Kashifa Ansari, OD, always knew she wanted to pursue a career in health care. Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, she was fascinated by the idea of helping others. But it wasn’t until middle school that she seriously considered optometry. A pivotal moment came when she stumbled upon a student blog from the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) during a casual Google search. The students’ experiences at ICO resonated deeply with her—she could see herself following in their footsteps. The final decision to pursue optometry came during Dr. Ansari’s senior class trip to Colorado. It was in that moment, surrounded by the raw beauty of nature, that Dr. Ansari realized her true calling: “I wanted to help others see the beauty that I can see.” Read More