Southern College of Optometry honored outstanding achievement by students, faculty, and staff at the college’s 35th annual Fall Awards Program on Wednesday, September 15. Award recipients were invited to receive their awards in person, with the program livestreamed and recorded for those who could not attend.
Because of the generosity of alumni, employees, ophthalmic partners, and other friends, the college presented students with more than $95,000 in scholarship and awards.
Inaugural awards included the Dr. Deborah Moy (’84) Theia VT/Low Vision Award and the Dr. Alicia Groce Scholarship in Neuro-Rehabilitation. Dr. Groce, who was recently diagnosed with ALS, was in attendance for the ceremony.
A program PDF is available here:
A video recording of the ceremony is available here:
Awards list:
2020-21 Faculty of the Year Awards
CLASS OF 2022
CLINICAL: Dr. David Hall
DIDACTIC: Dr. Stephen Wetick ’01
CLASS OF 2023
CLINICAL: Dr. Esla Speth ’10
DIDACTIC: Dr. Scott Ensor ’01
CLASS OF 2024
CLINICAL: Dr. Laurel Kelley ’18
DIDACTIC: Dr. John Mark Jackson ’99
BSK TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
CLINICAL: Dr. Esla Speth ’10
DIDACTIC: Dr. Scott Ensor ’01
Voted on by the faculty, the Burnett Faculty Recognition Award was awarded to Dr. Lindsay Elkins, ’07, in recognition of her leadership to assist faculty, especially during the pandemic’s challenges.
STUDENT AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Basic Science and Clinical Science
1ST YEAR CLINICAL SCIENCE AWARDS (Plaque)
- Lauren Dole ’24
- Mallory Gilmer ’24
- Emma Panning ’24
- Tori Pierce ’24
- Weronika Przepiora ’24
- Spencer Robertson ’24
- Patrick Schultz ’24
- Samantha Thompson ’24
- Nithya Vemula ’24
- Paige Willett ’24
1ST YEAR BASIC SCIENCE AWARDS (Plaque)
- Austin Brian ’24
- Tanner Harsin ’24
- Morgan Heimes ’24
- Minyoung Kim ’24
- Kellianne Lambert ’24
- Laura Niederbrach ’24
- Katelyn Perez ’24
- Jessica Scheid ’24
- Kate Stubbs ’24
- Mallory Wright ’24
2ND YEAR CLINICAL SCIENCE AWARDS (Plaque)
- Ethan Gerstein ’23
- Laurel Heskett ’23
- Seth Jones ’23
- Will Kreuser ’23
- Phaedra Lipsey ’23
- Matthew Schroeder ’23
- Karrie Sestak ’23
- Julia Sewell ’23
- Caroline Sutton ’23
- Sarah Thrower ’23
2ND YEAR BASIC SCIENCE AWARDS (Plaque)
- Gabrielle Crockett ’23
- Angelina Dang ’23
- Aleece Dietz ’23
- Laurel Heskett ’23
- Seth Jones ’23
- Will Kreuser ’23
- Molly McNally ’23
- Carlee Nestrud ’23
- Adam Reichert ’23
- Caroline Sutton ’23
3RD YEAR CLINICAL SKILLS AWARDS (Plaque)
- Andrew Barrows ’22
- Salman Bhatti ’22
- Matt Bills ’22
- Miranda Brafford ’22
- Katherine Boone ’22
- Jordan Collins ’22
- Andrew Dahl ’22
- Blade Grupe ’22
- Ben Lee ’22
- Braden Sorensen ’22
Military Services Scholarships
U.S. AIR FORCE: Tanner Harsin ’24
U.S. ARMY: Karli Boober ’23
U.S. NAVY: Joshua Aldridge ’25
Class Scholarships
CLASSES OF ’54, ’56, ’59 SCHOLARSHIP: Abigail Klick ’22
CLASSES OF ’60, ’61, ’63 SCHOLARSHIP: Andrew B. Murphy ’24
CLASSES OF ’64, ’65, ’66 SCHOLARSHIP: Nicole Wohlfort ’23
CLASSES OF ’68, ’69 SCHOLARSHIP: Haley Bolden ’22
CLASSES OF ’70, ’71, ’74 SCHOLARSHIP: Gabrielle Gafford ’22 and Jacqueline Malish ’23
CLASS OF 1977 SCHOLARSHIP: Gabrielle Magee ’22
CLASS OF 1978 SCHOLARSHIP: Suzanne Falkowski ’22
CLASS OF 1983 SCHOLARSHIP: Nithya Vemula ’24
CLASS OF 1984 SCHOLARSHIP: Tori Pierce ’24
CLASS OF 1986 SCHOLARSHIP: Andrew Sweeter ’24
CLASS OF 1997 JIMMY SHERIDAN MEMORIAL AWARD: Lauren Olmstead ’23
CLASS OF 1999 SCHOLARSHIP: Holly Pederson ’22
CLASS OF 2001 SCOTT WHITAKER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: Richard Milner ’24 and Rachel Swearingen ’23
