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Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into optometry? I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. I went to kindergarten, elementary, high school, undergrad, and optometry school within the same two miles. Optometry has been part of my life for a long time because I was born with strabismus. By the age of 13, I had already undergone seven strabismus surgeries. I knew I wanted to do something medical but didn’t know that optometry was a possibility. Once I learned more about it though, I knew it was the right path for me. Within optometry, I am particularly interested in the anterior segment and our urgent care patients. I like these encounters because even though it’s scary for the patient, there is a great opportunity to build a close bond between the doctor and the patient. Some of my favorite patients first came to me as urgent care patients. When you work with someone who faces the threat of losing their eyesight, you form a tight bond. With healthcare speeding up, our exams speed up as well, making these visits more impersonal. I have found that the patients who remember me best are those who needed some extra handholding. It also helps that I find the anterior segment fascinating. You’re pretty new to ICO, but we’d love to know, why were you excited to come to ICO? I was excited to come here because it was something different. Because of my background, I felt that I had a lot to offer clinically. I have worked in direct patient care for a long time. I look forward to being a strong resource for all students, but especially those interested in pursuing practice opportunities within hospitals and schools of medicine. How do you see optometry changing in the next few years and how do you hope to be a part of it? I define myself as an INTJ. One thing that is true about INTJs is that we always try to think about new and creative ways of solving old problems. Sometimes, our ideas are not always well received. Luckily the world is embracing innovation more and more every day. I believe there is room for innovation in optometry. Technology can aid health providers in terms of better patient care, safety, record keeping, efficiency, accuracy, and precision; but it will never replace the formal medical decision-making or interpersonal bond between doctor and patient. Because of this, hot topics in healthcare such as artificial intelligence and ophthalmic diagnostics don’t threaten my job security. They excite me. Dr. Harris in clinic with a student and in an exam with a patient. What are some of the things you hope to achieve while you’re at ICO? Where do you want to be in five years? Within the IEI, I’d like to be more involved with the urgent care clinic and in particular the Rosenbloom clinic. I’d especially like to work with the post-op patients who are referred to us after cataract surgery. I really enjoy those encounters. Beyond the clinic, I see myself more involved in campus affairs and in particular working with students and faculty from non-traditional backgrounds and under-represented minorities. There is so much work to be done to grow our optometric workforce so that it more closely resembles the real world. To respond to this problem, I’m drafting a curriculum for an innovative pipeline program. The plan is to attract underrepresented minority students interested in pursuing a career in a health profession. That means optometry, but also dentistry, pharmacy and maybe even podiatry. These professions share the same student diversity issues. Of course, my goal is to have more optometrists who look like me, but I’ve realized that this may not be the right path for everyone. As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats, and I think an increased interest in health professions will help optometry as well. We’ve already found an organization interested in partnering with us with over 200 students in their yearly cohort. Most of these students are first-generation college students and/or underrepresented minorities, but also very high performers. As seniors in high school, we will be engaging them at a crucial time. They can plan their undergraduate career around their future professional goals. Hopefully we can also get them involved with ICO by providing them with shadowing opportunities during the summer. Dr. Harris in clinic with a student. What message would you have for incoming students? The best advice I can give here is to have three types of people in your corner. Historically, we have always talked about the importance of a mentor. A mentor can show you the ropes, teach you things you don’t know, and allow you to shadow them. That is still the first person you need on your side today. Second, you need an ally, perhaps a classmate a few grades above you, or an optometry student at another school. This person should be someone close to you in age but who knows a bit more about the path you’re interested in pursuing. Then, you need a sponsor. That’s the person who talks about you positively behind your back. Someone who can bring your name up in a positive way when you’re not around, such as a faculty mentor or externship supervisor. We noticed that you’re quite involved on social media. Whether it's Instagram or LinkedIn, you have a very strong presence. Can you tell us how you hope to use this medium and how you hope to inspire incoming students and in particular students of color? On Instagram, you can make a five-second video and within minutes you have messages from students across the country. It’s phenomenal the speed that information travels on social media. I love that I can use it as an ancillary educational tool. My goal is to be as helpful as possible, and the feedback that I get from students really drives me to do more. When I first stepped foot on campus, students recognized me because of my social media profile. To them, my posts mattered. Especially rewarding are the direct interactions I’ve had with students. Many of these students were unsure where to go next, and now, they’re residents or working at their dream private practice. If you think about it, it’s only been a year since they first reached out for help. This just goes to show how much a year really matters. It’s also a sign that the art of mentoring is changing because of social media. Times are changing and institutions, optometrists, and other health care providers must harness social media as an important learning tool and not just entertainment. I’m just working on one little piece, but I know I am having an impact because of it. If you want to follow along and learn more about me, connect with me at @eyedoc_eharris.

