STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Welcome to SCO, Class of 2030!
On behalf of the American Optometric Student Association, congratulations on your acceptance to Southern College of Optometry! All of your hard work to get to this point has paid off and brought you here for the most challenging, but rewarding four years of your life. The AOSA is here to support you; today ’s students and tomorrow ’s Doctors of Optometry.
The AOSA is the student division of the American Optometric Association, which advocates for and protects the profession of optometry. The AOSA’s mission is “Empowering students to thrive as doctors of optometry.” We value loyalty, respect , foresight , integrity, and collaboration. The AOSA is here for you! Our goal is to assist you with any obstacles you may encounter on your optometric journey through educational resources, networking opportunities, such as AOA+ Leadership Link, and the knowledge to launch you into a successful career.
The AOSA at SCO hosts multiple events each year for our student members. These events include Optifest , State Day, Student Bowl, and World Sight Day We also promote and support national conferences like Optometry ’s Meeting in Arizona this year and AOA on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. We provide thousands of dollars’ worth of travel grants to help send you to the most important meetings of the year so that you have every opportunity possible to learn and grow.
The most exciting part about AOSA at SCO is that you are all members! You are automatically enrolled as a member because the college pays your dues for you. So, you already have access to all of the incredible benefits that AOSA has to offer! I’m so excited for you to get to experience all of the wonderful aspects of the AOSA, here at SCO, and on a national level.
If you have any questions about the AOSA, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Nathan Walls nwalls@sco.edu AOSA Trustee
Hannah Greenwell hgreenwell@sco.edu
AOSA
Trustee-Elect
Beta Sigma Kappa
Congratulations to the Class of 2030! On behalf of our school’s chapter of Beta Sigma Kappa, welcome to the Southern College of Optometry!
Beta Sigma Kappa was founded in 1925 by a small group of optometrists in Illinois.
BSK now has student chapters in every school and college of optometry in the United States, with two in Canada and one in Puer to Rico. Membership in BSK is by way of invitation to students who have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher at the culmination of each ac ademic year. Additionally, membership in BSK is an honor for life.
BSK suppor ts and works with student chapters to develop programs that foster ac ademic excellence. Our mission is to stimulate scientific at tainment - the ethic al practice of optometry - and to provide financial suppor t for wor thy research projects relating to vision c are and the eyes. The SCO chapter of BSK organizes mock practic als for first and second year students to help them prepare for future practic als and experience in clinic! In addition, BSK is involved in planning blood drives, maintaining study guide resources for students, and voting on annual teacher of the year awards.
Good luck to the beginning of an amazing four years, and I look for ward to seeing each of you in just a few shor t weeks!
Best , Mallory Dyer, President
Class of 2028
2026-2027 Executive Board
Vice President : Rebekah Tuchscherer
Secretary: Brynne Mabry
Treasurer: Trinity Travis
GAMMA OMICRON WOMEN IN OPTOMETRY
Welcome to SCO Class of 2030! Gamma Omicron is a club focused on empowering women in optometry. Our meetings consist of fun social activities, inspiring female optometrist speakers, and networking events with notable alumni and industries. Our focus is providing a community and safe space for female students at SCO to meet together, have fun, and learn about pertinent topics to women in our field. We hope to see you at our first meeting and upcoming social events!
Any Questions? Contact yrezkalla@sco.edu
Officers:
President-Youana Rezkalla
VP-Ava Penot
Treasurer- Jessica Gu
Secretary-Langston Patrick
Dear Class of 2030,
On behalf of the Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society, welcome to Southern College of Optometry! Congratulations on reaching this exciting milestone and taking the next step in your academic and professional journey. It is my sincere hope that t he next four years are filled with meaningful experiences that foster both your personal and professional growth.
The mission of Gold Key is to recognize optometry students who demonstrate exceptional leadership within their college, profession, and community. Membership is limited to the top 10% of each graduating class. The American Optometric Association recognizes Gold Key membership as "the highest honor for leadership a student of optometry can achieve."
Rising fourth-year students are selected for membership by their peers based on the contributions they have made to their classmates, the profession, and the college. While the honor of Gold Key membership may seem far in the future, the qualities that def ine a strong candidate are demonstrated every day through your interactions with classmates, faculty, patients, and the Southern College of Optometry and Memphis communities.
SCO offers countless opportunities to become involved beyond the classroom, and I encourage you to take advantage of them. Join organizations that align with your interests, volunteer in your community, attend conferences, and embrace new experiences. The friendships you build, the projects you lead, and the service you provide will not only shape your education but also leave a lasting impact on your career and personal growth.
As you begin this journey, remember that your time at SCO is about much more than earning a degree. It is about becoming a compassionate clinician, a dedicated leader, and a lifelong advocate for the profession of optometry. When you cross the commencement stage in May 2030, the memories you'll cherish most will likely be the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that took place outside the classroom.
Congratulations once again, and welcome to the SCO family! I wish you the very best in your academic, professional, and personal pursuits. If you have any questions about Gold Key or would like to learn more, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Welcome to SCO!
Sincerely,
Lana Taylor, Class of 2027 President, Gold Key International Optometric Honor Society ltaylor@sco.edu
Welcome Class of 20 30 ! Do you love sports but don’t know how to get involved? Join us at SCO in playing Intramural Sports!