CLASS OF 2002 SCHOLARSHIP: Madyson Locke ’23
SHAUNA WITT, OD ’01 MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: Sarah Thrower ’23
Alumni and Friends
ALUMNI COUNCIL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Erin Mozingo ’22
CHUCK AND CAROLE ALDRIDGE ENDOWED AWARD: Lindsay Thornton ’22
DR. ALLAN AND MRS. SUSAN BARKER ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Salman Bhatti ’22
DRS. BERGER & MOSCOW FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Katelyn Fleischman ’23
CHARLES A. CALLAWAY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Julie Pan ’22, Onyale Donloe ’22, Andrew Barrows ’22
DR. FREDDY WILFRED CHANG ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Stephania Carreno ’22
JERRY L. CLAY ENDOWED AWARD: Macy Sparks ’22
DR. STAN DICKERSON LEADERSHIP AWARD: Mia Taylor ’22
DRS. DAVID AND CHERRY COCKRELL SCHOLARSHIP: Anna Britt ’23
DR. JOHN A. GAZAWAY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Kamden Badger ’22
DR. ALICIA A. GROCE SCHOLARSHIP IN NEURO-REHABILITATION: Logan Lineberry ’22 and Christopher Frampton ’23
DR. CHARLES L. HAINE HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY ENDOWED AWARD: Tori Pierce ’24
DR. RICHARD L. HOPPING ENDOWED ETHICS AWARD: Edgar Judd ’23
DR. LES MANNING ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Seth Jones ’23
WILLIAM D. MCAFEE, OD ’51 ENDOWED AWARD: Ashlee Hobson ’22
MAULDIN FAMILY MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Nathan Keyes ’22
DR. DEBORAH MOY THEIA VT/LOW VISION AWARD: Allison Wirt ’22
NATIONAL BOARD OF EXAMINERS (PART 1): Nathan Declue ’22
WAYNE W. PYEATT ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Braden Sorensen ’22
DR. MOHAMMAD RAFIEETARY ACADEMIC AND CLINICAL EXCELLENCE AWARD: Molly McNally ’23
DR. LEWIS REICH SCHOLARSHIP: Rachel Steele ’22
PEGGY REMKE MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Ethan Gerstein ’23
ROSEMORE FAMILY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Patrick Schultz ’24, Joanne Nguyen ’23, Rachel Slater ’22, Lauren Dole ’24
DR. JACK SCHAEFFER SCHOLARSHIP: Kendra Raths ’23
W. DAVID SULLINS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FOR LEADERSHIP: Melisa Kalac ’23
KANSAS ALUMNI ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP: Tracie Thibault ’24
State and Professional Associations
AUXILIARY TO THE ARKANSAS OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION: Nathan Baggett ’23
KENTUCKY OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIPS: Amy Cox ’23
MISSISSIPPI OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION, HONORING DR. WILLIAM E. COCHRAN: Charla Darby ’23
DR. WILLIAM H. TOWNSEND SCHOLARSHIP: Nathan Baggett ’23
OPTOMETRY’S CARES – THE AOA FOUNDATION BERNARD MAITENAZ SCHOLARSHIP: Ellilta Mezgebu ’22
OPTOMETRY’S CARES – THE AOA FOUNDATION DR. LARRY J. ALEXANDER SCHOLARSHIP: Aaliyah Cole ’22
Corporate Partners and Ophthalmic Industry
HEINE USA AWARD: Weronika Przepiora ’24
KEELER INSTRUMENTS, INC. AWARD: Mallory Gilmer ’24
OCULAR INSTRUMENTS AWARD: Jacob Allan ’23, Micah Bullock ’22, Lindsey Tillery ’23, Paige Willett ’24
REVIEW OF OPTOMETRY AND THE RICK BAY FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN EYECARE EDUCATION AWARD: Phaedra Lipsey ’23
J. PAT CUMMINGS SCHOLARSHIP: Michelle Yan ’23
VISION SERVICE PLAN SCHOLARSHIPS: Alexandra Turner ’22 and Michael Wagner ’22
WELCH ALLYN CO. AWARD: Spencer Robertson ’24
Photos from 35th annual Fall Awards Program, held on Wednesday, September 15, have been uploaded to SCO's Flickr stream. See them all at: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmWPAkhf
