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Long time faculty member Darrell G. Schlange, OD '64, DOS, FAAO retired from ICO in December after teaching for 56 years and was named Associate Professor Emeritus by the Board of Trustees. With Emeritus status, he plans to stay involved and be an ambassador for ICO. "I plan to stay on part-time with the academic program and continue and complete my research which was put on hold when the pandemic began," says Dr. Schlange. Dr. Schlange has taught nearly 7400 students during his storied career at ICO. "It is an honor to be one of the teachers and mentors for thousands of ICO graduates," he says. "Mentorship is hugely important, and I have been fortunate to have two mentors, Dr. Rosenbloom and Dr. Tennant, who played a significant role in shaping my professional career." Reflecting on his legacy, Dr. Schlange and his wife Ruth decided to create a way to give back, to help students long after his teaching days have passed. They decided to combine his love for pediatric optometry and his passion for helping students by establishing The Darrell G. Schlange, O.D. Scholarship Endowment for Excellence in Pediatric Optometry. They committed a gift of $25,000 so that this scholarship would be endowed. They recently joined Dr. Mark Colip to sign the official gift agreement, and the scholarship will become fully endowed by the end of 2022. The scholarship will be awarded to a 3rd or 4th year student who demonstrates a dedication to pediatric optometry through service, leadership, teaching, and lifelong learning. When asked why he decided to endow a scholarship, Dr. Schlange stated, "I've devoted my life to teaching and to students. I wanted to continue my commitment to helping students with their education and the practice of pediatric optometry for generations to come. Additionally, I hope to inspire and encourage others to do the same." "Alumni are a key part of our strength and have demonstrated steadfast dedication to our students throughout the history of ICO and optometry," he continued. "We are setting examples for others. The importance of one person, the impact you can make – it is powerful what you can do and the lives we can influence." Dr. Schlange is a dedicated teacher, clinician, scholar, researcher, and humanitarian. His legacy of giving back to ICO, to students, and to the profession cannot be overstated. We are grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Schlange for their thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity. To find out more about establishing a scholarship, please email vbrandys@ico.edu or call 312-949-7144. To look back on Dr. Schlange's long tenure at ICO, we’ve put together a collection of pictures. Be sure to check out the next issue of ICO Matters where we’ll be highlighting his career.

A Message from President Mark Colip While 2020 has been challenging for everyone, I could not be more proud of the students, staff and faculty of ICO for their perseverance, dedication and teamwork. Despite the multitude of challenges in 2020, I can proudly say that ICO and IEI delivered on our missions for education and patient care. We have been able to keep every student on track with their educational plans despite extraordinary challenges. Classroom instruction pivoted to the virtual environment and patient care incorporated telehealth and PPE adaptations. While patient care has gradually increased to 80% in the IEI, the city of Chicago still has restrictions for the gathering of large groups, which limits transitioning back to classroom instruction for the time being. Our students have displayed enormous resilience throughout 2020 and performed well above the national average on their National Board exams. I am also proud of the students achieving Dean's List recognition. Our admissions team did an exemplary job switching admissions applicant interviews to virtual. Although this was a successful alternative to an in-person interview, nothing takes the place of touring through campus and experiencing the energy of the friendly people at ICO. As a result of their diligent efforts, the admissions team successfully recruited and enrolled an impressive class of 125 students. To keep ICO affordable to the best students, we have worked hard to keep our tuition costs under control. Over the past two years, we have had the lowest tuition increases in over a decade. We have also worked hard to decrease operating expenses across all areas of campus. 2020 was a time to reflect on our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion within the halls of ICO and within the profession. Our commitment to this important issue strengthened, and we are making progress in enacting processes and policies to create positive change. Lastly, I'd like to give credit to all of our resilient alumni who have persevered in the face of a multitude of challenges that you have never experienced before. My hat's off to you for your diligence to your optometric oath and your dedication to your patients and communities. Looking ahead to 2021… We are laser focused on getting our faculty, staff and students vaccinated as soon as possible. In addition to receiving vaccines, we are also exploring ways that ICO can be involved in the administration of vaccines to the local community, by becoming a vaccination site and using our facilities and staff to be part of the solution. We will also return to projects that were in progress prior to COVID, things like developing a new Master Plan for facilities and real estate. We continue to evaluate our space requirements in the specialty areas of the clinic as well as our expanding research needs. We are also evaluating the use of Brady Hall, which converted from dorm rooms to faculty and staff offices when the Residential Complex was built. Now needing significant upgrades, we are carefully evaluating those spaces. Telehealth has surged as a result of COVID, playing an important role in the management of patients in all areas of health care. In the months ahead, we will continue exploring opportunities for our faculty and students in this important developing area. As the oldest optometric education institution in the world, ICO will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 2022. We will be the first optometric institution to reach this milestone! Several celebratory events will be planned throughout the year, and planning will be underway in the coming months. My hope is that each of you will be able to participate in some way. With gratitude for your support and best wishes for a prosperous 2021. Mark K. Colip, OD '92 ICO President

Rosenbloom Center on Vision and Aging Marks 6th Anniversary January 19th marked the 6th Anniversary of the grand opening of the Dr. Alfred and Sarah Rosenbloom Center on Vision and Aging (RCVA). To commemorate this milestone, ICO planned an online celebratory event with Al Rosenbloom and Sue Tobert, the son and daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Rosenbloom, as well as Mrs. Linda Gorman, who recently named the reception area in the Rosenbloom Center in memory of her deceased husband, Dr. Stanley Gorman '71. Highlighting the event was a presentation from Danielle Piser, OD, FAAO, Chief of the Rosenbloom Center, focusing on the significant impact the RCVA has made over the past six years. Services in the RCVA include geriatrics, neuro-optometry, vision rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and electrophysiology. In six years, over 50,000 patients have been treated. During COVID, the RCVA was a hub for urgent cases, with over 350 patient encounters in mid-March and June. In addition to the useful low vision tools already provided, new devices, such as IrisVision and Vision Buddy, have been made available to patients in the RCVA. The Center is also a 4th-year externship site and a low-vision residency has been established. Plans for the future include additional resources, such as a newsletter and a support group for patients as well as establishing nursing home screenings. Al and Sue were moved by the dedication to their parents' vision for the Center. Says Al, "Amazing work with amazing individuals achieving dad and mom's amazing vision. Thanks for your continued commitment. We're very much looking forward to Year 7!" The legacy of Dr. and Mrs. Rosenbloom will continue for years to come. Virtual Reception for Leadership Circle Members On January 12 & 13, ICO held virtual receptions via MS Teams to update and thank our most loyal, annual supporters - our Leadership Circle members. President Mark Colip gave a State-of-the-College Address, highlighting the successes of 2020 as well as focusing on the opportunities that 2021 will bring. With over 40 members participating, they were invited to ask Dr. Colip questions following his address. Moe Eid, OD '03 asked how they can further help the College. "Contacting another classmate or alumnus, asking them to support the College like you do or simply by sharing their name with Vince Brandys, OD '90, who handles College Development, would go a long way in helping us to expand our circle of supporters," Dr. Colip replied. We are thankful for all of our donors who help us further the mission of the College. To find out more about the becoming a Leadership Circle member, click here. Pre-Holiday Online Store Surpasses Expectations In late fall, the ICO Alumni Council launched an innovative online initiative to raise funds to support the Alumni Association Scholarship – a Pre-Holiday Online Pop-Up Store offering an assortment of apparel with the ICO logo or ICO Alumni logo on them. The results of the store went beyond their expectations, with over 200 items ordered! Alumni Council member Stacy Hinkemeyer-Colatrella, OD '96, FAAO was the originator of the fundraising idea. She says, "The quality of the items is amazing. I'm so happy with my order, and it arrived in time for the holidays. Thank you to all those who placed an order and helped us raise funds for the Alumni Association Scholarship.” The next online store is scheduled for early spring. Be on the look-out for our Pre-Commencement Online Pop-Up Store with a new assortment of ICO Alumni apparel. Did you order ICO spiritwear from the Pre-Holiday Online Store? If so, please share photos with us wearing your ICO gear. We may even use your photo for our next online store promotion! Email your photos to alumni@ico.edu. Thanks!

New Alumni Council Members Elected Congratulations to our new Alumni Council Officers! New officers are elected each fall. They are: Nana Owusu, OD '08, President, Casey Hogan, OD '97, FAAO, FSLS, Dipl. ABO, Vice President, and Pete Russo, OD '87, FAAO, Secretary. We thank them for their service and leadership! "It’s an honor to have been given the opportunity to serve as the Alumni Council President," says Dr. Owusu. "I’m proud to be a graduate of one of the premier optometric institutions, and I’m happy to now have the opportunity to give back to the College that groomed and prepared me for professional life. In this role, I look forward to further developing our Alumni Ambassador Program. With such a strong alumni network, ICO has a great community of doctors for our students and colleagues to grow alongside." Dr. Owusu, who also serves on the ICO Board of Trustees, was recently featured on an episode of Sandbox Stories , a podcast created by fellow Board Member, Scott Jens, OD '91. The podcast provides interviews and perspectives from people in the industry with diverse backgrounds and inspires listeners to be great at what they do. The ICO Alumni Council consists of 10 alumni and 2 student leaders. If you are interested in becoming an Alumni Council member and would like more information, please contact the ICO Alumni Office at alumni@ico.edu. AAO Inducts New Fellows and Diplomates The American Academy of Optometry inducted 264 new Fellows and 8 new Diplomates in the fall of 2020. ICO would like to congratulate our alumni who have achieved their AAO Fellow status. Below is list of the newest Fellows. We are proud to see the “FAAO” after your names. Congratulations! Alaina Bandstra, OD '17, FAAO Brittney Marie Brady, OD '18, FAAO Simran Brar, OD '19, FAAO Margaret T. Burton, OD '17, FAAO Morgan Cornelius, OD '19, FAAO Christian Corzo, OD '18, FAAO Bruce I. Gaynes, OD '83, PharmD, MS, FAAO Abigail Gonsalves, OD '19, FAAO Beth Healy, OD '03, FAAO Kathryn Elizabeth Hohs, OD '18, FAAO Katalin Hotsenpiller, OD '03, FAAO Jacqueline Anne Ecalnir Julio, OD '19, FAAO Konstantina G. Kalas, OD '19, FAAO Kim Alana Krusell, OD '16, FAAO Stephanie Kwan, OD '15, FAAO Jami Parsons Malloy, OD '09, FAAO Manali Patel, OD '18, FAAO Sonali Patel, OD '14, FAAO David Schaeffer, OD '17, FAAO Ryan Socwell, OD '09, MBA, FAAO Abigail Strauss, OD '19, FAAO Katherine Thomas, OD '19, FAAO Nhung Tran, OD '19, FAAO Senija Turan, OD '17, FAAO Aleice Vujnovich, OD '18, FAAO Samantha Wong, OD '19, FAAO Wendy Zhen, OD '19, FAAO Congratulations also to Ken Maller, OD '91, FAAO, Dipl. CCLRT and former ICO resident Zanna Kruoch, OD, FAAO, Dipl. Ant. Seg. who achieved Diplomate status!

There are so many ways our students are making a difference. They are making a difference not only in their own future but within Chicago's Bronzeville community and within the field of optometry. The connection we build with our patients saves lives, one eye exam at a time. Below are just a few ways they make a difference every day. THE ILLINOIS EYE INSTITUTE For over a century, we have dedicated ourselves to the community around us. We are committed to them and in turn, they are committed to us. At the IEI, We regularly see four generations of patients. Check out the video below to learn how our students feel about the clinic and the patients we serve. You can watch more videos about our clinical program on our YouTube channel. STUDENT GROUPS In addition to our clinic, our students make an impact through various active student groups on campus. Our students fundraise for local charity, provide eye care for the special olympics, and travel to other countries serving other nations. CHANGE THE FIELD OF OPTOMETRY At ICO you work with the same faculty in the classroom and in the clinic. It's common for students and faculty to team up on research projects. Most recently, third year student Connor Robbs worked with faculty member Dr. Yi Pang conducting research into the effects of COVID on the field of optometry. Their work was highlighted in Review of Optometry and selected as one of the top 10 posters at AAO 2020.

The following students achieved superior academic performance in the Fall 2020 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 Anjum, Zuneera Augustine, Alin Barrientos, Jose Martin Baseleon, William Becherer, Tracy Bista, Pranaya Bruegman, Lexye Caceres, Melissa Calderon, Elia Callahan, Megan Chamberlin, Jeffrey Chan, Kwok Fung Chaudhry, Aysha Chow, Phoebe Collins, Thomas Cordoba, Claire Crumbliss, Conner Day, Carson Deutsch, Dustin Dhillon, Jagdeep Esser, Ashley Fazio, Kimberly Fitzgerald, Kelsey Ghabour, Monica Go, Jason Gonzalez, Salvador Goodman, Chelsea Hanacek, Daniel Hansen, Scott Henkel, Ashley Hinson, Benjamin Hulet, Zachery Hulisz, Adam Humphreys, Tekarra Ico, Amanda Ishtiaq, Alina Jain, Smriti Javed, Fatima Jennings, Kelsey Jin, Doris Kamachi, Zachary Kamil, Christie Kaur, Amandeep Kim, Grace Klukas, Erin Laden, Chelsea Lalonde, Nikkie Lancaster, Alyssa Lenhart, Kasey Li, Jasmine Lim, Jessica Lu, Yu Sheng Marogy, Renee Metoxen, Mariah Michalicek, Benjamin Morua, Andrew Nguyen, Christine Nichols, Olivia Pecha, Nathan Percival, Anna Perez, Janette Philip, Riya Polyek, Liliya Prodan, Luiza Rancic, Jake Rocken, Claire Salam, Hasan Saleh, Faqar Sammak, Goli Sarver, Amber Schaefer, Kalyn Seo, Junghee Shin, Ed Siddiqui, Fareesa Singh, Navreet Skoog, William Skorseth, Claire Smith, Lindsey Solomon, Zack Sukhera, Bazla Susol, Aleksandra St Louis, Rodney Tran, Margaret Tran, Michelle Tritsch, Erica Villena, Jeff Vu, Alyssa Ward, Carley Yang, Chenying Class of 2022 Abbott, Sarah Aguilar, Lauren Ali, Sarah Ali, Zahra Aujla, Balpreet Bade, Bjorn E Bartczak, Tanner Bergman, Nicole Boente, Bryce Cao, Jia Min Chramiec, Natalia Gilbertson, Jena Grewal, Randeep Ha, Vianna Hanna, Nicole Heraiz, Claudia Hong, Clara Huynh, Bobby Huynh, Melissa Kaur, Gurkiran Koss, Stephanie Krisa, Sydney Large, Mackenzie Lee, Soo Jung Liu, Xiang Jun Mills, Shalynn Morier-Roy, Maxime Moua, Chi Na Neher, Frederick Niziol, Paulina Patel, Kosha Polk, Natalie Pratt, Christian Raziuddin, Sophia Reyes, Jordan Robison, William Sarver, Amber Schaefer, Steven Schuchardt, Madeleine Shahid, Alina St Louis, Rodney Swatch, Priya Teragawa, Sydney Thorp, Blaine Vivacqua, Lisa Vizza, Juliana Wallace, Whitney Wawrzak, Lidia Wildt, Rylee Zezelic, Angela Class of 2023 Abernathy, Alexis Ansari, Kashifa Athar, Moheera Bainbridge, Chloe Bhatt, Vrunda Jedlinski, Lauren Jiang, Lai Junidi, Ryan Karra Aly, Sarah Karthikeyan, Alek Ko, Jennifer Lewis, Emika Macias, Dayra Marquez, Aitana Mehta, Vidhita McGowan, Ryan Moukaddem, Munira Mundra, Bobby Patel, Sumaya Peterson, Austin Prorok, Sylwia Purewal, Prabhdeep Rockne, Lucas Rola, Jacqueline Shackelford, Rachel Shah, Ria Signa, Anthony Sosalla, Brooke Struss, Morley Sutter, Emily Tank, Shivani Tjoe-A-Long, Faith Wong, Alexander Yang, Grace Yu, Sheng Class of 2024 Abou Assaf, Salma Babicz, Nicole Baez, Francia Bishop, Stark Bouman, Lydia Breliant, Rachel Cammarata, Jacqueline Crawford, Christian Czyz, Aleksandra Dang, Cindy Devany, Meaghan Dhaliwal, Gurjivan Doyle, Hollie Ferguson, Liam Freeman, Nicole Fregonese, Jordyn Ho, Frankie Le, Christine Le, Thy Li, Donna Lin, Jiani Mann, Jasdip Masolak, Diana McCambridge, Colin Mohammad, Zammad Monsen, Parker Nading, Zachary Neidermann, Sarah Nguyen, Andrew Oller, Grady Ou, Alison Parikh, Manisha Patel, Dhruti Patel, Ekta Patel, Priyanka Piraino, Megan Plant, Anna Pond, Jackson Richmond, Madalyn Saini, Vinamrta Sigler, Grace Simeon, Reneta Singh, Tavleen Staleva, Petkana Stewart, McKenzie Strand, Emily Sun, Calvin Tashner, Claire Verkuilen, Benjamin Vivacqua, Gabriella Wentz, Christina Wong, Cheuk Zigulis, Jakob

For the past few months, our admissions office has been in full swing interviewing and accepting ICO's Class of 2025. For those who may feel daunted by the many steps needed to complete your optometry application, we've broken the application down into 5 easy steps. Optometry is a wonderful profession and we look forward to being a part of your journey to becoming an OD. If you are interested in joining the Class of 2025, there is plenty of time to apply but there are a limited number of seats -- we encourage you to apply early! To get started, follow these basic steps: 1. GATHER YOUR MATERIALS • Get two letters of recommendation. One academic -- including from a professor with whom you have taken coursework, an academic advisor, or an academic committee. One professional -- including from a practicing, non-relative optometrist. • Take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT). This is a test that nearly all optometry institutions will require. You can register for the test at opted.org and view an online info booklet. • Complete Prerequisite Courses To assure you are ready for optometry school, we require a series of college-level pre-optometry courses prior to admission. 2. APPLY TO ICO • Submit application and supporting materials through OptomCAS July 1 - February 15. Like with all optometry schools in the US, applicants must apply through the Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS). ICO’s application deadline will be February 15, 2021. 3. SUBMIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS TO ICO Submit the OptomCAS application (including personal statement, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and application fee.) Submit ICO’s Interview Profile Forms (including the Pre-Optometry Coursework Sheet, and essay). Only those deemed competitive by the Admissions Committee will be invited to fill out the forms. Request your OAT and/or GRE scores be sent to ICO. If English is a second language, request your TOEFL scores be sent to ICO. ICO’s institutional code is 1317. 4. INTERVIEW • If invited, you will interview remotely. Interviews are conducted one-on-one with a faculty or ICO Administrator member between September and April. 5. DEPOSIT AT ICO • Receive the Admissions Committee’s decision within two to three weeks of your interview. Once accepted you will send the required tuition deposit as outlined in your letter of acceptance. This deposit is applied to first year tuition. STUDENT VOICES: Learn how some of our students made it to ICO. Wondering how to tackle the OAT? Check out Alek's blog post! Wondering how to put together a good application? Learn from Rachel's steps and missteps. Wondering about a gap year? Lauren looks at how taking a gap year affected her first year at ICO. STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? Contact our Office of Admissions with any questions about the application process at admissions@ico.edu. We also have information for re-applicant and current optometry students looking to transfer on our website at ico.edu/how-to-apply.

ICO's Alumni Association is raising funds to help support student scholarships by offering a quality selection of ICO Spiritwear on our Pre-Holiday Online Store. If you're looking to keep warm this winter season or find the perfect gift, check out our selection. You can also choose from a variety of logos: ICO, ICO Alumni, ICO Faculty and ICO Staff. The Alumni Association Scholarship is offered to one admissions candidate as well as awarded to four 4th-year students. This scholarship is awarded to the fourth years based on the essay: Describe your service and leadership while at ICO and include how you will continue to lead and serve ICO and the optometric profession as an alumnus. This scholarship is given to fourth years in part to offset the cost of optometry school. Allowing these new graduates to pursue interests -- whether that be starting their own practice, pursuing a residency, serving at a VA, or pursuing any other career opportunity they are interested in! To purchase your items, submit your order no later than November 11, 2020. Thank you for supporting ICO and our ongoing efforts to advance the field of optometry!

