The Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) Board of Trustees today announced the appointment of Dr. Mark Colip as the sixth president of the Illinois College of Optometry. Dr. Colip will succeed Dr. Arol Augsburger who retires after sixteen years as president. He will take office on August 6, 2018.
This appointment marks the culmination of an extensive national search process that yielded a strong pool of talented candidates. As the President of the College, Dr. Colip will lead the efforts to advance the mission of ICO as it charts the course to its upcoming 150th Anniversary in 2022.
Dr. Colip remarked, “I am humbled by the confidence that the ICO Board has placed in me and enthusiastic about the opportunity and challenges ahead as we continue to educate outstanding clinical optometrists. ICO has a long and prestigious reputation and history of leadership in the profession. We have an incredibly talented and dedicated faculty, staff and student body and I look forward to working with everyone to advance ICO’s mission.”
Dr. Colip is a graduate of the Illinois College of Optometry and brings a wealth of experience in optometry and in higher education administration. Dr. Colip brings experience from private practice; from serving as a member of the faculty and ultimately as a part of the College’s Senior Administration for the past fifteen years. He has chaired the Admissions Committee since 1993; was appointed as the Vice President for Student Affairs in 2004 and took on an expanded role as the Vice President for Student, Alumni and College Development in 2009. In this position, Dr. Colip has worked to steward contributions and support surpassing the $4 million mark in 2012 and 2014.
In addition to his work at ICO, Dr. Colip has been a volunteer consultant for the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), serving as a site team member for professional accreditation of Doctor of Optometry education programs. He has also served with ASCO’s Student Affairs and Development Officer’s SIG groups and participated in international medical mission work.
Dr. Karen Eng, Chairman of the ICO Board of Trustees, indicated that, “It was important to the Board to identify the most qualified candidate to lead ICO and continue the long-standing tradition of excellence in optometric education. We were not surprised when the best candidate was right here in Chicago and well-known to all Board members and the entire ICO community. Dr. Colip is well-known and highly respected for his integrity, work ethic and long tenure with increasing levels of responsibility along the way. We are delighted to welcome President Colip into his new role.”
The ICO Board of Trustees has named Jeff Smith, OD, MBA to serve as interim president from July 1-August 5, 2018.
