The class of 2016 represents much more than the 33rd class to graduate from the College of Optometry. This was a class that was very competent clinically and very strong academically. The latter is typified by the fact that essentially the same individuals who originally gathered together at orientation in August 2012 were being honored at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on May 14th.
This class was also a very engaged one. This engagement was demonstrated within the class, within the College of Optometry, and on a national level. All you ask for as a faculty member is for the class to be professional and to work well with each other and with the faculty. This class was all of that and more . . . representing what one could term a “low maintenance” class. Their involvement and leadership in the College organizations was extensive and brought positive recognition to UMSL. This class was also represented by national officers in such organizations as the American Optometric Student Association, the National Optometric Student Association, and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.
The legacy of the Class of 2016 is positioned on Natural Bridge Road in front of Marillac Hall - the Crown Jewel of our campus - the UMSL Patient Care Center. Without the efforts of members of this class, it would not be an exaggeration to state we would not have the building. Dean Davis made it clear we would not pursue this project without overwhelming support from the students who, of course, would have to agree to “Pay it forward”. No class would benefit least from a student fee than the Class of 2016 who would be paying the fee for two years for a building they would never see one patient in. They not only overwhelmingly supported it, they influenced the Class of 2017 who – understandably – had concerns about a fee no one knew they would have to pay when they started their UMSL optometric journey. There were several students – beginning with Dr. Laurie Thompson and others such as Drs. Delaram Shirazian and Amanda Rickher who went out of their way to impact others to support this much needed facility. The result, of course, is history as the students overwhelmingly voted in favor of a student fee and ultimately – with Drs. Thompson and Rickher in attendance – it was approved by the University of Missouri Board of Curators. For this reason, among many others, the most applicable term to best describe the Class of 2016 would be the “Class of Excellence”.