Visions Alumni Magazine - Winter 2025

Visions ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Winter 2025

Rollin’ on the River, Homecoming 2025 PAGE 4

A Lifetime of Achievement

Family Legacy Expands

Volunteer State Impact

Page 6

Page 8

Page 10

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SCO SN

PSHOT

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A M E S S AG E F R O M

Our President

ALUMNI MAGAZINE Winter 2025

Exciting things are underway at

Tennessee to help state legislators

Southern College of Optometry.

understand the importance of

Throughout 2025, we’ve

moving Tennessee forward,

connected with more alumni

particularly with SCO being the

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

and gathered more input and

state’s only optometry college.

SENIOR CREATIVE DESIGNER

SCO students have a 0 percent

for the college’s future. To every

default rate on student loans

graduate and friend of the

for 27 of the last 28 years, so

college who has shared your

we’re making, we appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

That kind of support translates directly to the success of our institution. Our students continue to perform well on national boards, an accomplishment that we’ve achieved without lowering

the success of our graduates LEWIS REICH, OD, PH.D.

continues to demonstrate the

Philip Tribble CREATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR

Melissa Hansbro

classmates and colleagues.

BOARD MEMBERS

Similarly, we hosted alumni

education provides.

throughout the year during visits

Additionally, SCO students

to state association and regional

graduate with about $50,000

meetings, SECO in Atlanta, the

less debt than the national

AOA in Minneapolis, and the

average for optometry students.

Academy meeting in Boston.

That’s in no small part to the generosity you provide through

indicating that SCO is seen as a

prepare our students to practice

We look forward to building

top optometry school of choice

optometry at the highest scope

upon that support in 2026 as

by highly qualified applicants.

of practice possible. To that end,

we work together to solidify

we’ve been working with our

SCO’s strengths in the future.

enjoy networking with students

Erin Jaffe SENIOR CREATIVE PROJECT MANAGER

SCO academic and clinical

gratitude that SCO continues to

and CE Weekend. Our alumni

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL NETWORKING MANAGER

BOARD CHAIR

pipeline remains robust,

at this year’s Fall Homecoming

Jim Hollifield

value and stability that an

Wherever we go, we hear

turnout numbers ever recorded

George Miller, CFRE

and reconnecting with

standards. The recruiting

We had some of the highest

Lewis Reich, OD, PhD VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Susan Doyle

feedback than ever as we plan

ideas or input about the plans

PRESIDENT

own state association here in

scholarships and other support.

Mark R. Kapperman, OD ’87 Allan L. Barker, OD ’75 Renee Brauns Betty Harville Brown, OD Darby Chiasson, OD ’99 Arthur R. Dampier, OD ’97 Anita Davis, PhD Vicki Farmer Charles Glaser, OD ’74 Charles W. Kinnaird, OD James K. Kirchner, OD Jennifer Lyerly, OD ’11 Lynn Shaw, Sr. Stuart Tasman, OD ’80 FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE

Marie Bodack, OD STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE

Emily Gibbons, ’27

Visions is a magazine for alumni, faculty, staff, and other friends of Southern College of Optometry.

It is published through the Office of Institutional Advancement.

A digital version is available online at sco.edu/visions.

Please forward comments, address changes, and contributions to: Institutional Advancement 1245 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104-2222 800-238-0180, ext. 4

sco.edu

SCO’s Class of 2029 gathered for its group photo during Orientation. The class includes 140 students, with a mean GPA of 3.68 and a mean OAT of 332.

southerncollegeofoptometry southerncollegeofoptometry SCOedu

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L O O K I N G B AC K

Homecoming | Fall CE 202 5

One of the highlights this year was the presentation of alumni awards.

Congratulations to Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mark Lynn, OD ’85, and Young Alumni Award recipients Amy Puerto, OD ’15, and Brittany Wright, OD ’15! Look for many more photos from this year’s event on SCO’s website.

Jigna Patel, OD ’15, Aja Kimrey, OD ’15, Amy Puerto, OD ’15, Elena Lopez, OD ‘15, Eleanor Null, OD ’15, Sarah Nabors, OD ’15

Steven Reed, OD ’95, William Reynolds, OD ’85

Edward McDonald, OD ’00, Stacie Moore, OD ’00

John Gallagher, OD ’95, Michael Salinas, OD ’95, Robin Brady, OD ’95, Dave Weitz, OD ’95 Chris Cooper, OD ’97, Shane Talley, OD ’23, Cailey Mokry, OD ’23

Kennetha Wright Manning, OD ’95, Shawn Marable, OD ’95, Marilyn Burich, OD ’95

Sacha Steele, Kurt Steele, OD ’95, Steven Reed, OD ’95, Kendra Reed, Mike McKeever

Evan Jones, ’27, Martin Boudreau, OD, Mathieu Boudreau, ’27, Lana Taylor, ’27

4

Heather Atcherson, OD ’15, Rebecca Briggs Garnier, OD ’15, Amanda Radeke Geary, OD ’15

Michael Jakowitsch, OD ’00, Dr. Lewis Reich

Andrew Qualm, OD ’85, Brian Celico, OD ’85

Meredith Yingling OD ’15, Allyson Thomas OD ’15

Gerald Eisenstatt, OD ’84, George Miller, Glenn Goldring, OD ’78

BRITTANY WRIGHT OD ’15 YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

MARK LYNN OD ’85 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

AMY PUERTO OD ’15 YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

Holton King, OD ’85, Ken Kirkland, OD ’85, Thomas McIntosh, OD ’85, Jeff McClain, OD ’85, Russell Chambless, OD ’85, George Kramer, OD ’86, James Buckner, OD ’85

The Memphis night sky made a perfect backdrop for reunion class photos.

Christina Newman, OD, Elyse Rayborn, OD ’20, Eleanor Null, OD ’15, Chelsea Spalding, OD ’14, Brian Knight, OD ’14, Tyler Roberts, OD ’14

Collin Smith, OD ’15, Janice Fan Smith OD ’15, Fallon Cone OD ’15

Reunion Class of 2005 VISIONS

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5

ALUMNI FOCUS

MARK LYNN, OD ’85

How Hard Work Built a Lifetime of Achievement “If you give back, everybody can benefit,” Lynn says. “If everybody could give back a little, then the whole world benefits.”

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When MARK LYNN, OD ’85, was a second-year student at SCO, he began working multiple jobs to support his wife, Cindy, who was on bedrest during a difficult pregnancy with their first child.

After Friday classes, Lynn drove seven miles south to Graceland, where he served as a night security guard. The next day, Lynn refereed recreational sports games for extra cash.

“You just do what you need to do,” Lynn recalls. “We made it through… not necessarily with the highest grades.”

Four decades later, in September 2025, Lynn received SCO’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his successes in optometry and beyond. Lynn was instrumental in building a massive optometric

serving as a billing specialist, and their son

“But, for a lot of people, it gives a great deal

as chief of operations.

of relief.”

One of the practice’s two Sports Vision

Lynn has known what he wanted to do

and Training centers sits inside Lynn Family

with his life ever since he shadowed an

Stadium, a 15,000-capacity professional

optometrist in the ninth grade. “Optometry

soccer stadium in downtown Louisville.

included all the things I liked,” he says.

(The other sports arena named for the family

“You had math, physics, communication,

is the Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium at

health care, and helping people.”

the University of Louisville.)

SCO was convenient to his family in

A high school tennis player and lifelong

Owensboro, Kentucky, plus it had a great

sports fan, Lynn says he’s always been

reputation. While Lynn spent much of his

interested in how athletes achieve greatness.

time at SCO in “survival mode,” he especially

“What makes one pro athlete better than

enjoyed his days in the clinic.

another?” he says. “Their ability to process

With a young family to support when he

information.”

graduated, Lynn needed a job that paid at

Lynn uses specialized equipment to help

least $40,000 a year. That, he calculated,

athletes retrain the nerve fiber between the eye and the brain, improving the function of their vestibular-ocular system. “Instead of training eye-hand reaction,” he says, “I wanted to explore how the brain works with the eyes and ways to enhance visual field recognition.”

The practice partners with local athletes and professional sports teams, including European soccer clubs, Lynn says. “Soccer

group practice before launching a second act as a sports vision specialist and TBI specialist. Today, the Lynns, who went on to have four children and 17 grandchildren, have two Louisville sports stadiums bearing their family name.