The following students achieved superior academic performance in the Summer 2020 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 Ali, Sarah Aujla, Balpreet Bade, Bjorn Bartczak, Tanner Bergman, Nicole Bista, Pranaya Boycott, Jessie Bruegman, Lexye Caceres, Melissa Cao, Jia Min Cardenas, Angelica Celer, Bartlomiej Chan, Kwok Fung Chaudhry, Aysha Chow, Phoebe Collins, Thomas Cordoba, Claire Deutsch, Dustin Dhanjal, Raveenal Dhanoa, Gurleen Efianayi, Lester Esser, Ashley Fazio, Kimberly Files, Owen Francis, Randi-Jo George, EmilA Gilbertson, Jena Go, Jason Gonzalez, Salvador Goodman, Chelsea Grewal, Randeep Ha, Vianna Hall, Allyson Hanna, Nicole Hans, Navneet Hansen, Scott Henkel, Ashley Henry, Owen Heraiz, Claudia Hinson, Benjamin Hong, Clara Howell, Joab Hulet, Zachery Hulisz, Adam Ico, Amanda Jain, Smriti Javed, Fatima Jin, Doris Kamil, Christie Kaur, Gurkiran Kim, Grace Koss, Stephanie Krisa, Sydney Lalonde, Nikkie Lee, Soo Jung Leysen, Avery Lim, Jessica Liu, Xiang Jun Managdew, Yordanos Meagher, Andrea Mills, Shalynn Minhas, Nikita Morier-Roy, Maxime Moua, Chi Na Moussawel, Nabil Munoz, Angel Neher, Frederick Nguyen, Christine Nguyen, Jenny Nichols, Olivia Noeng, Kelly Percival, Anna Perez, Janette Polk, Natalie Pratt, Christian Prodan, Luiza Robbs, Connor Robison, William Rocken, Claire Salam, Hasan Schaefer, Kalyn Schaefer, Steven Schuchardt, Madeleine Seo, Junghee Shah, Amy Shahid, Alina Siddiqui, Fareesa Singh, Navreet Skoog, William Smith, Lindsey Sun, Lirong Susol, Aleksandra Sykora, Kelsey Tran, Tam Valenzuela, Alyssa Vivacqua, Lisa Vizza, Juliana Wadowska, Maria Wallace, Whitney Wedel, Todd Wong, Christopher Yang, Chenying Class of 2022 Abbott, Sarah

ICO is privileged to honor and recognize our 2020 ICO Alumni Association Award recipients. The criteria for each award involve one or more of the following attributes: service and leadership on the ICO Alumni Council (a nine year commitment) extensive leadership, support and service to the College and the optometric profession excellence as a faculty member and scholarly contributions to the profession humanitarian efforts in the recipient's home state, country and abroad accomplished career and outstanding commitment and dedication to the College and to the profession We appreciate the many ways our alumni and friends have represented and supported the College, the community, and the profession. Congratulations to our 2020 awardees! Golden Gavel Award Larry Van Daalen, OD '87 Dr. Van Daalen lives and practices in Waverly, Iowa. In addition to founding his own private practice, he has been very involved in his community and profession. He has served on numerous committees and councils and his leadership positions have included: President of the Waverly Lions Club (x3), Trustee of the Iowa Lions Foundation, and President of the Iowa Optometric Association. His involvement in the Iowa Optometric Association has earned him both the Young OD of the Year Award in 1990 and OD of the Year Award in 2003. He was awarded the Lion of the Year Award twice and earned the Lions Club Presidential Award. Dr. Van Daalen has also served as a member of ICO's Alumni Council for nine years and led the Council as president in 2016-17. He was instrumental in the development of the Alumni Council's Strategic Plan, focusing on outreach and philanthropy. Young Alumnus of the Year Award Abby Jakob, OD '14 After working as an associate at a private practice and several commercial offices, Dr. Jakob opened her own practice in her hometown of Kingsville, Ontario. She purchased and renovated the historic firehall building on Main Street, and, with the help of a practice consultant, she opened the doors of EYES in the Spring of 2017. With state-of-the-art technology and equipment and a reputation for her stylish, boutique optical, she quickly became a well-established businesswoman. After just one year in business, she was awarded “Young Professional of the Year” from the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Jakob was also voted “Best Optometrist” in 2018 and “Best Optical” back to back in the 2018 and 2019 at the annual Best of Windsor Essex Awards. In 2019, she was chosen as Kingsville’s "Young Entrepreneur of the Year" and voted “The Only Optometrist to See” at the BizX Awards in Windsor and Essex County. She believes it is crucial to be involved in her community, which has resulted in various presentations at local schools, sharing her journey of becoming an optometrist and businesswoman and encouraging young people to believe in themselves and set ambitious goals. Alumnus of the Year Award Robert N. Lewenson, OD '80 Dr. Lewenson is the majority owner of Eye Doctor’s Optical Outlets, the largest optometrist-owned, multi-office practice in the U.S. With over 50 locations in Florida, more than 100 affiliated eye doctors provide vision care for over 300,000 patients per year. Dr. Lewenson is very involved in giving back to his community and was honored with the Tree of Life Award from the Jewish National Fund for his contributions and support. He is also a regular contributor to Southeast Guide Dogs and Metropolitan Ministries, which helps to feed the hungry and takes care of the homeless in the Tampa Bay area. His philanthropy permeates the optometric profession as well. Each year, he travels to the Dominican Republic to perform hundreds of eye exams and to donate glasses to the population. He also engages with students at optometric institutions, sharing his practice management expertise and serving as a role model for future doctors. At ICO, Dr. Lewenson's generosity resulted in a lead gift to establish and name the Dr. Robert and Lena Lewenson Pediatric and Binocular Vision Center in the Illinois Eye Institute, providing unparalleled eye care to Chicago's underserved children with vision impairments. Distinguished Friend Award R. Michael Daley Mr. Daley began his optical career as an instructor with Ferris State University in 1975. He started working with Essilor in 1976 as a Varilux Corporation sales consultant, quickly receiving several promotions before ultimately becoming President of the Varilux Corporation in 1989. Mr. Daley was appointed president and COO of Essilor Lenses in 1996 and retired in 2008 after 34 years. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of The Vision Council, a non-profit trade association representing the manufacturers and suppliers of the optical industry. He was inducted into the National Academy of Opticianry Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Optical Laboratories Association Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Ferris State University and received the Optical Laboratories Association Director’s Choice Award in 2006. He served as a Board member or in a leadership position for several optometric organizations including The Illinois College of Optometry Board of Trustees, the American Optometric Association Foundation, and Prevent Blindness America. Excellence in Education Award Geoffrey W. Goodfellow, OD '01, FAAO, Dipl. ABO Dr. Goodfellow joined the faculty after completing his residency in pediatrics/binocular vision at ICO. Throughout his career, he has taught numerous courses and laboratories and currently teaches Ophthalmic Optics and the Vision Rehabilitation Laboratory. Dr. Goodfellow is also a member of ICO's academic administration, serving as Associate Dean for Academic Assessment and Records. Previously, he served as the Chief of the Pediatrics/Binocular Vision Service in the Illinois Eye Institute. Dr. Goodfellow's research and scholarly work is extensive, as is his involvement in his community and profession. Dr. Goodfellow is a past president of the Illinois Optometric Association and the North Central States Optometric Council and serves as a member or chairperson of numerous committees within the IOA, ASCO, AOA, ACOE, and other optometric organizations. Dr. Goodfellow's commitment to educational excellence has earned him twelve Teacher of the Year and Golden Apple Awards from ICO students. Professional Achievement Award R. Mark Hatfield, OD '79, MD, FACS Dr. Hatfield felt a calling to become a physician at a young age and followed in his father's and sister's footsteps when he, too, became a graduate of ICO. He was determined to further his educational goals, however, and enrolled in the Marshall University School of Medicine, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1983. While completing his residency at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, he discovered his passion for the retina subspecialty. After completing a fellowship at Illinois Retina Associates, Dr. Hatfield returned to southern West Virginia to establish a retina practice. He founded Retina Consultants, PLLC, located in Charleston, West Virginia, which has brought specialty care to a vastly underserved area for the past 31 years. The practice now has six physicians and over 100 employees with four full-time offices and two satellite clinics. Throughout his career, Dr. Hatfield has authored numerous publications and has lectured extensively, sharing his expertise at Marshall University and at West Virginia State Ophthalmology Conferences. Humanitarian Award William A. Olivos, OD '95 Dr. Olivos was born and raised in Lima, Peru. After graduating from ICO, he returned to Peru to practice optometry and became a professor at the Universidad Villarreal in Lima, teaching binocular vision, low vision, and optometry science. In 1999, Dr. Olivos returned to the U.S. and settled in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where he established his private two-office practice, Advanced Eye Care Center, specializing in comprehensive eye care and low vision. He and his wife Susan have organized medical mission trips to Peru and the Dominican Republic since 2004, often collaborating with Peruvian and American optometrists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, educators, and students. Dr. Olivos and his wife are the founders of Olive Tree Foundation for Education, which has provided more than 400 scholarships for economically disadvantaged students in Peru. He has been an active member of Rotary International since 2002 and has been a member of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine since 2012, advocating for plant-based diets and preventative medicine. Lifetime Service Award Bernard "Bernie" P. Nevel, OD '55 (NICO) Dr. Nevel, a 1955 graduate of Northern Illinois College of Optometry, purchased his first practice in 1959. After partnering with an ophthalmologist, he expanded his practice with two additional locations in north central and southwest Indiana. Dr. Nevel retired in 2014 after nearly 60 years in practice. After passing the torch to fellow ICO alumnus Kevin Danahey, OD '91, Dr. Nevel's legacy continues as the practices he built so long ago continue to thrive and grow. Now with six locations in north central and southwest Indiana, Michiana Eye Center, LLC, is an equally owned-OD/MD practice with nine ODs and three MDs and is an externship site for the ICO. During his career, Dr. Nevel received the Distinguished Service in Optometry Award and the Golden Eagle Award from the Indiana Optometric Association for his dedication and contributions to the visual welfare of the citizens of Indiana. He has been a selfless, generous contributor to the Illinois College of Optometry for many decades. A humble man, he prefers to speak of his love for his family rather than receive accolades for his many successes.

