CHICAGO – Arol Augsburger, OD, president of the Illinois College of Optometry, was elected vice chairman for the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities. Dr. Augsburger will serve on the Federation’s executive committee and join other leaders to represent the public policy interests of 61 Illinois nonprofit private colleges and universities.
“I am honored to serve the Federation in this new capacity and be a voice not only for the Illinois College of Optometry, but for institutions like ours across Illinois,” Dr. Augsburger said. “The Federation is a dynamic advocacy organization that plays an important role in ensuring the needs of our state’s independent colleges and universities are being met.”
Dr. Augsburger was appointed president of ICO in 2002 and has spearheaded innovative educational, patient care and community programs. He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Distinguished Service Award by the American Optometric Association and state Optometrist of the Year in Illinois, Ohio and Alabama.
Dr. Augsburger has served as president of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), including four years on the executive committee. He also has held several board offices and served as president of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). Prior to joining ICO, Dr. Augsburger served as interim provost at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
About the Illinois College of Optometry The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) provides excellence in optometric clinical education and is one of the world’s leading urban optometric institutions. Since its founding in 1872 by Dr. Henry Olin, ICO has offered aspiring optometrists the education and experience needed to meet the challenges of a changing health care environment and become leaders who will advocate for patients and the profession alike. Located in Chicago, ICO has a long and distinguished legacy as the oldest continually operating educational facility in the world dedicated solely to the teaching of optometrists. For more information about the Illinois College of Optometry, visit www.ico.edu