What made you interested in heading research at ICO? Well, I chose quite a few paths before ending up at ICO. In China, I completed my MD specializing in ophthalmology. In America, I completed my PhD at UAB in Vision Science and Physiological Optics and my OD at NECO. Ultimately, this exposure helped me continue my quest for knowledge. For me it was always clear that I would combine clinical care with important research initiatives. I knew that whatever I did, it would have to involve research and more specifically clinical research. I have always wanted to find answers to the many questions I have. As I was going through optometry school, I found that often there was no clear answer as to why treatment A was superior to treatment B. I needed research to get those questions answered. I wanted to know what was best for the patients we treat. Dr. Pang seeing one of her myopia control research subjects. In this clinical trial they are trying to determine the effectiveness of low dose Atropos on myopia progression. What’s one thing that you would want people to know about your specific field? ICO has always had an incredibly strong clinical program, but our research reputation was not as strong when I arrived. The most important element, though, an amazing patient population, has always been there. I always knew I wanted to do clinical research, and I knew, to do that, I had to work with a diverse patient population. Our patients are fundamental to who ICO is, and we were able to expand our research because of our patients. When I arrived at ICO in 2005, we had never taken part in a NIH-funded clinical trial, now we’ve completed over 20. When I started my role to oversee research at ICO in 2009, there was almost no support for research. If I wanted to recruit a patient for a clinical trial, I called the patients/parents. I scheduled their visits. I collected the data. I finished related research paperwork. At that point, we didn’t have specific research accounts in our business affairs office, and we had no support staff. Luckily, our institution and ICO leadership have always supported my research. I have always felt that at ICO, they empower you to make important and necessary changes. So, I eventually got a part-time support person. Mary, Dr. Leonard Messner’s personal assistant, took on the job part time. It was a lot to take in, but she did a great job! I’m incredibly thankful for all the hard work she put in. Very quickly though, we realized we needed a full-time research coordinator to help us with all the many details. A little more than ten years later, we have more than 90 active studies, and a full-time research coordinator. Looking back at this now, it’s amazing to see just how robust our research has become. Faculty, residents, students – they all have opportunities to do research. Not only that, because of our patient population, we can focus on the specialties that interest them whether that’s glaucoma, cornea and contact lenses, or myopia control. How has ICO changed since you arrived at ICO? And what has remained the same? The biggest change for me is what we have accomplished in research. ICO is being recognized for its high-quality research. Research at ICO now touches every stage of your optometry career whether you are a faculty member, a resident, or a student. Last year alone, we doubled the number of research posters by students. Our students have received awards through many prestigious organizations, such as the American Public Health Association (APHA), Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), and American Academy of Optometry (AAO). We are competing against other optometry schools and larger public health schools, and even against these larger schools we can stand our ground; we’re still being recognized. What’s remained the same is the faculty commitment. I feel a strong dedication to ICO. That’s in large part because of the faculty and staff at ICO – they are just amazing. They are so committed to the clinic and their patients, and they’re always willing to step up when asked. Whenever I ask a faculty member to do something extra in research, I have never gotten a “no.” Research requires a lot of volunteer work, and everyone is willing to participate. They serve on research committees, mentor students, and lead journal clubs. Most of the research faculty members conduct at ICO is not something already set on their schedule, it’s an extra ask and it’s a lot of hard work. No one has ever said “no” to me. The commitment from our faculty amazes me daily. Third year, Lydie Tubene works with Dr. McLaughlin to evaluate new instruments that could help measure peripheral vision using virtual reality. Because of the tool's portability, this new device could also be used as a screening tool on community health screenings or mission trips. They are in the process of validating this new technology for accuracy. To you what is the most exciting thing about optometry? Like I said earlier, my first degree was actually an MD as an ophthalmologist, but when I arrived in America, I chose to pursue an OD specifically because of my interest in primary care. I wanted to build strong relationships with patients, and I felt that I could best do that as an optometrist. I also chose the profession because of how much it has developed over the last 100 years. 100 years ago, we couldn’t dilate eyes, and we couldn’t treat many diseases. Our practice at that time was very limited. Nearly every year since, our scope of practice has expanded. The future of optometry is so bright. There are so many things we can do. We have passion, and we care! The need for optometrists will not go away – an aging population means there will be a larger need for low-vision treatment, and the usage of devices has sky-rocketed. This is becoming a serious public health issue. So, for example, my specific area of interest, myopia control, has huge public health repercussions. Optometrists are leading the charge in increasing public health awareness of vision care. What’s one thing you would like incoming students to know about the field of optometry? Dream big and take steps toward your goal every day. Your future is bright. Also, if they want to consider going into academia, I want them to know there are so many ways you can make a huge impact. It's so great to be part of this strong intelligent community.

Join us for ICO's annual continuing education symposium on Sunday, March 13, 2022 starting at 9:00 am. All four hours are offered for only $100. Check out the day's schedule and be sure to register on our Continuing Education webpage! Sunday, March 13, 2022 9:00 AM SECTION I: Diagnosis and Monitoring Pathik Amin, OD; Ashley Speilburg, OD; Dominick Opitz, OD; Michael Chaglasian, OD 11:15 AM SECTION II: Treatment Options and Case Panel Discussion Max Medert, MD; Mary Qui, MD; Michael Chaglasian, OD; Pathik Amin, OD; Ashley Speilburg, OD; Dominick Opitz, OD ​ Full Day Bundle: $100 (for all 4 hours) For any questions related to continuing education, please contact Elizabeth Grantner, Director of CE, at egrantner@ico.edu. Click to our Continuing Education webpage to see the event schedule, pricing and registration information.

Join us for a virtual CE Program Sunday, February 20, 2022 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. For just $120 you can participate in 3 virtual presentations, or, pay a la carte for $50 per course. Check out the day's schedule and be sure to register on our Continuing Education webpage! 9:00 AM Dominick Opitz, OD – What?! I Have Herpes? (2 hours) COPE Approval pending 11:15 AM Yi Pang, OD – Myopia Control: Whom to target with myopia interventions (2 hours) COPE Approval pending 1:30 PM Kathryn Hohs, OD; Alaina Bandstra, OD – Pupil Anomalies: A Review (2 hours) COPE Approval pending 3:30 PM Program concludes For any questions related to continuing education, please contact Elizabeth Grantner, Director of CE, at egrantner@ico.edu. Click to our Continuing Education webpage to see the event schedule, pricing and registration information.

