’13, Samantha Triplett ’14
J. Pat Cummings Scholarship ($1,000): Catherine Kerr-Niermann ’13
Vision Service Plan Scholarships ($4,000): Nora Cothran ’13, Ellen Elmore ’13
UPS Scholarships ($2,400): Ashley Helton ’13
Wal-Mart Scholarship ($1,000): Jordan Rothlisberger ’15, Jenna Hall ’14, Landon Brewer ’13
Wal-Mart Project Foresight Team Award ($16,500): Justin Jackman ’13, Joshua Watt ’13
Precision Optical Laboratories Endowed Scholarships ($2,000): Janine Henry ’13, Allison Lyerly ’13
Ocular Instruments Award (Product Certificate): Elena Lopez ’15, Susan Evans ’14, Megan Johnson ’13
Welch Allyan Co. Award (Panoptic Ophthalmoscope): Emily Evans ’15
Heine USA Award (Hand-Held Slit Lamp): Sara Myers ’13
Keeler Instruments Award (Combi Retinoscope): Barbara Jodoin ’15

Basic Science and Clinical Science Awards

1st Year Basic Science Awards:

• Andrew Brown
• Alison Bozung
• Jacob Dufour
• Elizabeth Fioravanti
• Michelle Glass
• Aja Kimrey
• Jacob Muller
• Michael Richardson
• Scott Ronhovde
• Jessica Taylor

1st Year Clinical Science Awards:

• Emily Evans
• Craig Hossenlopp
• Barbara Jodoin
• Aja Kimrey
• Kaitlin Mayo
• Jacob Muller
• Cody Patterson
• Jessica Taylor
• Michael Wiles
• Kaeleen Zink

2nd Year Basic Science Awards

• Bret Butterfield
• Stacey Hoins
• Lucas Cook
• Micah Juedes
• Anna Lammers
• Christina Grosshans
• Nathan Stahr
• Sarah Thompson
• Erinn Tolomei
• Douglas Wright

2nd Year Clinical Science Awards:

• Leah Beckman
• Robert Botts
• Andrew Bradbury
• Savannah Brunt
• Keri Cassels
• Ross Chatwin
• Susan Evans
• Daniel Foster
• Erinn Tolomei
• Ashley Varakalayil

3rd Year Clinical Skills Awards ($1,000)
Given in memory of former faculty member, Dr. Robert L. Henry

• Jennifer Allee
• Kathryn Barberic
• Nora Cothran
• Ellen Elmore
• Jessica Elmore
• Aubrey Fulton
• Ashley Gentrup
• Lauren Krawczyk
• Sara Myers
• Diana Pust

Faculty of the Year (2011-12)

BSK Teacher of the Year Awards
Didactic: Dr. Scott Ensor
Clinic: Dr. William Kress

Class of 2015
Didactic: Dr. John Mark Jackson
Clinic: Dr. Carrie Lebowitz

Class of 2014
Didactic: Dr. Scott Ensor
Clinic: Dr. William Kress

Class of 2013
Didactic: Dr. Jared Powelson
Clinic: Dr. William Kress

Burnett Faculty Recognition Award
Established by Charlene Burnett, OD ’83, and Fred Burnett, OD ’80, in recognition of an outstanding faculty member as selected by his or her peers.
Dr. John Mark Jackson

Board of Trustees Resolution
Samuel Johnson, ’13

President’s Special Recognition Awards
Given by SCO’s President in recognition of exemplary service to the college.
Staff: Ken Coble
Faculty: Dr. Jennifer Sanderson

Lifetime Achievement Award
Nathan Ford, OD ’50, is an East Tennessee native who joined the Navy at age 17 during World War II. Following his graduation from SCO, he became his county’s first full-time optometrist. A devoted advocate for education, he was elected at age 27 to his local school board, and several years later, he was elected to four terms in the Tennessee legislature. The practice he started in 1950 later recruited SCO graduates from the Classes of 1961, 1981, 1995 and 2010. Although Dr. Ford retired in 1990, his practice continues through the car of his fellow alumni. In his community he has served as Director of the Chamber of Commerce, on the board of the local hospital and as a bank director. In 1980, he was named Tennessee’s Optometrist of the Year.

