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2021 End of Year Accomplishments

Research

  • $7,749,153 in direct cost funding for research. The most among all optometry schools.
  • Professor Teresa Puthussery selected to be part of a new project funded through the prestigious National Eye Institute’s Audacious Goals Initiative.
  • 148 papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

Fundraising

  • $50 million committed by The Herbert and Nicole Family Foundation.
  • Alumni giving surpassed $1 million for the first time in the school’s history!
  • $630,026 raised during Big Give, via 493 donors — 166 of which were students, staff or faculty.

Students

  • 250 Doctor of Optometry, 34 Doctor of Vision Science, and 20 Residents enrolled for the 2021-22 academic year.
  • The class of 2021 had an impressive 96.9% pass rate on the national board exams for optometry (NBEO).
  • 322 completed applications for the OD program, a 71% increase over the 2020 cycle.

DEIB

  • Dr. Ruth Shoge appointed as DEIB director.
  • Launched the OD student Mentoring Program, with over 30 faculty members serving as mentors.
  • Grand Prize for the ASCO Cultural Competence Competition awarded to Dr. Quand Dao.

Eye Care

  • 59,020 patient visits.
  • 22,000 patient visits at our local community health center.
  • Zero clinic-related COVID infections.

Online Continuing Education

  • 41 CE lectures offered for a total of 59 CE hours.
  • 3,190 overall registrations.
  • 98% of surveyed participants said the CE lectures were comprehensive and well organized.