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Now composing the majority of students enrolled at virtually every optometric school in America, the emergence of women is already changing the dynamics of the profession.
Women are embracing the core values of the vision care field and are participating in primary eye care as well as bringing a new perspective to such specialties as contact lenses, sports vision, pediatric optometry, public health care and hospital service.
Students, too, are taking time to give back and are learning the value of volunteerism throughout the country.
Rebecca A. Enloe, OD
Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry
Tahlequah, Okla.
Enloe received NUSOCO’s 2007 Golden Retinoscope Award for demonstrating the most outstanding clinical skills in her class.
This year she was also the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Heart of America Contact Lens Society Award, the Vistakon Award of Excellence in Contact Lens Patient Care, the Eschenbach Low Vision Award and the Oklahoma Academy of Optometry First Place Award.
A member of Beta Sigma Kappa, Becky was the director for Students Incorporated for Textbooks and Equipment in 2005-2006.
Her professional memberships include the AOA, AOSA, COVD, Women in Optometry and the Oklahoma Association of Optometry Physicians.
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “She consistently demonstrated the highest level of professionalism in the clinic, classroom and social setting. Becky is an excellent healthcare provider who is caring and compassionate toward each and every patient she encounters.”
Erica Johnson, OD
Ohio State University College of Optometry
Johnson is concurrently completing a doctor of optometry degree and a master’s degree in vision science. Her master’s thesis is titled “Individual Education Programs for Students in Ohio” and she’s collecting vision information from children who have difficulty in school, comparing those to kids who have no difficulty to determine better screening options and improve the understanding of vision and education.
She was president of OSU’s class of 2007 and has held a number of other student leadership roles, including serving as president of the Optometry Student council and the OSU chapter of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA).
A recipient of many awards including the AOSA’s Student of the Year and the OSU board of trustees Student Recognition Award, she’s a member of the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society and Beta Sigma Kappa.
She’s also received scholarships from the OSU College of Optometry, the Wildermuth Foundation, the Ohio Optometric Foundation, the AOA and Vision Service Plan.
Following her graduation, Johnson will complete a pediatrics residency at the Southern California College of Optometry.
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “She’s an exceptional scholar, clinician and exemplary leader. She is a consensus builder, regarding differing points of view with objectivity and respect.”
Tracy Jacobsen, OD
Pacific University College of Optometry
Forest Grove, Ore.
Originally from Grand Island, Nebraska, Jacobsen was hit in the eye with a soccer ball at age 16 and almost lost her sight. “I’d been in and out of eye doctors’ offices--since then, I’ve regained most of the vision in my eye, but eyecare was something I felt I always wanted to be connected with.”
Jacobsen was also the first in her family to graduate from college. She attended liberal arts Hastings College, where she received her B.A. in psychobiochemistry.
She graduated from Pacific’s College of Optometry with a 3.94 GPA and also achieved a masters in education in visual function in learning this year with a 4.0 GPA.
Just this month she started a residency at the American Lake Veteran’s Administration facility in Tacoma, Wash. “I’ve been interested in low vision issues, but I’ve also found that optometry really supports the values of continued learning. I was the AOSA trustee from Pacific. It’s also important to educate lawmakers about the role and potential of our profession.”
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “An outstanding student and #2 in her class, she was involved in college activities including serving on the Academic and Professional Standard’s committee, she was the AOSA trustee which allowed her to travel to meet with leaders in optometry nationwide.”
Natasha Jenkins, OD
University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry
St. Louis
Jenkins completed her doctorate of optometry graduating Dean’s List with honors and was chosen by the optometric faculty as Class Marshall for the graduating class of 2007.
She was selected as a Nebraska State Contract Scholar and honored as a four-year member of the Beta Sigma Kappa Optometric honor society and has been an active member of AOSA, the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association and the College of Optometrists in vision development. She’s also received several awards for academic scholarship.
Prior to her studies, Jenkins earned her bachelor’s degree in biopsychology at Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska, graduating with high distinction, summa cum laude there. While at Hastings, she was a chemistry tutor and performed violin with the Hastings Symphony.