“If you give back, everybody can benefit,” Lynn says. “If everybody could give back a little, then the whole world benefits.”

could keep his brood afloat while he made a dent on his educational debt. When no such job materialized, Lynn was set to join the military. “I had done everything except take the oath,” he says. “Once you take the oath, you’re committed.”

Just as Lynn was getting in the car to go take the oath, Cindy came bursting out of the front door. Someone was on the phone offering a job. “It was pretty much fate,” Lynn says.

is probably the most visually driven sport of

Lynn accepted a position at the Louisville

all, from the size of the pitch to the number of

practice of Lewis Bizer, OD. When Bizer

players to the angles of the ball,” he says. “If

merged with his brother’s Indiana optometry

the eyes don’t align in time and space, you’re

practice, Lynn became chief of staff for

going to have holes in your system. That’s

the large joint venture, handling not only

where optometry comes in.”

optometric duties, but also scheduling, hiring,

Lynn’s work with athletes led him to use the

and other administrative tasks.

same system on other patients who need

The practice grew over the years from two

help with eye-brain misalignment, such as

locations to 19 across three states, and Lynn

those recovering from concussions, falls, car crashes, ear infections, stroke, and even brain tumors.

Lynn recalls treating a paramedic who

These days, Lynn spends most of his time

fractured her skull in the back of an ambu-

in one of the three locations of Lynn Family

lance. Two and a half years post-injury, she

Vision, a “retirement” job since 2021 that

still needed help navigating the threshold

encompasses both general optometry and

of a door. “If your eyes don’t know where

Lynn’s longtime interest in sports vision.

straight ahead is,” he says, “you won’t move

The practice truly is a family endeavor, with

well.” After treatment with Lynn, she’s back to

Cindy handling the finances, a daughter

work. “This isn’t the magic panacea,” he says.

became a partner. He took full ownership of the practice in 1998. When Lynn brought on Eye Care Centers of America as the practice’s business manager, the enterprise exploded to some 90 locations in six states. Lynn sold the practice to VisionWorks in 2021.

“Optometry gives you control of your own world, while being accountable to the next step,” Lynn says. “That’s what makes it still fun today.”

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ALUMNI FOCUS

L I K E FAT H E R , L I K E S O N S :

Edwards Family Expand Mississippi Legacy

HUNTER EDWARDS, OD ’21, and TAYLOR EDWARDS, OD ’22, grew up racing office chairs down the hallways of their father’s optometry practice in north Mississippi.

Now they roam those same halls as doctors, breathing new life into the multi-location family practice that STEVE EDWARDS, OD ’87, purchased some 35 years ago.

“Why would you not practice with family?” Hunter says.

Taylor adds, “We’ve got nothing but trust in our boardroom.”

Their father is relishing his role as the elder statesman and chief donut and coffee purveyor, though he clocks more hours in the office than in his younger days. “I’m actually having more fun than I’ve ever had practicing,” Steve says. “These guys have got aspirations, and that tickles me to death. I’m going to do everything I can to help them.”

Steve Edwards began his optometry career with the purchase of a practice in Water Valley, Mississippi, in 1990, dubbed Tri Lake Eye Clinic.

Fifteen years later, he expanded by founding Holly Springs Eyecare in nearby Marshall County. After “the boys,” as Steve calls them, graduated from SCO, they joined their father and added a third location, purchasing the Senatobia, Mississippi, practice of GLENN GOLDRING, OD ’78, an SCO assistant professor.

The trio have since added

TAYLOR EDWARDS, OD ’22 BAILEY KARGO, OD ’24

STEVE EDWARDS, OD ’87

HUNTER EDWARDS, OD ’21

more locations and renamed the practice Magnolia Eye Group after their state’s flower, SARA THROWER, OD ’23

which represents unity. They also added two SCO alumna doctors to the practice,

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responsible for patients and making sure

where our dad was able to be at every one

we’re taking the best care of them.”

of our football games,” Taylor says. “It was

Legislative advocacy is a focus for the Edwards family, and it also informs their full

Taylor, who studied kinesiology at Troy

the Mississippi Board of Optometry during

University, found a straight path to

the state’s most recent scope expansion,

optometry, while Hunter took a circuitous

optometrist in the state. “We worked so hard to get full scope in Mississippi,” he says. “We all practice to the utmost limits. We’re pretty much jacks of all trades.”

With several practice locations, the family isn’t bumping elbows all week. They have a regular meetup to catch up and plan, Taylor says, then they “get away from each other.”

That space keeps them a happy team. “One of our keys to success is brutal honesty,” Taylor says, “and the fact that you know it’s coming from somebody who truly loves you.”

KARGO, OD ’24. “We don’t just try to hire

Both Hunter and Taylor wore white coats to

SCO students,” Steve says. “We just keep

Career Day, and there’s a photo in the family

being impressed by the students that come

archive of Hunter giving an eye exam to a

through.”

watermelon. Having watched their father, the

Thrower, who rotated through the practice as an extern, is now the fourth practice partner.

“She has risen to every occasion,” Hunter says.

hunting trip.”

scope practice. Steve, who was president of

performed the first laser eye procedure by an

SARAH THROWER, OD ’23, and BAILEY

easy for him to ‘ask off’ to go on a two-week

brothers knew what to expect from a career in optometry. “Dad didn’t have a job,” Taylor says, jokingly. “He got to help people and play.”

route. He studied mechanical engineering at Mississippi State University and worked for GE Aviation. “I was always called back to optometry,” Hunter says. “I’d come home from work and hear how Dad’s day was and think, ‘That would be awesome. I like what I do, but that seems better.’”

Though Steve is a proud SCO alumnus, he didn’t pressure his sons to attend his alma mater. “I want them to be independent thinkers, so we visited other optometry schools” he says. “Taylor played Division 1 football, so we understood the recruiting process. SCO was head and shoulders above the other schools.”

A fourth-year practice strategies and operations course with Goldring gave the brothers a sense of the consequences of their hypothetical practice management decisions, Taylor says, while introducing some friendly competition. “The patient is most important,”

Taylor adds, “She’s more than an asset to the

The boys appreciated that their father didn’t

he says, “but it’s also vital to take care of your

practices. She’s part of the family.”

seem to have a boss. “We grew up in a world

staff and keep the lights on.”

The new name and new staff additions weren’t the only changes made by Hunter and Taylor. “They put my office on blocks,” Steve says, veering into a car metaphor.

“They put on new tires, a new engine, a new undercarriage. It’s recognizable, but just barely.” The practice has undergone “massive” upgrades to its technology and equipment, purchasing, patient care, staff, and more.

“We’ve made two EMR changes, and I pouted through both of them,” Steve admits. “Now I’m saying, ‘Wow, that was a good idea.’ They were right the whole time.”

Though they’ve been eager to update parts of the practice, the brothers aren’t ready to trade in their father just yet. In fact, it’s been a huge asset to have him on hand for questions and guidance, Hunter says. “Having Dad here has helped with our development,” he says.

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ALUMNI FOCUS

INSPIRED TO LEAD:

From Small-Town Practice to Statewide Impact When, after graduating from SCO, EMILY EISENHOWERBAXTER, OD ’17, became the newest optometrist at Vision Source of Newport, the Tennessee practice then owned by JEFF FOSTER, OD ’81, and KURT STEELE, OD ’95, she quickly learned advocacy was essential.

“It wasn’t even an option,” she says.

“They set the precedent that if you’re going to be a doctor here, you’re going to be involved.”

In fact, during Eisenhower-Baxter’s first week on the job, Foster pulled her aside to ask if she wanted to attend a meeting of the Smoky Mountain Optometric Society.

“Before I took a breath to say ‘yes,’ he said, ‘We’re leaving at 5:15,’” she recalls with a laugh.

Eisenhower-Baxter didn’t need much encouragement. She soon became a trustee of the Smoky Mountain group. She also joined the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians, working her way up to the presidency in 2023. EisenhowerBaxter, who now helps lead the association’s legislative efforts, was named its Young OD of the Year in 2024. In 2025, she was named SECO’s Young Optometrist of the South.

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Though Eisenhower-Baxter is honored by the accolades, they were never the goal of her advocacy efforts. “Leadership has always been about serving others,” says Eisenhower-Baxter, who also serves on the American Optometric Association’s political action and strategic communications committees. “I always want to make sure that optometry’s voice is heard and respected on the state and national level.”

