NSUCO - The Visionary Fall 2010

On behalf of the entire NSU College of Optometry Alumni Chapter Board of Directors, it is a pleasure to address you in the summer issue of The Visionary . We’ve had the opportunity to interact with our graduates at the various alumni events during the past year. Our alumni receptions at the AAO, SECO, FOA, and AOA conventions provided an opportunity for fun and social interaction, and they were well attended by many of our alumni. We encourage all alumni to attend these events and recon- nect with classmates, faculty, and administration. Our alumni have not only made an impact on the profession of optom- etry and in their communities, but they have dedicated themselves to preserving our freedom. The Alumni Chapter would like to thank our mil- itary alumni members and their families for their service to our country. The recipient of this year’s Celebration of Excellence Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award, Major Andrew Gregory, O.D., is a prime ex- ample of dedication and service. He has served in Iraq as a medical de- tachment commander and optometry consult and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal as well as numerous other honors and commenda- tions for his outstanding performance in a combat environment. We recently held our Ninth Annual Alumni Reunion honoring the class of 2000. The continuing education courses, alumni business luncheon, and reception/dinner at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Holly- wood, Florida, were successful and well-attended. Our alumni from the class of 2000 had a wonderful time reconnecting with their classmates after 10 years. We are currently in the process of planning for the 10- year reunion honoring the class of 2001. The dates for next year’s alumni reunion are May 13-15, 2011, so please mark your calendars accordingly. There are now 1,529 alumni from the College of Optometry who con- tinue to make significant and distinctive contributions to our profession. In fact, our college is an exceptional institution today because of our ded- icated alumni, so thank you for your continued support. We encourage each of you to stay connected to Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry and its Alumni Chapter. S HERROL A. R EYNOLDS , O.D., FAAO A SSOCIATE P ROFESSOR OF O PTOMETRY P RESIDENT , C OLLEGE OF O PTOMETRY A LUMNI C HAPTER Alumni Chapter President’s Message Each year in January, the university honors its out- standing alumni at the Cele- bration of Excellence event, which allows each NSU col- lege, school, and center to select an individual who personifies excellence by re- maining committed and in- volved by serving his/her chosen profession as well as the community. In January 2010, Andrew Gregory, O.D., was the distin- guished alumni award winner for the College of Optometry. Dr. Gregory graduated in 2002 and is currently assigned to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where he is on temporary duty attending to the Army’s Command and General Staff College Course. In that role, Dr. Gregory also provides full scope optometric care to active duty mil- itary, retirees, and their family members. Dr. Gregory deployed to Iraq for 28 months, serving first with the 101 st Airborne Division and later as medical de- tachment commander and optometry consult for the en- tire Iraqi Theater of Operations. Dr. Gregory’s service awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Serv- ice Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Medal. Dr. Gregory remains involved in scholarly activities, serv- ing as a faculty member of the New England College of Optometry, University College of Optometry, and North- eastern State University College of Optometry. In addition, he has published several articles and recently began the Army-Baylor Graduate Program in Health and Business Ad- ministration. We are proud of Dr. Gregory’s service to our country, personal achievements, and involvement with op- tometry both in practice and in academics. Major Andrew Gregory, O.D., Receives NSU Celebration of Excellence Recognition the VISIONARY • Summer/Fall 2010 38