Growing up on a ranch in Western Nebraska, Jenkins is excited to return to her home community and she is joining a private practice there, with Drs. Terry Adams, Todd Mahoney and Paul Colburn at Scottsbluff Vision Clinic.
“I think private practice is the best way to promote optometry in general and how I can best use my talents.”
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “She is just an exceptional student and a great leader.”
Keri Owyang, OD
UC Berkeley School of Optometry
Berkeley, Calif.
After receiving her B.S. in biology in 2003 from UC San Diego, Owyang worked at the school’s department of ophthalmology Glaucoma Center.
When she got to Berkeley’s optometry school, she was active in the Beta Sigma Kappa honor society by helping to grow membership, tutoring and organizing lectures for all students. She also became USOSA’s academic liaison and was academic vice president of her class.
Involved in clinical work at the UC Berkeley pediatric, primary care, low vision, and advanced contact lens clinics, she also was involved in doing work in the fast-paced setting of Kaiser Permanente, the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Mather and the San Diego State Optometric Clinic.
Volunteer work included participation in the Northern California Special Olympic games and a VOSH mission to Thailand.
Owyang plans to work as an optometrist in Palo Alto, Calif.
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “She’s demonstrated tremendous potential for future leadership and excellence in the field.”
Jennifer Stewart, OD
New England College of Optometry
Boston
An upstate-New York native, Stewart was pre-med and a biology major as well as captain of the track team at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY.
In her senior year, she worked for an OD who was a family friend and became intrigued with optometry.
With her enthusiasm for sports, the idea of sports vision opened up a world of opportunity that combined her interests. Steward interned with well-known sports vision specialist Don Teague OD and worked with and learned a great deal from him.
“I was the national student liaison for the sports vision section of the AOA, helping them develop ways to get students involved in this area and was able to start the Performance Vision Club at our school--we got 80 students interested! Performance is not limited to sports, but computers, technology, pilots, police forces, etc.”
Stewart has worked with Dr. Howard Purcell at Johnson & Johnson on the Worldwide Performance Vision Council. J&J is a sponsor of the upcoming Beijing Olympics.
A recipient of numerous scholarships, Stewart is now joining a single-location private practice in Hopewell Junction, N.Y. working in the sports vision arena.
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “She is an excellent representative of optometry’s future leadership and already has many accomplishments to her credit.”
Kasey Suckow, OD
Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
In addition to various leadership activities during her first two years as a student, Suckow served last year as the president of the school’s Student Government Association representing the interests of over 400 optometry students.
Also an active member of Student VOSH and the optometric honor society, Beta Sigma Kappa, she graduated sixth in her class and was only one of three students in the third-year class who earned clinical honors for the entire year.
Growing up on a small farm in Iowa, Suckow was drawn to optometry.
“I did an externship at a VA and loved the system and it was the best learning experience I could have had.” She’s also doing a residency at a VA in Chicago and is interested in disease management and low vision.
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “She maintained a high level of clinical care and earned rave reviews from her externship supervisors. She’s demonstrated dedication and commitment to the optometric profession. We look forward to greeting Kasey as a colleague.”
Emma Vicuna, OD
Southern California College of Optometry
Fullerton, Calif.
Raised in Las Vegas, Vicuna graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2003 with a B.S. in general biology and a B.A. in Spanish literature. She says, her father, a family practice doctor, was one of the inspirations for her to consider becoming an MD, but her awareness of optometry led her in a new direction when she considered its possibilities.
At Southern Cal, she served as president pro-tem of the student association as a second year student and was also class president as a third and fourth year. Vicuna was co-founder of the SKY Vision program, which provides polycarbonate lenses for under-insured children who are patients at the eye care center.
She said, “I had started at a clinic as part of my externship and just loved working with kids.” For the next year, Vicuna will be completing a clinical residency in pediatric optometry at the University of Houston College of Optometry.
HER SCHOOL SAYS: “In addition to leaving an important leadership imprint at the college, she always displayed a high level of professionalism and dedication to her studies and to her classmates.”