NSUCO - The Visionary Fall 2010

the VISIONARY • Summer/Fall 2010 32 TIME FLIES… Graduation for the Class of 2010 On August 7, 2006, a group of wide-eyed young people em- barked upon a long journey to become optometrists. When this group walked onto the Nova Southeastern University campus, Fergie’s song “London Bridge” was number one on the radio and the price of gasoline was $2.98 per gallon (some things really haven’t changed!). Understandably, May 30, 2010, seemed so far into the future that it was hard to imagine that date, but―“time flies.” Today, these students are now our colleagues. They are pro- fessional optometrists that undertook a very rigorous cur- riculum, challenging clinic experiences, and a comprehensive series of board examinations to gain entrance into the family of optometry. Let’s all welcome them and congratulate them. These 106 (34 men and 72 women) new optometrists out- competed 673 applicants in 2006 for their seats at NSUCO. Their accomplishments did not stop there. In 2009, this group undertook the first administration of Part I of the NBEO exam entitled Applied Basic Science and passed it with an amazing 98 percent rate on its first attempt. One of these graduates even achieved the highest score in the country on this exam. There are 22 states and Canada represented in this out- standing group of optometrists, including nine from Califor- nia, which may be a record. Their educational backgrounds show great diversity including B.A., B.S., B.Sc., M.P.H., M.S., M.B.A., and even one Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Now, all can add the O.D. designation after their names. NSUCO class of 2010, you make us proud! B Y M ICHAEL B ACIGALUPI , O.D., M.S., FAAO A SSISTANT D EAN FOR S TUDENT A FFAIRS