The following students achieved superior academic performance in the Spring 2020 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 2020 Beachnau, Alexandra Brown, Marisa Buckley, Brianna Bultsma, Alicia Chen, Katherine Dang, Binh Fritz, Kenny Gil, Monika Golon, Stephanie Halig, Luma Han, Alice Hepner, Andrew Jakupovic, Amela Khan, Amina Kloft, Sara Kuby, Nora Kyi, Lhamo Langel, Jordan Lazarz, Iwona Marshall, Elizabeth Masood, Sunya Mathews, Haley McDaniel, Taryn Ng, Justin Nikolova, Galina Osowski, Julia Patel, Deeti Patel, Kavita Ralph, Angie Rohan, Amelia Skowron, Michelle Sohbati, Negar Somers, Elizabeth Stein, Rebecca Stevens, Kelsie Teixeira, Rae Vourvopoulos, Elena Wang, Helen Williams, Megan Worb, Andrew Young, Kyle Class of 2021 Abiva, Ashley Abusharekh, Samiha Anjum, Zuneera Baek, Jennifer Baseleon, William Bista, Pranaya Bruegman, Lexye Caceres, Melissa Calderon, Elia Callahan, Megan Chaudhry, Aysha Chawla, Natasha Chow, Phoebe Collins, Thomas Cordoba, Claire Crumbliss, Conner Deutsch, Dustin Dhanoa, Gurleen Dhillon, Jagdeep Efianayi, Lester El-Sayed-Abdallah, Fatme Esser, Ashley Fazio, Kimberly Files, Owen Fitzgerald, Kelsey Francis, Randi-Jo George, Emil Ghabour, Monica Go, Jason Gonzalez, Salvador Goodman, Chelsea Hall, Allyson Hans, Navneet Hansen, Scott Henkel, Ashley Henry, Owen Hinson, Benjamin Howell, Joab Hulet, Zachery Hulisz, Adam Ico, Amanda Ishtiaq, Alina Jain, Smriti Javed, Fatima Jennings, Kelsey Jin, Doris Kamil, Christie Kaur, Amandeep Kim, Grace Klukas, Erin Korsak, David Laden, Chelsea Lalonde, Nikkie Lancaster, Alyssa Larson, Jessica Lenhart, Kasey Leysen, Avery Li, Brian Li, Jasmine Li, Katrina Lim, Jessica Lu, Yu Sheng Marogy, Renee Metoxen, Mariah Michalicek, Benjamin Miller, Peter Minhas, Nikita Moussawel, Nabil Mouzaihem, Hussein Nguyen, Christine Nichols, Olivia Norris, Abigail Okakpu, Valerie Patel, Alesha Pecha, Nathan Percival, Anna Perez, Janette Philip, Riya Polyek, Liliya Prodan, Luiza Rafique, Rabab Rancic, Jake Rocken, Claire Salam, Hasan Saleh, Faqar Sammak, Goli Schaefer, Kalyn Seo, Junghee Shah, Amy Shin, Ed Siddiqui, Fareesa Singh, Navreet Skoog, William Skorseth, Claire Smith, Erica Smith, Lindsey Solomon, Zack Susol, Aleksandra Sykora, Kelsey Thavarajah, Antoniette Tran, Margaret Tran, Michelle Tran, Tam Tritsch, Erica Valenzuela, Alyssa Vu, Alyssa Ward, Carley Wedel, Todd Yang, Chenying Class of 2022 Abbott, Sarah Aguilar, Lauren Akhter, Kainat Albin, Matthew Ali, Sarah Ali, Zahra Arianas, Demetra Askar, Zacharia Aujla, Balpreet Austin, Thomas Bade, Bjorn Bartczak, Tanner Beigel, Eric Bergman, Nicole Beyerle, Kipp Biniek, Alicja Blanco, Erin Boente, Bryce Boycott, Jessie Briggs, Nathaniel Buinickas, Marissa Cao, Jia Min Cardenas, Angelica Chang, Sarah Chramiec, Natalia Czuma, Michael Dhanjal, Raveena Gibbs, Kaitlin Gilbertson, Jena Grewal, Randeep Gronewoller, Eryn Ha, Vianna Haider, Junaid Hanna, Nicole Heraiz, Claudia Holden, Payton Hong, Clara Huynh, Bobby Huynh, Melissa Huynh, Tracey Iskander, Fadi Kaur, Gurkiran Kingra, Ramanjot Koss, Stephanie Kratzenberg, Lacey Krisa, Sydney Lamas, Larissa Large, Mackenzie Lee, Soo Jung Liu, Xiang Jun Lootens, Dolores Luce, Courtney Lutchka, Emy Meagher, Andrea Meyer, Gunnar Mills, Shalynn Morier-Roy, Maxime Moua, Chi Na Mugler, Josh Neher, Frederick Nguyen-Duong, Kathy Nguyen, Jacqueline Nguyen, Jenny Niziol, Paulina Noeng, Kelly Patel, Himanee Patel, Kosha Patel, Shivani Patel, Shruti Patel, Vairagi Paul, Sneha Payne, Erica Polk, Natalie Pratt, Christian Quach, Bonnie Raziuddin, Sophia Reyes, Jordan Robbs, Connor Robison, William Rodriguez, Maria Sarver, Amber Schaefer, Steven Schmicker, Cierra Schuchardt, Madeleine Shahid, Alina Shim, Rachel Sholl, Sadie Shpountova, Kristina Singh, Chereka Soldenwagner, Maximillian St Louis, Rodney Sun, Lirong Swatch, Priya Teragawa, Sydney Thorp, Blaine Ticknor, Steven Vasiljevic, Nenad 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 Ansari, Kashifa Bainbridge, Chloe Banipal, Lovedeep Bhatt, Vrunda Blackett, Kevin Cianfrone, Brigitte DiRezze, Sara Hoang, Khanh Jaitly, Mansi Jedlinski, Lauren Jiang, Lai Junidi, Ryan Karra Aly, Sarah Karthikeyan, Alek Katsevman, Jessica Ko, Jennifer Lawando,Edward Lewis, Emika Macias, Dayra McGowan, Ryan Mehta, Vidhita Meyette, Benjamin Mundra, Bobby Patel, Puja Patel, Riddhi Peterson, Austin Pritzl, Timothy Prorok, Sylwia Purewal, Prabhdeep Rak, Shayna Rockne, Lucas Rola, Jacqueline Seider, Marissa Shackelford, Rachel Shah, Ria Signa, Anthony Sosalla, Brooke Struss, Morley Suhail, Talha Sutter, Emily Tank, Shivani Tubene, Lydie Ward, Kenneth Wong, Alexander Yang, Grace Yu, Sheng