This honor recognizes students in the first and second professional year who have distinguished themselves by scoring 90% or higher on the pre-clinical skills assessment last quarter and scored no lower than 75% on all NBEO skills. Congratulations students! Class of 2025, (Fall '21) Alador Sisay Alyssa Petko Amanda Stadtlander Ariana Padilla Catherine Liu Chandler Wolfe Cindy Dupuis Courtney Carmain Crissy Lee Emily Chong Emily Lau Giovanni Gonzalez Grace Dille Joy Lin Julianna Babich Karli Clark Kiana Cheung Kianna Swanson Kiara Stevenson Kylie Donohue Lauren Disterhaft Lauren VanderReyden Leena Haidar Lena Luu Madison Huynh Madison Thurmond Marissa Garrels Marissa Spatz Nancy Garay Espinoza Paul DeLakis Priya Patel Rachel Lee Sajal Singla Sera Makil Svetlana Galkina Sydney McKnight Taylor Steger Vivian La Vlad Souboch Wendi Zhang Donna Bayat Fard Wendy Huang Xiao Jing Yalda Feiz Class of 2024 (Fall '21) Aleksandra Czyz Alison Ou Alyza Medina Amina Cheema Amna Vahidy Ananya Bhattacharya Andrew Dust Ani Tokhmakhian Arub Qureshi Ateet Gill Benjamin Verkuilen Claire Tashner David Lee Donna Li Elizabeth Kim Emily Strand Gurjivan Dhaliwal Jacob Schumacher Jasdip Mann Jennifer Lai Jiani Lin Katherine Simko Lauren Ng Liam Ferguson Mahek Firasta Manisha Parikh Megan Piraino Melanie Chiu Nicole Babicz Nicole Freeman Roselyn Thomas Sami Rivet Sandra John Shannon Carmo Smruti Mehta Tijana Markovic Vinamrta Saini

This honor recognizes students in the first and second professional year who have distinguished themselves by scoring 90% or higher in the Primary Optometric Practice pre-clinic skills assessment last quarter and scored no lower than 75% on all NBEO skills. Congratulations students! Class of 2024 – Summer ACP Assessment Edem Jongue Sarah Neidermann Gabriella Vivacqua Class of 2024 – Spring Quarter Assessment Nada Abdallah David Adeyeye Limu Ahmed Maliha Asadullah Nora Atallah Ananya Bhattacharya Lydia Bouman Melanie Chiu Aleksandra Czyz Cindy Dang Meaghan Devany Gurjivan Dhaliwal Nhung Dinh Hollie Doyle Mahek Firasta Nicole Freeman Jordyn Fregonese Ateet Gill Sydney Goldstein Karly Gruett Frankie Ho Ashleigh Johnson Edem Jongue Junmo Kwon Thy Le Christine Le Donna Li Jiani Lin Julia Maida Gregory Maliszewski Jasdip Mann Tijana Markovic Diana Masolak Colin McCambridge Alyza Medina Smruti Mehta Zammad Mohammad Zachary Nading Sarah Neidermann Lauren Ng Andrew Nguyen Alison Ou Ariana Padilla Priyanka Patel Dhruti Patel Ekta Patel Melisa Philogene Megan Piraino Anna Plant Arub Qureshi Rachel Ryan Abou Assaf Salma Prabhpal Sandhu Grace Sigler Tavleen Singh Petkana Staleva McKenzie Stewart Emily Strand Yu Sun Calvin Sun Claire Tashner Roselyn Thomas Reeham Tineh Gabriella Vivacqua Rebecca Williams

The following students achieved superior academic performance in the Summer 2021 quarter by earning a quarterly GPA of 3.50 or better and no grade below a B or H (honors) in all third- and fourth-year patient care courses: Class of 2021 Augustine, Alin Barrientos, Jose Martin Class of 2022 Abbott, Sarah Aguilar, Lauren Albin, Matthew Ali, Sarah Ali, Zahra Arianas, Demetra Askar, Zacharia Bade, Bjorn Bartczak, Tanner Beigel, Eric Bergman, Nicole Biniek, Alicja Blanco, Erin Briggs, Nathaniel Buinickas, Marissa Cardenas, Angelica Chang, Sarah Chramiec, Natalia Dagnall, Cody