Young Alumni Award
Kelly Kerksick, OD ’02, founded Midwest Vision Care in Columbia, Illinois following her graduation. She serves as a Key Opinion Leader for Bausch & Lomb and Vistakon. In addition to lecturing internationally on a variety of subjects, she serves as chief editor for New O.D., an online optometric publication. She also serves on the advisory panel for Optometric Management and has been published in a number of publications, including the Wall Street Journal. She has served as a clinical examiner for the National Board of Optometry and as a faculty member for The Vision Care Institute in Jacksonville, Florida. She also serves as Director of Professional Services for Vision Source, a premier organization for ODs in private practice.

Class of 2016 members who received their white coats:

• Katherine Allen
• Alex Amann
• Jennifer Anderson
• Brittney Angelo
• Katherine Araiza-Brown
• Feyisayo Aworunse
• Caroline Babb
• Erin Bales
• Craig Baxter
• Brennan Berwald
• Steven Blake
• Marie Bolin
• Matthew Boswell
• Joseph Brewer
• Daniel Brigham
• Eric Brinkley
• Mitchell Brown
• Natalie Brown
• Michael Buchanan
• Lindsey Burdick
• Jamison Carr
• Samantha Carter
• Frank Carusone
• Adeline Chan
• Hunter Chapman
• Inen Cheng
• Lindsay Chitwood
• Lee Compton
• Christopher Connor
• Halie Cottrill
• Jansi Damarla
• Shalini Dave
• Kevin Davis
• Samantha Devlin
• Jaimen Dixon
• Brooke Dugas
• William Dunnam
• Erica Durlacher
• Emily Edwards
• Stephen Ellison
• Gabriel Fickett
• Anthony Fioravanti
• Trenton Gaasch
• Dominique Garcia-Robles
• Danielle Gretz
• Angela Haas
• Dahlia Haddad
• Kristin Hammill
• Hong-Ngoc Han
• Christopher Harlan
• Blake Hayden
• Matthew Hennen
• Hannah Holtorf
• James Hoover
• Lindsey Hubert
• Joanna Hull
• Gregory Johnson
• Stephanie Johnson
• Sarah Jones
• Joseph Kelly
• Jessica Kenney
• Rachel Kenney
• Tyler Kitzman
• Christopher Kowalski
• Leah Lentz
• Lauren Lusardi
• Adam Malik
• Tabitha Margritz
• Chalise Maybee
• Spencer McConkie
• Darah McDaniel
• Scott McIntosh
• Kirsten McKnight
• Marla McNutt
• Courtney Melchione
• Winn Meredith
• William Mitchell
• Devon Morris
• Jacob Mortemore
• Andrew Neighbors
• Taylor Neumann
• Haley Nguyen
• Elizabeth Nicksick
• Brett O’Connor
• Logan Oliver
• Dillon Ott
• Enrique Palacios
• William Parsley
• Michael Pegg
• Monica Perry
• Tram Pham
• Robert Phyfer
• Michael Polo
• Kay Powell
• Will Price
• Jamin Quilla
• Shaleen Ragha
• Alexandra Reid
• Christen Rice
• Katie Richardson
• Jonathan Routon
• Christine Sager
• Whitney Seltman
• Karan Shah
• Ruhina Shemna
• Megan Shirey
• Kelly Short
• Andrew Shum
• Amy Sickman
• Brenton Smith
• Jennyffer Smith
• Megan Stanford
• Anna Stephenson
• Gregory Stewart
• Gerald Stinson
• Kyle Stott
• Jamie Taylor
• Danyetta Thomas
• Emy Thompson
• Ryan Tieu
• Ashley Toland
• Preslee Trammell
• Christina Ulrich
• Kara Vitus
• Chelsea Wahl
• Julia Wall
• Rebecca Wenig
• Ryan Wilkerson
• Lauren Wood
• Hillary Yungblut

Photos from Convocation are being added to SCO’s Photo Galleries. A DVD of the ceremony may be ordered directly from Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church by calling (901) 722-6222.