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. 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.