photo by matthew styer
J. Mark Snyder ’02 Optometrist Mark Snyder is the primary care resident at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia, where he diagnoses, treats and manages visual and ocular health problems. He also supervises students during their clinical rotations. He is married to Kristy Shellenberger ’02, a physician assistant in a busy urban pediatric clinic.
I stumbled across the field of optometry after needing an eye exam before I headed off on my cross-cultural semester my junior year at EMU. At first I saw myself being a physician, but I became interested in optometry because it allowed me to be specialized and challenged, yet it was widespread in scope – it touches everyone. Also, optometry is rooted in math and physics, two subjects I enjoy very much. My father teaches both subjects at Western Mennonite High School, and both were sort of engrained in me from a young age. I enjoy being able both to use logic and to feel awe and wonderment.
18 | crossroads | summer 2008
www.emu.edu | crossroads | 19