Previous Front Page News

	Dr. Gordon Legge was the featured speaker for our 6th Annual Fechner Day at the College of Optometry. Dr. Legge is the Distinguished McKnight University Professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota, and head of the Minnesota Laboratory for Low-Vision Research. Dr. Legge spoke about his research on low vision and reading to an overflowing crowd of students, faculty and guests from the campus and community. The lecture was followed with our now traditional "Fechnerian" German chocolate cake.
	Second year optometry student, Michael McFarland has earned the 2007 Norman E. Wallis Award for Excellence presented by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO). Michael received the highest score nationally on Part I (Basic Science). Learn More
	Dr. Timothy A. Wingert, Associate Professor of Optometry was recently honored as the 2007 recipient of the Missouri Optometric Association's Optometrist of the Year Award at their annual convention held at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton. Dr. Wingert has been a member of the faculty since 1988.
	The UMSL College of Optometry was selected to receive the 2007 Community Champion Award in the “Health Care Organizations” category. The award is presented by the Institute for Family Medicine and recognizes “individuals and organizations not in the limelight, but making significant and unselfish contributions to community health, especially for those who are less fortunate.” Pictured left to right: Dr. Linda Marks, Dr. John Crane, UM-St. Louis Provost Dr. Glen Cope, Dean Larry J. Davis, Dr. Ray Myers, Dr. Kathleen Boland.
	Dr Kyle Brost '87 receives the 2006 Optometrist of the Year Award presented by the Missouri Optometric Association.
	Forty-five students received their OD degrees and one doctoral degree was conferred during the commencement ceremony held on May 12, 2007 in the beautiful Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus.Chancellor Thomas George, assisted by Dean Larry Davis, conferred the degrees.The new Doctors of Optometry then listened to the commencement address delivered by Dr. Jerry Christensen, Professor and Founding Dean, University of Missouri - St. Louis College of Optometry. Dr. Christensen spoke about two challenges to professional ethics in the 21st Century—the drive to lower the costs of health care, and the increasing absence of absolute values in our postmodern, relativistic culture. Awards were presented to a number of students, with Natasha Jenkins receiving the Dean's award for outstanding academic performance. A reception followed along with a visual presentation of class memories.
	The Class of 2009 White Coat ceremony was held on May 10, 2007. The White Coat Ceremony is the culmination of the first half of professional education and marks the transition from classroom to exam room for optometric students. This ceremony confers on new clinicians the responsibility and rights of their new positions.
	Dr Anne Ream '84 is recognized by Dean Larry Davis for her outstanding service as a member of the UM-System Board of Curators during a ceremony held on Thursday March 1st, 2007.
	Lee Ann Barrett, OD ’85, was presented with the 2006 Heart of America Contact Lens Society’s Optometrist of the Year award at the awards luncheon at the HOACLS annual congress. Barrett received the UM-St. Louis Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999.She has been involved in leadership roles for optometry on the state, regional and national levels. In 2000, she was elected Missouri Optometric Association President and served on various MOA committees from 1994 to the present. In2002, she was named the OD of the Year by the MOA. She was President of the North Central States Optometric Council in 2003. Barrett has been a member of various AOA Committees from 2002 to the present and is currently campaigning to be elected AOA Trustee in June,2006. Congratulations, Lee Ann!
	A scene from the 2007 Mini-Super Bowl held on February 2, 2007. Pictured from L to R are Anne Lakamp, Kevin Biermann, Vandana Rajaram and Michael McFarland. Vandana was the overall best and represented UMSL at the AOSA Super Bowl last summer in Boston.