Dhanjal, Raveenal Frazier, Macy George, Kevin Gibbs, Kaitlin Gilbertson, Jena Gill, Alison Grewal, Randeep Gronewoller, Eryn Haider, Junaid Hanna, Nicole Heraiz, Claudia Holden, Payton Hong, Clara Huynh, Bobby Huynh, Tracey Imran, Summaya Iskander, Fadi Jochimsen, Jake Kaur, Gurkiran Kingra, Ramanjot Koss, Stephanie Kratzenberg, Lacey Krisa, Sydney Lamas, Larissa Langer, Weleed Large, Mackenzie Lee, Soo Jung Liu, Xiang Jun Meyer, Gunnar Mills, Shalynn Moody, Allie Morier-Roy, Maxime Moua, Chi Na Neher, Frederick Nguyen, Jacqueline Nguyen, Jenny Niziol, Paulina Patel, Himanee Patel, Kosha Payne, Erica Polk, Natalie Pratt, Christian Raziuddin, Sophia Reyes, Jordan Robbs, Connor Robison, William Schmicker, Cierra Schuchardt, Madeleine Sharma, Malika Sholl, Sadie Shpountova, Kristina Singh, Chereka Strupek, Cailyn Sun, Lirong Vivacqua, Lisa Vizza, Juliana Wadowska, Maria Wallace, Whitney Wawrzak, Lidia Wildt, Rylee Winkel, Savannah Wong, Christopher Yoon, Hyun Ju Zezelic, Angela Class of 2023 Abernathy, Alexis Al-Khazraji, Sayf Bainbridge, Chloe Bhatt, Vrunda Blackett, Kevin Grewal, Gurleen Jaitly, MansiJed linski, Lauren Jiang, Lai Junidi, Ryan Karra-Aly, Sarah Ko, Jennifer Lewis, EmikaI Marquez, Aitana McGowan, Ryan Mehta, Vidhita Meyette, Benjamin Mundra, Bobby Patel, Puja Patel, Riddhi Patel, Sumaya Peterson, Austin Prorok, Sylwia Purewal, Prabhdeep Rockne, Lucas Sargent, Steven Seider, Marissa Shackelford, Rachel Shah, Ria Sosalla, Brooke Struss, Morley Sutter, Emily Tank, Shivani Tjoe-A-Long, Faith Vu, Anh Dao Wong, Alexander Yang, Grace Yu, Sheng Nan

It's finally here! This week the future class of 2025 arrives on campus and will take the first step of this exciting 4-year journey. The years will fly by, life-long relationships will be made, and lives will be transformed in a very short time. We've collected a couple words of advice from our staff and faculty and a few things we think you should keep in mind before you start.

The following students achieved superior academic performance in the Spring 2021 quarter by earning a quarterly GPA of 3.50 or better and no grade below a B or H (honors) in all third- and fourth-year patient care courses: Class of 2021 Abiva, Ashley Abraham, Justin Abusharekh, Samiha Augustine, Alin Baek, Jennifer Becherer, Tracy Bricker, Julie Bruegman, Lexye Buttar, Amandeep Caceres, Melissa Callahan, Megan Celer, Bartlomiej Chan, Kwok Fung Chaudhry, Aysha Chawla, Natasha Chow, Phoebe Tung Cordoba, Claire Crumbliss, Conner Deutsch, Dustin Dhanoa, Gurleen Dhillon, Jagdeep Efianayi, Lester El-Sayed-Abdallah, Fatme Escalante, Tamiko Fazio, Kimberly Fitzgerald, Kelsey George, Emil Ghabour, Monica Gonzalez, Salvador Goodman, Chelsea Hall, Allyson Hanacek, Daniel Hansen, Scott Henkel, Ashley Hinson, Benjamin Howell, Joab Hulet, Zachery Hulisz, Adam Humphreys, Tekarra Ico, Amanda Jain, Smriti Jennings, Kelsey Jin, Doris Kim, Grace Korsak, David Lalonde, Nikkie Lancaster, Alyssa Larson, Jessica Leysen, Avery Li, Jasmine Li, Katrina Lim, Jessica Metoxen, Mariah Michalicek, Benjamin Miller, Peter Morua, Andrew Moussawel, Nabil Mouzaihem, Hussein Nichols, Olivia Norris, Abigail Okakpu, Valerie Pecha, Nathan Percival, Anna Perez, Janette Philip, Riya Prodan, Luiza Rafique, Rabab Salam, Hasan Saleh, Faqar Sammak, Goli Schaefer, Kalyn