As a high schooler who wanted to pursue a medical career, EisenhowerBaxter shadowed a physician, a dentist, and a pharmacist, but none of those roles felt like her passion. Then her eye doctor, Foster, suggested she shadow him.

conduct visual field tests and other assessments. “We weren’t doing the same thing all day, every day,” she says. “We were seeing people that had retinal vein occlusions, people that had metal in the eye. We were practicing full scope optometric care, and that’s really what intrigued me.”

At SCO, Eisenhower-Baxter focused on learning about pediatrics and vision therapy, with an eye toward bringing those specialties home to Newport. “We didn’t have that option around our area,” she says. “I wanted to offer that to our patients.”

“I realized how impactful he was within the healthcare system in a small, rural area,” she says. “Not only was he working with glasses and contact lenses, but he was also diagnosing systemic diseases in the eye. He was treating ocular emergencies.” (Foster passed away in 2020.)

Soon, while still a teenager, Eisenhower-Baxter landed her first job at Vision Source of Newport. She scanned countless patient records as the practice transitioned from paper to electronic, and learned to

SCO also helped cement Eisenhower-Baxter’s future in optometric advocacy. She was inspired by SCO faculty members who not only stressed the importance of advocating for their legislated profession, but also served as advocates themselves.

“One of my favorite memories was to see our doctors at SCO have leadership roles within our state association and advocate for our profession on the state and federal level,” she says. “I wanted to bring that back to my community.”

Vision Source of Newport is an externship site for SCO students, and Eisenhower-Baxter says her important role as a student mentor informs her advocacy. “We’re advocating that our students can have full scope of practice like they learned at SCO,” she says.

Eisenhower-Baxter encourages all optometrists to get involved with their state optometric associations. “They’re on the forefront of everything that’s happening within your state,” she says.

“We are always looking for people to help our association.”

Dra. Eisenhower-Baxter (’17) and Amanda Dellinger (’08) visiting Capitol Hill.

“Nobody can tell our story better than we can,” Eisenhower-Baxter adds, “and we need to be out there doing it.”

“Nobody

can tell our story better than we can… we need to be out there doing it.

EMILY EISENHOWERBAXTER, OD ’17

”

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ALUMNI FOCUS

MILES THAT MATTER:

Alumni Support SVOSH Through Annual 5K As students in the SCO Class of 2012, JON and MAYA REID traveled to Belize, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Jamaica with Student Volunteer Optometric Service to Humanity (SVOSH). They were committed to serving as SVOSH staff doctors after graduation.

from the local community. “We’ve seen each year our participation

But then the Zika virus began spreading in the Caribbean and Central America, just as the Reids prepared to start their family. “We didn’t want to risk it,” Jon says of potential exposure to an illness known to cause devastating birth defects. “What can we do as our contribution closer to home?”

Jon, who received SCO’s Hayes Center for Practice Excellence Award and

Jon, who had organized the Eye 5K for SVOSH in his third year at SCO, decided to create a spin-off race to support SVOSH from his practice in Carlinville, Illinois. Also dubbed the Eye 5K, the race launched in the summer of 2017 with the help of staff at Advanced EyeCare. In keeping with the eye care theme, the race includes giveaways of merchandise the practice received during the previous year, including Ray-Ban and Nike sunglasses.

Jon encourages other SCO alumni to start their own versions of the

Now in its eighth year—there was no event in 2020—the race has raised nearly $18,000 for SVOSH through participant entry fees and donations

“For a lot of people,” she says, “vision is probably the top priority of all

numbers increase and our donation amount increase,” Jon says. “It’s our small contribution monetarily and to awareness, as far as what SVOSH is and the importance of eye care.”

Young Alumni Award in 2021, says he hopes the money raised can make it easier for SCO students to participate in SVOSH. “So much of life is standing on the shoulders of those who went before you,” he says.

“Now it’s our opportunity to give back and pay it forward.”

Eye 5K fundraiser, inviting them to email him at reidjon10@gmail.com with questions. “If there were five annual Eye 5Ks,” he says, “think about the proceeds we could raise to help SVOSH at SCO and the developing world.”

Maya knew from a young age that she wanted to be an optometrist, even accurately predicting her career path in her high school yearbook. the senses for quality of life.”

Jon wanted to pursue a healthcare path, choosing optometry because of the personal connections he could make with patients. “I want to be a doctor who is part of the community,” he says. “Optometry is the closest thing to that small town doc you think of in times past.”

After meeting at SCO, the couple married in June 2012. Jon completed a yearlong residency at the Salem Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Virginia while Maya worked in a corporate setting. Then Jon took a role at the hospital while Maya completed the same residency. There, both worked with WILLIAM “SCOTT” SLAGLE, OD ’99.

Today, the Reids work in private practice in rural central Illinois. Jon, who serves on the Illinois Optometric Association Board of Directors, is part of the Advanced EyeCare practice group, while Maya purchased a practice in Litchfield that she has since renamed Reid Eye Care.

The Reids, who now have three children, won’t rule out sharing a practice one day, but are happy with their current roles. “Maya and I have no

Drs. Reid, far left and center, are pictured with some of their practice staff members at the Illinois Optometric Association’s annual meeting.

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optometry relationship boundaries,” Jon says. “We learn so much from each other.”

“So much

of life is standing on the shoulders of those who went before you… now it’s our opportunity to give back and pay it forward.

”

J O N R E I D , O D ’ 1 2 , A N D M AYA R E I D , O D ’ 1 2 , WITH THEIR THREE CHILDREN.

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ALUMNI FOCUS

POOJA ALLOJU, OD ’21

THE TIKTOK VIDEO STARTS BY SHOWING THE PATIENT’S BROWN

SHASHI ALLOJU, MD

EYE BEFORE IT QUICKLY ZOOMS INTO THE BLOOD VESSELS IN THE WHITE OF THE EYE. AS USHER’S SULTRY BALLAD “U GOT IT BAD” PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND, THE CAPTION READS: “This is

something that is really cool that we as eye doctors get to see… you can see those individual blood cells actually coursing through the vessel.”

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ALUMNI FOCUS

EYE-CONIC CONTENT:

2021 Graduate Uses Storytelling and Social Media The 30-second clip, posted by Eye Health

BHAVANI YEDULAPURAM, OD ’04,

With her two-year-old son, Kai, as the

Texas in 2023, went viral garnering more

by attending SCO.

main character, Alloju wrote a children’s

than 1.7 million views and nearly 700 comments. One comment — “I haven’t

“SCO was one of the best decisions I’ve

book about lesser known eye conditions,

ever made,” says Alloju, who wrote for the

including keratoconus and retinitis

Student Life blog and loved celebrating at

pigmentosa. She hired an illustrator,

the annual Eye Ball formal. “I love what I

used ChatGPT to create a layout, and self-

POOJA ALLOJU, OD ’21, is the

do, and I love that SCO got to give me that.”

published the book on Amazon within

optometrist behind the account. Crafting

She completed a cornea and contact

social media posts for the Plano, Texas

lens residency at Nova Southeastern

practice she shares with her brother,

University before joining Eye Health

Published in August under a pseudonym,

ophthalmologist Shashi Alloju, started

Texas where she now manages patients

My Eyes Are Unique sold about 100

as a way to educate the public about

post-cornea transplants. “It’s just fun,”

copies in its first six weeks. A portion

eye health. The practice’s TikTok and

she says of working with her brother.

of the proceeds are going to the Angel

Instagram pages, along with Alloju’s

“Patients really enjoy it, too, because

Eyes Foundation, a nonprofit that helps

own LinkedIn page, have since brought

they’re getting a full-on team.”

keratoconus patients with the cost of

been this impressed in awhile” — got more than 13,000 likes.

patients to the practice, helped her establish herself as a lecturer, and even led to the publication of her first book.

Alloju’s early social media posts focused on keratoconus and other corneal

six months. “I’m oddly proud of myself for doing it,” she says.

scleral lenses. Alloju plans to bring the book to her local library and to opto-

conditions she sees frequently in her

metry gatherings.

“I just have fun doing it,” Alloju says,

practice. An early adopter of social

Targeting a different audience,

“so it doesn’t feel like I’m actively

media, Alloju enjoys the creativity behind

Alloju also acts as an educator on

marketing myself.”

making videos about the conditions she

her LinkedIn page. There, she shares

Post-college and unsure of her path,

treats. A handful of patients found her

pictures or videos of cases, then asks

Alloju worked as a tech at her brother’s

practice by watching her TikTok videos.

her followers to comment on what they

practice. She’d watch her brother, a cornea

When someone asked Alloju why certain

think the diagnosis and treatment should

specialist, perform cornea transplants

eye conditions don’t have the same name

be. It’s helped her parlay her skills into

then send his patients to a nearby

recognition as, say, macular degeneration,

giving continuing education lectures

optometrist for specialty lenses to

she decided to do her part to change that.

and webinars. “I’m trying to engage

restore their vision. Her brother suggested

“A lot of patients see the world differently,”

with other doctors,” Alloju says. “I love

she attend optometry school, and she

she says. “I thought it would be nice to

talking about this stuff. I just find any

followed the path set by her cousin,

bring attention to that.”

way I can to talk about it.”

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ALUMNI FOCUS

MARK SCHAEFFER, OD ’11

MARK SCHAEFFER, OD, ’11, had graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in marketing, when his father, JACK SCHAEFFER, OD ’77, made an offer that changed his son’s career trajectory.

The elder Schaeffer, who at the time owned the multi-location practice Schaeffer Eye Center in Birmingham, Alabama, offered his son the opportunity to work with him on contact lens clinical trials. The younger Schaeffer, who had worked just about every other job available to him in the practice, including janitor, courier, and executive assistant, accepted. “I started seeing patients and working with clinical research,” he says. “I realized this is where I want to be.”

Mark Schaeffer followed his father’s path to SCO, then to the family practice. Schaeffer Eye Center was acquired by MyEyeDr. in 2017. While Jack no longer sees patients, his son remains in the practice, with a leadership role in MyEyeDr. and his own busy speaking career. “I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Mark Schaeffer says.

Despite his father having attended, SCO wasn’t a foregone conclusion for Schaeffer.

His two siblings, both optometrists, chose different schools. But Schaeffer felt at home on campus, and appreciated that optometry was SCO’s sole focus. He clicked with his faculty mentor, Chris Lievens, OD, SCO’s Director of Research.

Drs. Brooke Schaeffer Kaplan, Mark Schaeffer (’11), Jack Schaeffer (’77), and David Schaeffer all received their undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia before attending optometry school.

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ALUMNI FOCUS

FA M I LY L E G AC Y, R E FO C U S E D :

2011 Graduate Makes His Mark on Lecture Circuit After graduation, Schaeffer

being ahead of the curve. The

Schaeffer is also a founding

including industry partners, to

completed a residency at the

earlier we intervene, the less

member of the Intrepid Eye

create content and programs for

Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in

we have to treat, the more

Society, a cohort of optometry

optometrists. “Our profession

Miami before joining Schaeffer

likely the patient is to be

thought leaders working

can be hard,” Schaeffer

Eye Center in 2012. The sale of

compliant, and the better all

together to educate and

says. “We have to make it as

the practice five years later was

the outcomes are.”

empower their peers.

straightforward as possible to

The society collaborates with

elevate our care.”

an adjustment, Schaffer says, but ultimately the transition went well. “MyEyeDr. is extremely supportive of the type of practice that we run,” he says. “It’s been mutually beneficial to grow the profession, help educate our patients, and provide more medical services.”

His continuing education talks on topics including ocular disease and contact lenses have been heard by thousands of doctors at classes and conferences, including Optometry’s Meeting, Vision Expo East and West, and even at SCO. “Seeing my own

Today, Schaeffer is in the office

SCO classmates choose my

four days a week practicing

education courses at these

full-scope optometry on a patient

large conferences is a surreal

roster that includes everyone

experience,” Schaeffer says.

from infants to 90-year-olds.

“This has opened up my network

He’s also the clinical excellence

to people that are doing this at an

captain for MyEyeDr. in

extraordinarily high level across

Alabama, helping to onboard

the country.”

new hires in the state since 2020.

“New doctors spend time in our clinic to make sure they’re ready to see patients and understand the culture, processes, and systems in place to hit the ground running,” he says.

other optometry stakeholders,

Having earned his Academy fellowship, Schaeffer still feels a pulse of excitement when he gets onstage, but any nerves dissipate when the presentation begins. “Once the first slide clicks on,” he says, “I’m ready

Schaeffer’s passion for dry eye,

to go.” Though his lectures are

and participation in the program

carefully structured, every

Optometry Jumpstart, helped

presentation is different because

him break into the lecture

it involves the audience.

circuit a decade ago. “Dry eye

“I always learn something,”

is very misunderstood within

he says. “I’m an expert, but I’m

optometry,” he says. “It’s about

not the only expert.”

2011 classmates Mark Schaeffer, Blake Rust, and Mark Medley reunited at an AOA annual meeting.

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17

ALUMNI FOCUS

whose daughters are best friends — and rivals in competitive dancing.

When one of the girls is attacked before a national competition, the other girl is blamed.

Jabaley’s inspiration came from her own early experience in the sports mom world. After a highlyregarded tennis coach told Jabaley her daughter had “no limits” in the sport, Jabaley found herself hiring professional trainers and traveling to far-flung lessons. “I realized how quickly you could go down this path of living vicariously through your kids,” she says.

The phase was brief. Jabaley’s daughter announced she didn’t want to pursue tennis.

A N OV E L V I S I O N :

From Eye Exams to Plot Twists Two days a week, JENNIFER JABALEY, OD ’99, is an optometrist at Jabaley Eye Care in Blue Ridge, Georgia. The other three weekdays, she’s deep in the active world of children’s competitive sports or spinning a domestic murder mystery.

As a novelist — authoring two young adult books before transitioning to adult suspense — Jabaley says her dual careers complement each other. She’s methodical in her writing process, starting a book project with just five bullet points that are then expanded into chapters.

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VISIONS

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“My education and work in optometry brings a very organized, disciplined approach to writing,” Jabaley says. “That’s the scientific part of me.”

A self-described extrovert, Jabaley loves hearing her patients’ life stories. Most of her patients are older adults who flocked to Blue Ridge as a retirement destination.

“You would be amazed at some of the things I’ve heard,” she says.

“I get so many ideas from my patients.” Those tidbits end up on post-it notes and, sometimes, in her books.

Jabaley’s most recent novel, What’s Yours Is Mine, is told from the perspectives of two mothers

What’s Yours Is Mine, released in August, has become a best seller in Australia. Jabaley says she’s happy to be acknowledged by the home country of two of her favorite authors: Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth. “Maybe I just jive with people down there,” she says.

Jabaley’s journey into optometry began in college, where she was on a pre-med track. Jabaley and her family took a family friend to an optometrist who diagnosed advanced glaucoma.

“I loved the doctor we brought her to,” Jabaley says. “I said, ‘Do you like your job?’ She said, ‘I love my job.’ That was it.”

Jabaley, who is from New Jersey, chose SCO for its warm, southern atmosphere. Soon she met another student, CHRIS JABALEY, OD ’99, who would become her husband. After graduation, she worked at a large OD/MD group practice in the Atlanta metro area while Chris joined the Blue Ridge practice started by

his father, RONALD (R.T.) JABALEY, OD ’66.

Always a reader, Jabaley didn’t have a desire to write until she was on maternity leave with her first child, a son. “I was very lonely and a little stir crazy,” she says. “I just decided I want to write a book.”

Her first book, a young adult novel called Lipstick Apology that was published in 2009, sold as part of a two-book deal. Soon after came Crush Control.

Then Jabaley had her daughter and her father-in-law became ill. Jabaley left the Atlanta-area practice to join the family business.

(R.T. Jabaley passed away in 2013.)

She took a hiatus from writing.

About six years ago, Jabaley returned to her desk, this time to write What’s Yours Is Mine, her first adult novel. She launched her book at an independent bookstore in Blue Ridge, selling out within 15 minutes.

Jabaley has already drafted her next manuscript. “I love optometry, but I love writing too, and I have time for both,” she says. “I’m eternally grateful for [optometry] because it has allowed me the time to pursue writing. It’s the perfect balance.”

1999 classmates Jennifer and Chris Jabaley celebrated the publication of her book with a cake recreating the cover.

H C P E F O C U S | P H I L A N T H R O P Y M AT T E R S

Nominations are Open for 2026 HCPE Awards

Meet Our New Director of Development Matt Walker has joined the Office of Institutional

The Hayes Center for Practice Excellence is now accepting applications for the

Advancement as SCO’s

prestigious Practice of Excellence Award honoring young SCO alumni for the

new Director of

pursuit of excellence in private practice optometry.

Development. His higher education experience

Award recipients each receive $5,000 and will be honored at the Annual Practice

includes roles at the

of Excellence Awards Program to be held on April 8, 2026. Travel expenses to Memphis for the program and a plaque recognizing this achievement also will be provided.

University of Memphis and the University of Montevallo.

Individuals are invited to submit themselves or others as a nominee for one of

Welcome

three Practice of Excellence Awards by sending a message to Lisa R. Wade, OD ’84, MPA, Director of the Hayes Center at SCO, lwade@sco.edu.

To qualify for the 2026 awards, candidates must have graduated from SCO between 2016-2023 and have secured an ownership/equity position in a private practice in one of three ways: NEW PRACTICE AWARD given for a cold start; applicant holds a majority or equal ownership interest in a practice for which he/she participated in writing the business plan, securing financing, and in operational development for a newly formed private practice.

PARTNERSHIP AWARD given for a buy-in; applicant has purchased or earned an equity interest in an existing private practice and actively participates in its operation/ management.

PRACTICE ACQUISITION AWARD given for a buy-out; applicant has completed the buy-sell process of acquiring a previously existing private practice and currently holds a majority or equal ownership interest in that practice.

“SCO is so grateful to the Hayes Family Foundation for making these awards possible over the last decade. Not only does SCO stand alone in recognizing such high standards of excellence in private practice, but current students benefit so much from networking with successful young ODs and learning about their unique professional journeys. These recipients provide an outstanding example and inspiration for what the profession of Optometry can offer,” said Dr. Wade.

Additional criteria and a complete application form may be found on the Hayes Center section of SCO’s website at SCO.EDU/PRACTICE-OFEXCELLENCE-AWARD or by using this QR code.

Completed applications should be received by FEBRUARY 13, 2026. Questions may also be directed to Dr. Wade at lwade@sco.edu or at 901.722.3365.

1st Time SCO Donors SCO is pleased to welcome the following first-time contributors to the SCO donor ranks. Listed below are those who gave generously between June 1 and September 30, 2025.

ALUMNI

Daniel Heitman, OD ’96 Brandon Blair, OD ’00 Arkady Yatskevich, OD ’05 Michael Lam, OD ’15 Anna Douglass, OD ’22

Tessa Lau, OD ’22 Jeffrey Morrison, OD ’22 Troy Moss, OD ’22 Nathan Robinson, OD ’22

FRIENDS

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Antoon Brenda Avery Jeff Bernard Jessica Boga LaKesha Bradley-Robertson Eleanor Brooks Anna Brown Dr. and Mrs. Randal Christian Joe DeLoach Felecia Donelson Dain Elder Jackie Fiddler, OD and Patrick Fiddler, OD Karen G. Flowers Tanja Graves Mr. and Mrs. Steve Hays Mark Hayden Effie D. Hunter Mark A. Irving

Michelle Kelley-Sellers Scott T. Landes, OD Dr. Paul Mancini Jesse McKinley Katonya Moore Bridgette Murphy Tillman Mynatt Hailey Ridgeway Sharrick E. Sanders Catherine Sullivan Evan N. Summers, OD James Thimons Lisa Urbanski Patrice Valenta Morgan Versluys Kristie Watson Scott Wilkinson Kelsey N. Wolf James Zieba

Please contact Matt Walker, SCO’s Director of Development, at (901) 722-3339 to start making an impact on the next generation of optometrists.

You may also give online today at sco.edu/give.

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SCO Hosts Tennessee|TAOP Interview Day

TAO P DAY

Jason Duncan, OD ’96, gives a tour of SCO’s Advanced Procedures Suite.

Each Friday and Monday through the recruiting cycle, SCO welcomes applicants and their families to campus for tours and interviews.

The college recently introduced a new twist to this program as SCO hosted its first ever Tennessee/Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians (TAOP) Day. On a fall Friday, SCO’s Student Services department worked to coordinate the schedule to invite just Tennessee applicants. The day included a special laser demonstration in the Advanced Procedures Suite led by faculty members JASON DUNCAN, OD ’96, and DAVID HALL, OD. Fifteen prospective students were told of Tennessee’s commitment to advancing the scope of the profession. Each applicant was allowed to participate in firing a laser in a simulated setting supervised by Dr. Hall as parents and family watched from the observatory gallery.

At the end of the day, a reception included remarks from SCOTT ENSOR, OD ’01, SCO Vice President for Clinical Programs, and WAYNE CONNELL, OD ’08, shortly before he became President of the TAOP. Both emphasized the importance of SCO and the TAOP’s shared mutual goals of legislative advances that will benefit future Tennessee ODs. “We believe this day made a strong impact on our Tennessee guests,” said Joe Hauser, Vice President for Student Services. “We hope to provide this same kind of program in future years for Volunteer State applicants.”

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VISIONS

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David Hall, OD, leads a laser demonstration for prospective students.

ON- CAMPUS EXPERIENCES

State Day State Day 2025 brought nearly 20 state and national associations to campus in September. Washington state and Canada were on hand for their first ever participation. A keynote address was delivered by AOA Trustee MARRIE READ, OD ’99.

Ava Penot ’28, Kyndal Steward ’26, Joshua Smith ’27, Danny Murray, OD ’98, Lee Ann Murray

George Miller, Ben Mize, OD ’93, Christe Mize, OD ’94

Allison Scott, OD

Lewis Reich, OD, Zach Burroughs, OD ’19, Jessica Pearson, OD ’24

Joe Hauser, Jon Reid, OD ’12

Christine Paschal, OD ’17, Celeste Dicarlo, OD ’17

Hannah Lehfeldt, ’28, Cameron Byergo, OD ’21

Christopher Wroten, OD ’02, Vicki Farmer, SCO Board of Trustees member, Ben Mize, OD ’93, Joe Sugg, OD ’09

Isabela Brene ’27, Sona Vaghela ’27, Dianelys Almanza Castillo ’27, Jordan Dau, OD ’15, Madison North ’27, Zackarias Coker ’27 VISIONS

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S C O O N T H E R OA D

SCO alumni in the spotlight at this year’s AOA meeting in Minneapolis included SCO Professor Emeritus, GLEN STEELE, OD ’69, who joined colleagues in receiving the President’s Award for their work with the InfantSEE program. Elected as an AOA Trustee was AMY PUERTO, OD ’15, and re-elected as Trustee was MARRIE READ, OD ’99. STEVEN REED, OD ’95, is Immediate Past President.

4

5

Amanda Dellinger, OD ’08, Wayne Connell, OD ’08, Lisa Privett, OD ’93, Lewis Reich, OD, Patience Long, Emily Eisenhower-Baxter, OD ’17, Stephanie Price, OD ’06

8

Ryan Powell, OD ’02, Amy Powell

Bart Campbell, OD ’87, Amy Puerto, OD ’15

Jenna Steffen, OD ’17, Brittany Wright, OD ’15, Michael Wagner, OD ’22

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VISIONS

[WINTER 202 5]

George Miller, Joe Sugg, OD ’09

Jon Reid, OD ’12, Maya Reid, OD ’12

Emily Sweeter, Andrew Sweeter, OD ’24

Megan Borden, OD ’09, Joseph Borden, OD ’09, Thomas Moore, OD ’09

SCO alumni were also honored at the annual Academy meeting in Boston, where several alumni earned their Fellowship status. AMY PUERTO, OD ’15, and JADE COATS, OD ’16, received the Women in Optometry Theia Award recognizing outstanding women ODs. SCO appreciates all the alumni who attended our receptions at these major meetings throughout 2025!

