DEIB News

VSP/AAOF Practice Excellence Scholarships

Congrats to optometry students Jessica Wang and Baldemar Torres! Jessica Wang has been awarded the VSP/AAOF Bernhardt N. Thal, OD Excellence in Primary Care Award, and Baldemar Torres has been recognized with the VSP/AAOF Marvin Poston, OD Excellence in Primary Care Award.

National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) Scholarships

The scholarship program awarded a total of $7,000 to three optometry students, including Baldemar Torres! The recipients “were selected based on their thoughtful assessments of optometrists’ role in ensuring affordable access to eye care amid economic challenges.”

John Flanagan Named Dean of the Year by NOA

At the National Optometric Association (NOA) annual conference this year in Philadelphia, our very own Dean Flanagan received the organization’s Dean of the Year award. Each year, the NOA selects the Dean from those nominated for their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Dean Flanagan has consistently demonstrated an exceptional commitment to mentorship, sponsorship, and the promotion of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice.

Under his leadership, Dean Flanagan established the Chief Diversity Officer position at Berkeley’s School of Optometry & Vision Science and specifically recruited Dr. Ruth Shoge to the inaugural position. Together with our dedicated team at Berkeley, we have significantly increased the application and enrollment of underrepresented students, particularly Black and Latinx individuals, in our optometry program.

Dean Flanagan’s unwavering support has enabled us to advance our DEIB strategic plan and improve student and faculty recruitment, retention, and curriculum development efforts. As his Deanship draws to a close, being recognized for his contributions by being awarded with the NOA’s Dean Award has been a fitting tribute to his impactful leadership.

Optometry Students Teach in Local Schools

When San Pedro Elementary School in San Rafael reached out concerned about the low number of students wearing their glasses, second-year optometry student Vickie Kuo created a classroom presentation and activities, guided by Dr. Angela Shahbazian and Dr. Premilla Banwait, to encourage students to wear their glasses and become interested in eye health. The presentation was also translated to Spanish by second-year Joselyne Calvillo to make the presentation more inclusive.

Bay Area Scientists Inspiring Students

Vision Science PhD students are bringing their enthusiasm for science to Bay Area elementary schools. For over ten years vision science students have been visiting schools in Berkeley, Oakland, Albany and Emeryville to inspire young students to envision themselves as scientists. Their lessons are created from scratch by VS students, and are designed to make the science behind vision fun, but also inspiring. Click the link below to read a first-hand account of the teaching experience by 3rd-Year PhD student Josie D’Angelo.

VOSH in Nicaragua, 2024

A group of 13 optometry students (3 first year students and 10 second year students) from the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science joined the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) Connecticut chapter for their annual vision clinic in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua to provide free eye care services for local residents. This year marks 20 years of the clinic!

Berkeley students helped run this year’s clinic from January 8th to 11th, 2024, at the Margareth M. Gulete Free Institute for Adults. OD students performed exams from 8 am to past sundown under the supervision of a doctor, across the 7 clinics on-site. Patients were prescribed and given glasses, as well as medication if diagnosed. In total, the VOSH team of 50 volunteers provided care for 3,734 patients from all over Nicaragua.

VOSH in Jamaica, 2023

15 2nd-year optometry students from the Berkeley VOSH chapter joined the Alliance of Jamaican and American Humanitarians (AOJAH) on their annual medical mission in St. Ann, Jamaica. Their team also included 10 optometrists (4 Berkeley clinical optometrists, 2 alumni optometrists). Together with AOJAH, our students, clinical faculty, and alums opened a free eyecare clinic in St. Ann, between July 11th-17th, 2023. 1,634 patients were screened and 1,351 eyeglasses were dispensed. 17 cataract surgeries were performed with the help of four 2nd-year students.

Race in Optometry Webinar Series

The State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry has hosted a series of webinars over the past three years with the aim to stimulate a national conversation on race and equity within the profession of optometry. Throughout six webinar sessions, speakers have addressed challenges, discussed the impact they have on our DEI initiatives and outlined tools we can use to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in the face of these headwinds.

Part 6 – Race in Optometry: Exploring Emerging Barriers to Success, took place on June 28th, 2023, and included Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Director and faculty member, Ruth Y. Shoge, OD, MPH, FAAO as a speaker. Click below to learn more.

VOSH in Mexico, 2023

Over Spring Break (March 25th, 2023 through April 2nd, 2023), optometry students Amy Chen and Vickie Kuo joined optometry students from the University of Xochicalco (Mexicali) on a campaign led by VOSH-California President Dr. Greg Pearl, to provide eye exams for school-children and their teachers in the towns of Santa Rosalia, Mulege and Loreto in Baja Sur, Mexico.

DEIB Symposium

To watch the full video recording of the DEIB Symposium, which took place at the Banatao Auditorium on March 2nd 2023, please follow the link below!

VOSH in Nicaragua, 2023

On January 5th, 2023, a group of 22 Berkeley students and staff joined Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, on a mission to open a free optometry clinic for the local residents. VOSH is a global organization committed to facilitating “the provision and the sustainability of vision care worldwide for people who can neither afford nor obtain such care.” As of 2022, there are 100 VOSH regional, state and school chapters worldwide working with VOSH, including the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science.

Magazine Q&A with Dr. Shoge

The Fall 2021 issue of Berkeley’s Optometry magazine features a Q&A with DEIB director Dr. Ruth Shoge. In the article, Dr. Shoge discusses her goals for expanding diversity and cultural competence at the school, and beyond. Click the button below to find the article on page 2.

Celebrating Women in Optometry

Honoring the women who have shaped our school, and the field of optometry and vision science – we are featuring an initial group of six of the remarkable women from our community, and will continue to add more in the near future.