Seo, Junghee Shah, Amy Shin, Ed Siddiqui, Fareesa Singh, Navreet Skoog, William Skorseth, Claire Smith, Lindsey Solomon, Zack Susol, Aleksandra Sykora, Kelsey Thavarajah, Antoniette Thomason, Zachary Tran, Margaret Tritsch, Erica Villena, Jeff Ward, Carley Wedel, Todd Class of 2022 Abbott, Sarah Aguilar, Lauren Akhter, Kainat Albin, Matthew Ali, Sarah Ali, Zahra Askar, Zacharia Aujla, Balpreet Bade, Bjorn Bartczak, Tanner Bergman, Nicole Biniek, Alicja Boente, Bryce Boycott, Jessie Cao, Jia Min Cardenas, Angelica Chramiec, Natalia Gilbertson, Jena Grewal, Randeep Ha, Vianna Hanna, Nicole Heraiz, Claudia Holden, Payton Hong, Clara Huynh, Bobby Huynh, Melissa Iskander, Fadi Kaur, Gurkiran Koss, Stephanie Krisa, Sydney Lamas, Larissa Langer, Weleed Large, Mackenzie Lee, Soo Jung Liu, Xiang Jun Lutchka, Emy Meagher, Andrea Mills, Shalynn Morier-Roy, Maxime Moua, Chi Na Neher, Frederick Nguyen, Noen Niziol, Paulina Noeng, Kelly Patel, Kosha Patel, Shruti Polk, Natalie Pratt, Christian Quach, Bonnie Randhawa, Navjeet Reyes, Jordan Robbs, Connor Robison, William Rodriguez, Maria Sarver, Amber Schaefer, Steven Schuchardt, Madeleine Shahid, Alina Sun, Lirong Swatch, Priya Teragawa, Sydney Ticknor, Steven Vasiljevic, Nenad Vivacqua, Lisa Vizza, Juliana Wallace, Whitney Wawrzak, Lidia Wong, Christopher Class of 2023 Abernathy, Alexis Ansari, Kashifa Bainbridge, Chloe Bhatt, Vrunda Cho, Melanie Chu, Monica Dunne, Jason Duresa, Eric Hoang, Khanh Jaitly, Mansi Jedlinski, Lauren Jiang, Lai Junidi, Ryan Karimi, Armaghan Karra-Aly, Sarah Karthikeyan, Alek Ko, Jennifer Lewis, EmikaI Macias, Dayra McGowan, Ryan Mehta, Vidhita Opacic, Milena Patel, Puja Patel, Riddhi Patel, Sumaya Peterson, Austin Pritzl, Timothy Prorok, Sylwia Purewal, Prabhdeep Rockne, Lucas Rodriguez, Elsie Saleem, Aroob Seider, Marissa Shackelford, Rachel Shah, Ria Sosalla, Brooke Struss, Morley Sutter, Emily Tank, Shivani Tjoe-A-Long, Faith Vu, Anh Dao Wong, Alexander Yang, Grace Yu, Sheng Nan Class of 2024 Abou Assaf, Salma Babicz, Nicole Bouman, Lydia Bravo, Brianna Breliant, Rachel Cammarata, Jacqueline Crawford, Christian Czyz, Aleksandra Devany, Meaghan Dinh, Nhung Doyle, Hollie Firasta, Mahek Freeman, Nicole Fregonese, Jordyn Ho, Frankie Jongue, Edem Kasem, Kasem Le, Christine Le, Thy Li, Bethany Li, Donna Lin, Jiani Masolak, Diana McCambridge, Colin Mohammad, Zammad Monsen, Parker Nading, Zachary Neidermann, Sarah Ng, Lauren Nguyen, Andrew Oller, Grady Ou, Alison Palmeri, Aaron Parikh, Manisha Patel, Dhruti Patel, Ekta Piraino, Megan Plant, Anna Pond, Jackson Richmond, Madalyn Saini, Vinamrta Sigler, Grace Simeon, Reneta Staleva, Petkana Stewart, McKenzie Strand, Emily Sun, Calvin Tashner, Claire Verkuilen, Benjamin Vivacqua, Gabriella Wentz, Christina Williams, Rebecca Wong, Cheuk Man

April 22nd was a historic day for optometry as the first group of ODs in Illinois received their vaccine certification. "There was applause as each OD successfully completed their training. It was one of those moments I will remember my whole life," says Sandra Bury, OD '95 (pictured in black scrubs with lab partner Leonard Messner, OD), who was one of the first ODs to receive certification. To date, 112 optometrists have begun the certification course and 95 have completed it and are now certified to provide COVID