Erin Keim, OD ’17, Jade Coats, OD ’16, Stephanie Martich, OD ’21, and Cecelia Koetting, OD ’12

Nate Dederman, OD ’18, Larissa Krenk, OD ’19, Abbey Daugharthy, OD ’19, Kelly Cawley, OD ’19, Matt McBride, OD ’19, Lindsay Estel, OD ’19, Jessica Jankiewicz, OD ’19, Laila Tawfik, OD ’19

JoJo Brown, OD ’25, and Leah Grant, OD ’25

Amanda Tompkins, OD ’13, Anna Ablamowicz, OD ’13

Morgan Heimes, OD ’24, Natalia Gorski, OD ’24, Nithya Vemula, OD ’24, Madison Schnell, OD ’24, Minyoung Kim, OD ’24, Donnie Koonce, OD ’24

Siulley Vuong, OD ’25, Sonya Okungu, OD, Claire Vinson, OD ’25, Sarah Weinberger, OD ’25, Deema Mansour, OD ’25

Chisom Chukwumerije, OD, ’21, Jacob Boehme, OD ’20, Lauren Watson, OD ’21, Natalie Nibert, OD ’21, Stephanie Martich, OD ’21, Caitlyn Stakeley-Boehme, OD ’21, Arianna LeMay, OD ’21

Morgan Kickliter, OD ’18, Laura Schwartz, OD ’18, Allie Gottlieb, OD ’18, Alexander Leong, OD ’18 VISIONS

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23

LIFE OUTSIDE OF SCO

1962 Robert Sams, OD, was inducted into the Carter County (TN) Sports Hall of Fame.

1981 Rick Bartlett, OD, retired on

1993 Ben Mize, OD, and Christie

June 5, 2025, 41 years to the day after his graduation from SCO.

Mize, OD ’94, have grown their practice to a second location in West Virginia.

1973 Dale Morris, OD, was named a 2025 Distinguished Alumni honoree by the Arkansas State University Alumni Association.

1998 SCO alumni David Haba,

1984 William Jones, OD,

1976 Roger Wineinger, OD, retired earlier this year after practicing with his son, Ryan Wineinger, OD ’03, over the last 20 years in Kansas.

1977 U.S Senator John Boozman, OD, received the Health Care Leadership Award from the Arkansas delegation on behalf of the American Optometric Association.

celebrated 40 years of service in Franklin, Tennessee, as Austin Pace, OD ’18, stepped into leadership of their new office where Molly Pace, OD ’18, also practices.

1985 Michael Orwasky, OD, and Carol Mendez-Orwasky, OD ’88, visited with SCO’s Vision Therapy Club during SCO’s Fall Homecoming.

1987 Fred Farias III, OD, was appointed Associate Dean for External Relations at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Optometry and as Associate Vice President for Governmental Relations.

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VISIONS

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1995 Steven Reed, OD, (left) was honored with a proclamation from the Mississippi Optometric Association, with other awards going to Justin McElroy, OD ’17 as Young OD of the Year, Mallory Collins, OD ’19, Special Service Award, and David Parker, OD ’95, OD of the Year.

OD ’17, Paul Mormon, OD ’01, Cynthia Ragland, OD ’98, Dylan Reach, OD ’00, Aaron Thompson, OD ’01, and Pete Van Hoven, OD ’99 recently reunited at the GRT Summit in Jackson, Wyoming.

2001 Tonyatta Hairston, OD, completed the 50th Anniversary Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.

1996 Captain David Bellware, OD, recently retired as a senior officer in the United States Public Health Service, concluding more than 41 years of federal service that began when he enlisted as a high school student in the Ohio Army National Guard as a Combat Medic. After graduating from SCO, he spent 29 years in the Indian Health Service.

2002 Kelly Frisella, OD, and Carrie Hruza, OD, were each appointed to the Missouri State Board of Optometry.

2003 Marty Carpenter, OD, was one of the keynote speakers, along with Drs. Randall Thomas and

Ron Melton, at the Smoky Mountain Ophthalmic Summit in October. Four members from the Class of 2003 attended: Marty Carpenter, Bob Frie, Blake Tarr, and Micah Girard.

Chris Stansbury, OD, was named the 2025 West Virginia Health Right Volunteer of the Year in recognition of his service and dedication to providing to patients in need.

2010 Elizabeth Kilgore, OD, joined White River Eye Care in Batesville, Arkansas.

2012 Members of the Classes of 2012 and 2014 recently gathered with their families for a biennial beach trip. Alumni pictured (L-R): Baley Petersen Mimms, OD ’12; Luke Bell, OD ’12; Heidi Fouch Bell, OD ’12; Brett Miller Anderson, OD ’12; Courtney Shay LaFreniere, OD ’12; Tim LaFreniere, OD ’12; Brent Thornton, OD ’12; Reagan Darner DePoe, OD ’12; Scott DePoe, OD ’12; Kurt Jung, OD ’12; and Lindsay Gould Jung, OD ’14.

2014 Amy Combs, OD, joined Associates in Eye Care in Jacksboro, Tennessee.

2015 Amy Puerto, OD, hosted a reception for SCO students from Louisiana during SCO’s Fall Homecoming.

2023 Weston Acosta, OD, opened Clear Sight Eyecare in Covington, Louisiana.

Sai Oak, OD, joined Door County Eye Associates in Wisconsin.

Kendra (Davidson) Olivera, OD, joined Hart Family Eyecare in West Plains, Missouri.

was named the Colorado Optometric Association’s Young OD of the Year.

2024 Bailey Kargo, OD, joined

to Vision Monday’s 2025 list of Most Influential Women in Optical in the Rising Stars category.

Jennifer Lyerly, OD, SCO Board member, received the AOA Media Advocacy Award, along with colleague Dr. Darryl Glover, for their work with Deforcus Media’s optometry podcasts and content creation.

Magnolia Eye Group in Holly Springs and Senatobia, Mississippi.

2019 Morgan McClintic, OD, joined Mad River Eye Care in Waitsfield, Vermont.

Kassidy Nelson, OD, opened Framed Eye Care in Manhattan, Kansas.

2020 Hannah Van Horn, OD, joined Holt Eye Clinic in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

2022 Andrew Plaxco, OD, joined the faculty at the University

Amanda Gorr, OD, was selected by the Optometric Vision Development & Rehabilitation Association as SCO’s 2025 recipient of the Excellent in Vision Therapy Award.

Travis Jensen, OD, was recognized with the OEPF’s Clinical Curriculum Award for SCO graduates.

of Alabama (UAB) School of Optometry.

2017 Jenna Steffen Moran, OD,

2011 Sara LeMay, OD, was named

middle Tennessee. She’s practicing alongside Angela Bell, OD ’01, and the center’s medical team.

Braiden Werth, OD, was named the Overall Under 30 Entrepreneur for Kansas at the 2025 To the Stars: Kansas Business Awards.

Mallory Wright, OD, joined the faculty at the UAB School of Optometry as an assistant professor.

2025 Charlotte Fae, OD, joined Tomoka Eye Associates in Florida.

Grace Owens, OD, joined the Eye Care Center in

VISIONS

Nicole Songy, OD, joined EyeCare Associates in Louisiana.

Kayli Standridge, OD, joined Graystone Eye in North Carolina.

The following 2025 classmates are SCO residents at sites around the country:

• Gabriel Beck, OD • Christopher Distin, OD • Gabrielle Gibbon, OD • Lea Heuer, OD • Jake Hirth, OD • Lauren Ivanoski, OD • Racheal Moua, OD • Rachel Peebles, OD • Tanner Semones, OD • Steffie Shine, OD • Sarah Weinburger, OD. [WINTER 202 4]

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C L A S S N OT E S P OT L I G H T:

2025 Graduate Appears in New Docuseries Two years ago, a Hulu film crew

Dr. Brown’s fellow climbers, Jarmond

The debut of the series on Hulu and

visited SCO’s campus to get footage of

Johnson, who died after the climb

Disney+ is the latest chapter of a

Dr. Brown for a docuseries. From the

and while the series was in the

momentous year for Dr. Brown. In July,

reviews and viewer response, “Memphis

editing stage.

she was named the National Optometric

to the Mountain” was worth the wait.

The audience at the theatrical screening

Association’s Student of the Year, an

Now available on the Hulu streaming platform, the show’s episodes follow a group of Memphis climbers all the way from Memphis to taking on the

cheered as each climber made it to the top of Mount Kenya. The storyline also allowed each of the climbers, including

honor recognizing academic excellence, leadership, and service. SCO’s NOSA Chapter was also named NOSA Chapter

Dr. Brown, to share the stories of their

of the Year at the annual meeting.

personal journeys. During her time of

Dr. Brown is currently serving as a

training as a student, Dr. Brown served

Cornea and Contact Lens Resident at

The project was inspired by Memphis

as NOSA President and as the Class of

the UAB College of Optometry.

