BUDGET MINDED: - Illinois College of Optometry

ICO MATTERS FALL 2008
7
EYE ON ALUMNI
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS
The ICO Alumni Council elected new officers for 2008-2009 during its
meeting in September. The Council is comprised of ICO alumni who
are elected to represent and lead the Alumni Association. Officers may
be elected to serve three 1-year terms. They are:
PRESIDENT - Mamie Chan, OD ’00, of Albuquerque, N.M.
VICE-PRESIDENT - Charles Harrill, OD ’74, of Mechanicsville, Va.
SECRETARY-TREASURER - Dominick Maino, OD ’78, Chicago, Ill.
During the same meeting, the Alumni Council thanked two members
who completed their last terms: Robert Fait, OD ’68, of Burlington,
Wis., and Robert Grazian, OD ’82, (out-going president), of Santee,
Calif. Each completed nine years of service to ICO on the Alumni
Council (three 3-year terms).
Thank you, doctors, for your years of valued service.
WHAT A GREAT TIME IT IS TO BE
ICO ALUMNI!
Just like when your team wins the Superbowl or the World Series and you get to walk around
with an “I-told-you-so” gloating grin, it is now our time to walk around with our chests
puffed out. There are so many things that ICO alumni can brag about.
• The third floor Enhanced Learning Center boasts 38
lanes of ophthalmic equipment in two separate eye
labs and five research labs. The center features high
tech equipment, modern furniture and lighting, and a
student lounge with unobstructed views of downtown.
• Our first-year class is one of the most competitive
classes yet, entering with new highs of GPAs and OAT
scores, and we continue to graduate skilled clinicians
with the highest Board pass rates.
• And our clinical education opportunities through
externships and IEI, which has over 90,000 patient
visits per year, provide a remarkable quality of patient
care experience.
There was palpable electricity in the air during Alumni
Weekend, held Sept. 5 - 7. We had class reunions, sightseeing
and campus tours, an alumni reception with exhibitors, and an
amazing salsa night. Alumni were able to interact with students
and find the true pulse of what campus life is like. And most of
all, alumni could reconnect with former classmates, faculty, and
the institution that altered all of our lives.
New members elected to the Council are:
C. Steven Lancaster, OD ’80, of Jacksonville, Fla.
(left), and John P. Fitzpatrick, OD ’71, FAAO, of
Carlsbad, Calif. Congratulations and
welcome to the Alumni Council!
But I’d like to challenge you—
when was the last time you visited
our campus? I guarantee
you will be amazed with the
change in facilities, curriculum,
and attitude since you were
here. And the neighborhood is
not the same South Side
Chicago neighborhood; thanks
to revitalization, the area is
chock full of condos, beautiful
homes, and a suburban feel,
even though it’s only five minutes
from downtown. ICO’s
President and his wife like the community so much, they have
settled there.
So don’t be jealous that the students no longer have to deal with
the dated third floor labs, like we did, or endure the old neighborhood.
Instead, let’s revel in the advancement in which we all
benefit. It takes effort to maintain a winning team. None of us
are rookies. So if you haven’t already, get off the side-lines and
come join us on the field.