Students, Staff, Faculty and Friends: As both an educational and healthcare institution, ICO has the honor to continue to serve our students and our patients during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to take this opportunity to share a few of the efforts and protocols we have in-place to work to keep everyone safe and healthy. Our Academic Program: Didactic lectures are being delivered remotely using the MediaSite Technology and are available to view LIVE or for convenient playback later. As always, the entire catalog of past lectures are available for viewing 24/7 by our students. Faculty remain accessible to students for questions and office hours as noted on each course syllabus. Skills Laboratories are being conducted in-person, with modified schedules to facilitate social distancing, enhanced cleaning of the areas and with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for a clinical setting. Clinical rotations and instruction are being conducted in-person at the Illinois Eye Institute, clinical facilities and externship sites with appropriate clinical PPE. The Academic Calendar has been modified to limit Break periods related travel by students. As a result, we will be able to condense in-person instruction for Laboratories for the Class of 2023 and 2024. Campus activities for these students will end by Thanksgiving and resume after the Holiday break in 2021. Our Clinical Services: Our clinical facilities are being operated at reduced patient capacities to provide for social distancing and to reduce waiting times.​ Patients are screened for symptoms and travel restrictions prior to arrival and again upon arrival with infrared temperature checks upon entrance to our facilities. Clinically appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) is being provided to our students and faculty engaged in laboratory and clinical patient care. Our People: Students, faculty and staff are asked to self-screen daily and not come to campus if they are feeling ill or exhibiting any possible symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone feeling ill is asked to report their symptoms to the appropriate resource people for guidance. Everyone is required to have their temperature checked daily upon entry to our buildings. Everyone entering our buildings are required to wear approved masks (vented masks and bandanas are prohibited) that cover both nose and mouth at all times; to socially distance whenever possible; and to wash hands with soap and water frequently. Prompt identification, contact tracing, notification, and proactive management of suspected adverse events is being utilized. We are abiding by the Chicago Department of Public Health 14 day quarantine guidance for anyone traveling from high incidence states. Most campus in-person events have been suspended, including ICOlympics and White Coat Ceremony, as well as any other events with larger groups. Small groups can still meet, with prior approval, and abiding by all enhanced campus protocols. We have suspended all College business-related travel through December 31, 2020. Many faculty and staff are continuing to work remotely as their job permits. Microsoft Teams is being used by our faculty, staff and students to conduct virtual meetings. Our Campus Environment: Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures are in-place, including the use of disinfecting electrostatic atomizers. No-touch door openers have been installed on many restroom doors. Hand sanitizer is available in most locations where hand washing is not possible. HVAC and air handling systems have been adjusted to increase air flow and to provide for enhanced air turn-over and filtration. Select Stairwells have been designated with “Up” or “Down” to allow for social distancing and flow. Public spaces on campus have signage for the appropriate occupancy levels to adhere to social distancing. We have suspended use of our facilities by all off-campus groups. We are not welcoming any guests to our campus, without prior approval. ICO Board meetings are being conducted in the virtual environment. All CE programs are being delivered remotely and Online CE is available 24/7. It is important that everyone wear appropriate masks, socially distance, wash hands frequently with soap and water and limit risky behaviors both while on and off-campus. Off-campus lapses resulting in unnecessary exposures place everyone at risk. We each have an important role to play to ensure ICO maintains a safe environment for our students, our patients and our employees. Your continued cooperation in these efforts is greatly appreciated. Remember to be patient, flexible and diligent and we can all get through this together. Warmly, Mark Colip, O.D. President