Rox, a nonprofit climbing gym and

2025 Gold Key President.

challenge of scaling a 4,800-meter rock tower at Mt. Kenya.

community center founded in 2018 by Tom Shadyac and Chris Dean in the Soulsville section of Memphis. In the documentary, climbers are shown in Memphis and preparing in Colorado and Nevada with famed climbers Phil Henderson and Alex Honnold.

As a student, JOJO BROWN,

In September, the third and final

OD ’25, became involved in

episode of the series was screened at

Memphis’ climbing community to have

the theater in Crosstown Concourse.

fun and unwind away from her studies.

A tribute was included to one of

InMemoriam Richard C. White, OD ’50 Rita Peiser, OD ’51 Gerald Enerfeld, OD ’53 Orleane K. Haugen, OD ’54

Harold Bell, OD ’57 Leonard Indianer, OD ’62 James Eubank, OD ’66 King Scott Beardsley, OD ’67

David Gladwell, OD ’67 Roy D. Lamb, OD ’68 David Moiger, OD ’70 Robert McCloud, OD ’73

Stephen Headlee, OD ’76 David Ray Coleman, OD ’77 Andrea R. Loiselle, OD ’77 Milburn Quinn, OD ’77

RICHARD HOPPING, OD ’52, died August 12, 2025 at the age of 97. One of SCO’s most accomplished graduates, Dr. Hopping was a longtime president of Southern California College of Optometry during his career and served as AOA President. He was honored with SCO’s Lifetime Achievement Award and an honorary degree.

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Leon Graham, OD ’78 Timothy Fields, OD ’83 Don Rademaker, OD ’99

1

3

2

4

Alumni Visits Beth Fisher, SCO’s Director of Alumni Engagement, visited a number of alumni in Tennessee and Mississippi in the fall, including:

1

5

7

6

8

10

CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE

2

LEESA HOGG SMITH, OD ’87

3

MARY CHASE, OD ’18, and LORI BALMER, OD ’94

4

JASMINE SHIPP, OD ’04

5

MEGAN STANFORD, OD ’16

6

CHRIS MUEGGE, OD ’20

7 9

BLAKE PETERSON, OD ’85, and SAMANTHA KAPPERMAN, OD ’20

GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE

GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI

RIPLEY, MISSISSIPPI

CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE

DILLON PANKEY, OD ’24, and MARY LOU PANKEY, OD ’24 CLINTON, MISSISSIPPI

8

TIM SULLINS, OD ’25, and KATE SULLINS, OD ’25

9

MALLORY COLLINS, OD ’19

10

KATELYN McGEE, OD ’20

ATHENS, TENNESSEE

CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI

ATHENS, TENNESSEE

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27

CHERISHED LIFE MOMENTS

Love, TO

Happily Ever After LAUGHTER

AND

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1

KENDRA DAVIDSON, OD ’25, and Jordan Olivera

2

EMILY PRATT, OD ’23, and Brandon Tubbs, PharmD

3

TIM SULLINS, OD ’25, and KATE PETRINJAK, OD ’25

4

EMILY MEREDITH, OD ’24, and Walker Adkisson

5

CHRIS DISTIN, OD ’25, and GABBY CANANT, ’26

JULY 19, 2025

MAY 24, 2025

MAY 24, 2025

MARCH 1, 2025

OCTOBER 27, 2025

1

2

3

4

5

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Say Hello to Our Future Alumni

Randy Goodman, OD ’79, and Betsy Goodman, OD ’79, grandson:

Bridget Shannon, OD ’95, grandson:

Kala Brown Brewer, OD ’13, and Spenser Brewer:

APRIL 2025

MARCH 2025

JANUARY 2025

Erica Durlacher, OD ’16, and Zachary Curry:

Leah Herron, OD ’16, and Major Herron:

Mary Chase, OD ’18, and Miles Chase:

MAY 2025

JUNE 2025

JULY 2025

Shriya Ruparel, OD ’19, and Nate Dederman, OD ’18:

Abbey Donigian Conlon, OD ’20, and Quinn Conlin:

Trevor Schramm, OD ’20, and Chelsea Lula Schramm , OD ’21:

SEPTEMBER 2025

JULY 2025

SEPTEMBER 2025

Major John Worley

Evelyn Olivia

Kieran Scott

Jaxon Lukas

Hunter James

Casey Jack

Emery Gwynne

Margo

Harper Lynn

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29

CAMPUS NEWS

WELCOME NEW FACULTY MADISON BAILEY, OD ’24, has joined SCO’s faculty as an Assistant Professor. After graduating from SCO, Dr. Bailey completed a Cornea and Contact Lens Residency at Northeastern State University’s Oklahoma College of Optometry.

HAYLIE MULLINIKS, OD ’07, has joined SCO’s faculty as an Associate Professor. Earlier in her career she served a few years on faculty before becoming Medical Director at the Toyos Clinic.

FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

John Mark Jackson (’99) • Dr.CLASS OF 2028 DIDACTIC

Dr. Marie Bodack was named Faculty Chair in July. She now represents the faculty on SCO’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Bodack was interviewed about glasses that slow nearsightedness in kids for an article published by The Daily Memphian.

• Dr. Jennifer Jones (’06)

Dr. Jason Duncan (’96) lectured at the MidWest Optometric Society’s meeting in Ohio.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Dr. Scott Ensor (’01), was selected for the 2025-26 Executive Leadership Institution Fellowship through the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association.

Drs. Barbie Jodoin (’15), and Stephanie Johnson (’16) attended the AOA’s State Government Relations Committee Regional Advocacy Meeting in Chicago.

Dr. Laurel Kelley (’18) received the Drs. Charlene and Fred Burnett Outstanding Faculty Award, selected by her colleagues and presented by Dr. Bart Campbell, Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Other faculty and staff awards presented at SCO’s Annual Faculty and Staff Awards Assembly included: • Dr. Laurel Kelley (’18) BSK DIDACTIC TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Chelsea Spalding (’14) • Dr.BSK CLINICAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

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VISIONS

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Dr. Shaleen Ragha (’16) was interviewed by Review of Optometry for a story about glaucoma care.

Dr. Lewis Reich appeared on the “Meanwhile in Memphis” podcast with UT Health Science’s new president to talk about preparing future healthcare leaders.

Dr. Beth Sparrow (’98) was joined

by SCO retiree Beau Willis and students on a RAM clinic in Sparta, Tennessee.

CLASS OF 2028 CLINICAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Abigail Klick (’22) • Dr.CLASS OF 2026 CLINICAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

• Stuart Turner

SPIRIT OF SCO AWARD

Dr. Chris Lievens was awarded Fellowship in the British Contact Lens Association.

Dr. Wil McGriff was interviewed by Men’s Health magazine about caring for dry and itchy eyes.

Dr. Tyler Kitzman (’16) “Contact Lens Success Begins with the Right Fit” in Memphis Health and Fitness

Dr. Chris Lievens “Modernizing Lens Prescriptions Starts with Dynamic Light Modulation” in Fluorescene Group

Dr. Chris Lievens

“The Newest Thinking on Analysis of Structure and Function in Glaucoma” in Review of Optometry

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

David Hall • Dr.CLASS OF 2026 DIDACTIC

“GP Insights: Review of Corneal GP Lens Designs” in Contact Lens Spectrum

Dr. Shaleen Ragha (’16)

Patrick Fiddler • Dr.CLASS OF 2027 DIDACTIC

CLASS OF 2027 CLINICAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Dr. John Mark Jackson (’99)

“A Clinical Study Evaluating How Delefilcon A Contact Lenses Perform in Satisfied Senofilcon A Contact Lens Wearers” in The Open Ophthalmology Journal

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

• Dr. Esla Speth (’10)

FACULTY PUBLICATIONS

Drs. Marc Taub and Vassiliki Prattas Dr. Karen Squier discussed low vision on WPYL-FM’s “Eye on Vision” program in Memphis.

Dr. Glen Steele (’69), Professor Emeritus, was honored at the Tennessee Association of Optometric Physicians’ annual meeting when he was named Optometrist of the Decade. Dr. Lewis Reich, President, accepted the TAOP Public Service Award presented to SCO for its commitment to education, patient care, and partnership with the TAOP.