vaccinations. "I am bursting with pride for our great profession. It would be a great to see all of us step up to the challenge," says Dr. Bury. In response to the declared public health emergency, in March 2021, at the direction of Governor J.B. Pritzker, the IL Dept. of Financial and Professional Regulation and IL Dept of Public Health passed a proclamation to grant ODs the authority to administer the COVID-19 vaccination. To assist in the certification process, ICO is partnering with the Illinois Optometric Association to provide a training course to Illinois-licensed optometrists to verify competency in the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations. The course is free of charge and includes a three hour online didactic course followed by a one-hour hands-on, practical course. The practical course will be delivered at various sites throughout Illinois and conducted by ICO faculty with oversight from a practicing healthcare professional who is licensed to perform intramuscular injections. "I'm so proud of the joint efforts of ICO and the IOA to train ODs to become vaccinators. It is an honor to help us all try and end this pandemic together," says Lindsay Sicks, OD '10 (pictured to Dr. Bury's right), who was instrumental in developing the certification course. For more information about future vaccine training courses, please contact continuinged@ico.edu.

Gary A. Lesher, PhD, FAAO, who taught pharmacology at ICO for over 35 years and retired in 2019, has been selected as the commencement speaker for the 178th Commencement Ceremony scheduled for May 15th. A professor of pharmacology and toxicology and Assistant Dean for Didactic Education, Dr. Lesher taught more than 5000 students the nuances and complexities of pharmacology. Dr. Lesher's skilled method of teaching has been reflected in the success of ICO's students' NBEO pharmacology scores – which were consistently higher than the national average. His passion for teaching garnered Dr. Lesher numerous awards throughout his career. He has been recognized as Outstanding Faculty of the Year by numerous class years and received the Excellence in Education Award from ICO in 2013. For those alumni who have been taught by Dr. Lesher, you may recall his drug-related cartoons or videos at the start of class, the drug of the day questions, or the "Jeopardy" game at the end of the year. And who could forget his love of national parks! The Class of 2021 was the last class that Dr. Lesher taught, and they will remember him fondly. Thank you for your many years of dedicated teaching, Dr. Lesher.

Join us on May 23rd for ICO's Cornea 2021, a day-long live, online symposium that will feature expert faculty from the Illinois College of Optometry and the University of Chicago’s Ophthalmology Department. Topics include: · ​The Continuum of Care for Keratoconus · Updates in Corneal and Ocular Surface Disease · What’s New in Lamellar Keratoplasty Six hours of CE credit will be offered. You may register for a la carte courses or the full day. We hope you can attend this exciting CE event! For any questions related to continuing education, please contact Elizabeth Grantner, Director of CE, at egrantner@ico.edu. Click to our Continuing Education webpage to see the event schedule, pricing and registration information.