EyeOn Patients - Illinois College of Optometry
EyeOn Patients - Illinois College of Optometry
EyeOn Patients - Illinois College of Optometry
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Eye On Giving<br />
Helping Hands<br />
ICO’s annual Alumni Reunion couldn’t<br />
happen without sponsorship support.<br />
When Connie Pietrzak started her<br />
job as Director <strong>of</strong> Alumni Relations at<br />
the <strong>Illinois</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Optometry</strong> last<br />
year, Reunion 2004 was a week away.<br />
The planning <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the <strong>College</strong>s<br />
major events was over; all Pietrzak<br />
could do was jump in and help with<br />
the festivities.<br />
It was a great weekend, but not all<br />
fun. In addition to making alumni feel<br />
welcome and comfortable, planners juggle<br />
council meetings, receptions, dinners,<br />
speakers, awards, <strong>of</strong>f-campus excursions<br />
and continuing education courses.<br />
And they have to figure out how to<br />
pay for it all. The <strong>College</strong> kicks in half<br />
the money, but in order for the event to<br />
be as affordable as possible for alumni,<br />
the other half <strong>of</strong> the budget comes<br />
from fundraising.<br />
21 ICO Matters / Spring 2005<br />
That’s why ICO is so grateful to its<br />
sponsors. Last year Alcon, a muchappreciated<br />
perennial supporter, came<br />
forward again as the exclusive educational<br />
sponsor <strong>of</strong> the event. USI<br />
Optometric underwrote the Reunion<br />
dinner, and Micros<strong>of</strong>t sprang for the<br />
programs. Additional gifts helped <strong>of</strong>fset<br />
the cost <strong>of</strong> speakers and other programming<br />
(see sidebar).<br />
“We couldn’t do it without them,”<br />
Pietrzak says. “As hard as we try to<br />
keep costs under control, we still need<br />
outside support.”<br />
Because the show must go on. Not<br />
only does Reunion help alumni stay<br />
connected to the school and their classmates,<br />
it <strong>of</strong>fers CE and networking<br />
potential. “Reunion provides educational,<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional and social opportu-<br />
To proudly and<br />
publicly thank the<br />
generous supporters <strong>of</strong><br />
the <strong>Illinois</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Optometry</strong>, a donor<br />
wall was installed<br />
last fall in the<br />
hallway outside the<br />
Lecture Center.<br />
The <strong>Illinois</strong> <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Optometry</strong><br />
would like to thank the following<br />
sponsors for their support <strong>of</strong><br />
Reunion 2004:<br />
Alcon<br />
Art Optical Contact Lens, Inc.<br />
Essilor<br />
HUB International<br />
Micros<strong>of</strong>t<br />
Ocular Sciences<br />
TLC Laser Eye Centers<br />
USI Optometric<br />
Volk<br />
Welch Allyn<br />
nities,” Pietrzak says. “I’d just like to say<br />
thank you to our sponsors for helping<br />
us pull it together.” ◆