“Facilitating the Pediatric Exam” in Optometric Management

Drs. Marc Taub and Pam Schnell (’01) “One Lens to Rule Them All?”, “Reading is Fundamental (KD and DEM tests)” in Review of Optometry

OPTOMETRIC MEETINGS ARVO | SALT LAKE CITY, UT

Dr. Chris Lievens

Investigating the Effect of Reducing the Signs and Symptoms of Lid Wiper Epitheliopathy in Dry Eye Subjects with Perfluorohexyloctane

Drs. Chris Lievens, Laurel Kelley (’18) Case Series Comparison of Meibography of the Upper/inner Eyelids to Scans obtained by the ANTERION® Device from Heidelberg Engineering

Dr. Christina Newman was elected secretary of the Association of Contact Lens Educators at their annual meeting.

HEIDELBERG INTERNATIONAL SPECTRALIS SYMPOSIUM | HEIDELBERG, GERMANY

Drs. Chris Lievens and Laurel Kelley (’18)

Dr. Marc Taub participated in the National Academies of Practice Mid-Year Meeting as Vice President of Membership for the Optometry Academy.

Case Series Comparison of Meibography of the Upper/inner Eyelids to Scans obtained by the ANTERION® Device from Heidelberg Engineering INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LOW VISION RESEARCH AND REHABILITATION | VENICE, ITALY

RESIDENTS Dr. Janette Pepper spoke at the AOA Leadership Institute 2.0 session in Washington D.C. with several alumni in attendance, including Drs. Ariel Lenning (’20), Shelby May (’19), Katie Brown Bond (’16), Kristin Reed (’13), Rebecca Garces (’14), and Mallory Collins (’19).

Drs. Alexis Kaper, Sonya Okungu, and Megan Patterson are serving in residencies on campus for the 2025-26 academic year.

Dr. Karen Squier Heart Health in Low Vision Population Compared to Normally Sighted Patients Attending an Urban Eye Clinic

AAO| BOSTON, MA FAC U LT Y L E C T U R E S

Dr. Marie Bodack Optic Nerves, Big and Small

Drs. Mary Hoang (’14), Do Nguyen (’12) and Reena Lepine (’11)

RESIDENT POSTERS

Dr. Rawan Abumohsen

Assessing the Impact of a NeedleSafety Skills Workshop on Second-Year Students Before Performing Ocular Injections on a Classmate in Lab

Optic Neuritis: A Deep Dive into Your Brain

Dr. Gabriel Beck (’25) Epiretinal Membrane Assessment Reveals Ectopic Inner Foveal Layers (EIFL) and the Spaghetti Sign

Dr. Jason Duncan (’96) Optometric Surgical Procedures

Drs. Jason Duncan (’96), Catherine Hogan (’17) and Jacqueline Fiddler

Dr. Melissa Zarn Fourth-year Intern Vision Therapy Clinic Perceptions

Optometric Surgical Procedures Workshop

Drs. David Maze and Marc Taub

STUDENT POSTERS

Technology in the Vision Therapy Room

Drs. Morgan Ollinger, Marie Bodack, Lor Sildiryan and Jessica Haynes, OD (’15) Amblyopia or Not?

Drs. Chris Lievens and Jade Coats, (’16) Dry Eye Disease and Its Inflammatory Pathways

Dr. Janette Pepper

Dr. Abigail Klick (’22) Ocular Findings and Low Vision Rehabilitation of Goldenhar Syndrome

Drs. Reena Lepine (’11), Jennifer Jones (’06) and Mary Hoang (’14) Self-Assessment of Retinoscopy Skills used as a Learning Tool in Optometry Students

“Implicit Bias in Health Care

Drs. Andrew Rixon, Jason Duncan (’96), Michael Dorkowski (’04), Catherine Hogan (’17) and Jennifer Sanderson

David Anderson (4th Year), Drs. Daniel Fuller, Laurel Kelley (’18), and Yueren Wang Higher Order Aberration and Relationship with Soft Contact Lens Modulus

Olyvia Bender (3rd Year); Drs. Mary Hoang (’14) and Kristina Haworth The Effect of Systane® Zaditor® Antihistamine Eye Drops (ketotifen 0.025%) on Contact Lens Discomfort: A Feasibility Study

Olivia Jacobs (3rd Year), Drs. Morgan Ollinger, Marie Bodack, Jessica Haynes (’15), and Samantha Blanke (’23)

Injectable Medications in Primary Eyecare

Evaluating the Relationship Between DietQuality and Choroidal Thickness in Children

FAC U LT Y P O S T E R S

Dr. David Maze Survey of Student Interest in 2025 at Southern College of Optometry in Binocular Vision and Rehabilitation Care

Lauren Jackson (4th Year), Dr. Patricia Cisarik Threshold Variability for Detecting Frequency-Doubled Stimuli Differs in Young, Healthy Adults Based on Skin Carotenoid Levels

Alex McDonah (3rd Year), Drs. David Maze and Morgan Bromley Repeatability Among 4th Year Student Clinicians with Near Vergence Testing

Dr. Patricia Cisarik Subjective Vertical Number Naming and the Brain Injury History Survey

Alexander Nguyen (3rd Year), Drs. Morgan Ollinger and Patricia Cisarik Drs. Do Nguyen (’12) and Mary Hoang (’14) Progression of Melanocytoma Over a Decade in an African American Female Patient

Drs. Do Nguyen (’12), Mary Hoang (’14) and Jessica Armstrong Drs. Lindsay Ekins (’07), Wil McGriff, and Zachary Mngo Faculty Perceptions of Student Evaluations of Teaching

Spontaneous Hyphema in a Patient with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Drs. Janette Pepper and Morgan Ollinger

Evaluating the Relationship Between Carotenoid Levels and Saccadic Performance in a Pediatric Population

Joshua Smith (3rd Year), Drs. Wil McGriff, Morgan Ollinger, and Morgan Bromley How Effective is Patient Education Created by Generative Artificial Intelligence?

Perry Smith (3rd Year); Drs. Barbara Jodoin (’15) and Patricia Cisarik Establishing Normative Data for Vertical Vergence Facilities

Effectiveness of Commensality Groups for Optometry Faculty Wellness

Dr. Samantha Becker Management of Severe Bilateral Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Complicated by End-Stage Renal Disease

Dr. Christopher Distin (’25) Silicone Oil Droplets from Intravitreal Injections Mistaken for Vitreous Floaters

Dr. Mia Gheduzzi When Floaters are not “Just Floaters”: The Importance of Follow-up and Symptom Monitoring with Retinal Tears

Dr. Tallis Herron Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy: A Hallmark Feature in Acute Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion

Dr. Jake Hirth (’25) Lumbar Puncture Performed for Suspected IIH leads to Post-Dural Puncture Headache: Risks of a Necessary Diagnostic Step

Dr. Lauren Ivanoski (’25) Management of Recalcitrant Dry Eye Syndrome with Scleral Lenses in the Setting of Vitamin A Deficiency and Reiter’s Syndrome

Dr. Merlyn Johnson Steroid Induced CSCR with Associated Choroidal Neovascular Membrane: Importance of Imaging Modalities for Diagnosis and Treatment

Dr. Alexis Kaper Optical Phenomenon in Myopic Anisometrope with Vertical Phoria

Dr. Sahhir Merchant Microsporidial Keratoconjunctivitis: Clinical Presentation and Management

Dr. Rachel Moua (’25) Reducing Misdiagnosis in Optometry: The Importance of Ancillary Diagnostics to Assess Benign Choroidal Hemangioma

Dr. Sonya Okungu Identifying and Comparing Visual Acuity Loss within Unmonitored Retinitis Pigmentosa

Dr. Megan Patterson Sorry to Burst Your Bubbles: A Case of Bullous Keratopathy Following Artificial Iris Implantation

Dr. Samantha Southard Multiple Ocular Sequelae in a 16-year-old Female with Psoriatic Subtype Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Case Report Discussing Diagnoses and Treatment

Sona Vaghela (3rd Year); Drs. Lisa Koehler and Marc Taub

Dr. Michael Gerstner (’97) Clinical Challenges in the Diagnosis and Therapy of Punctate Inner Choroidopathy

Drs. Esla Speth (’10) and Patricia Cisarik Evaluation of the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening Tool in Young Adults

Comparison of VTS4-Projector and VTS4-Hololens on Vergence, Motor Fields, Pursuits, and Saccades

Dr. Sarah Weinburger (’25) Ancillary Testing Including Ultrasound Biomicroscopy Reveals a Case of Anteriorly Dislocated One-Piece Sulcus-Fixated Intraocular Lens

VISIONS

[WINTER 202 5]

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SOUTHERN COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY 1245 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104-2222

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