• We offer several sports that you can get involved in including Volleyball, Indoor Soccer, and Basketball!
• Depending on interest, we may also have Field Hockey, Dodgeball and a Golf Tournament! We try to have sports going on year -round.
• All sports are FREE to students if they wish to play. Prior exposure to the sport is not required and all skill levels are welcome!
Our Goals:
L
o i n t h e
B J
O W V I S I O N C L U
Raise awareness about low vision services
Connect with resources in the community
Expand and improve the services we offer patients
Dear Class of 2030, Past Meeting Topics:
Welcome to SCO and congratulations on choosing optometry as your future career! We hope you will consider joining us in Low Vision Club.
The demand for low vision optometrists is increasing as the population lives longer. Some of your future patients will have permanently reduced vision that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery. While vision loss can be devastating, it is NOT a dead-end for a patient's life.
It is in every optometry student's best interest to be familiar with low vision solutions and community resources to help patients make the most of their remaining vision.
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
Keilah Gilbert, Class of 2028
keilahgilbert@sco edu
Low Vision Club President
Intro to low vision devices
Ocutech demonstration and fitting
Paint night with low vision simulation goggles
Accessibility marketing
Partnering with Lion's Club for Leader Dogs for the Blind
Partnering with Lion's Club for Dining in the Dark
NATIONAL OPTOMETRIC STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Welcome Class of 2030!
The National Optometric Student Association (NOSA) is an international service organization of optometry students dedicated to increasing access to eyecare for minority and under-served communities.
2026-2027 Officers
President: Alyssa Collins
Vice President: Tyler Artis
Secretary: Annalyse Belton
Treasurer: Trinity Travis
Historiam : Taylor Meaders
To be added to the email list and be notified of upcoming events, email Annalyse Belton at abelton@sco.edu
Past Events
Muticultural Food Tasting
Interactive Panel Discussions
Black History Month Presentation
Vision Screenings @ Black Men’s
Wellness Day
Medical Spanish Speaking Class
OCULAR DISEASE CLUB
Officers
President: Paige Progansky
Vice President: Diane Sanders
Secretary: Justin Andersen
Treasurer: Ayla Gonzalez
Socials: Youana Rezkalla
e class of 2030!
Congratulations on beginning your optometry adventure here at SCO! The Ocular Disease Club began in 2019 as a group of students interested in getting a deeper education upon ocular diseases. The club hosts staff doctors and guest lecturers who discuss interesting cases and clinical tips. Our focus is disease treatment, residencies, and the various modalities of practice.
if you have any questions, email oculardiseaseclub@sco.edu first 2026 meeting : September 17 @ 6:30 Pm in 818 th
No matter what semester of optometry school you are in, we encourage you to come learn about ocular disease and how to better serve your future patients!
OMEGA DELTA SOCIAL FRATERNIT
SCO Run Club
Come join us every Saturday at 8 at the middle parking lot on Mud Island for a 3 mile run (or walk) with friends!
Whether you are training for St. Jude, looking to get in shape, or just want to start your Saturday getting your blood flowing, we would be glad to have you join us !
All levels are welcome!
Spor t s Vision Socie t y
SEE BETTER. PL AY BETTER. PERF ORM Y OUR
Join the club where spor ts and sight come together! Whether you’re into baseball, tennis, basketball, pickleball or E-spor ts; our goal is to help athletes enhance their per formance through vision training and education. CONTACT US!
HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS WITH VISION THER APY TOOLS GUEST SPE AKERS: OPTOMETRISTS, SPORTS VISION SPECIALISTS VISION SCREENINGS FOR LOCAL SPORTS TE AMS
@SCOSPORTSVISION
PRESIDENT: MICHAEL WONG | michaelwong@sco.edu
VP/TREASURER: YASH MISHR A | pmishra@sco.edu
SECRETARY/SOCIAL MEDIA: MAEGAN BOUSEGARD | mbousegard@sco edu
WHY JOIN?
BUILD CLINICAL SKILLS E ARLY EXPLORE A UNIQUE SPECIALTY OF OPTOMETRY NETWORK WITH PROFESSIONALS
What we do:
SVOSH
Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity
Spend the year collecting glasses and fundraising to prepare for trips to Central /South America where we provide comprehensive eye care to those with limited access to healthcare
2026 Stats:
Belize and Mexico
Patients Seen: 1292
Glasses Given: 779
Sunglasses Given: 550
Pathologies Identified: 276
Referrals: 183
Why you should join:
Further your optometric skills, experience direct patient care early, gain the opportunity to learn about different cultures, connect with peers and current doctors, have a rewarding and memorable experience serving others
Vision Therapy Club
Welcome to SCO, Class of 2030!!!
It’s 6me to get excited about Vision Therapy (VT)! And there’s no beGer way than by joining the Vision Therapy Club!
Some of you may have loads of experience in the VT world, and for others, VT might be completely foreign to you (and that’s okay). VT focuses on training the brain to work with both eyes more efficiently, improving visual comfort and reducing stress on the pa6ent’s visual system. VT is commonly prescribed to treat binocular vision disorders, strabismus, amblyopia, double vision, strokes, and TBIs. VT gives you an incredible opportunity to make a tremendous impact on your pa6ents’ quality of life, making it incredibly rewarding. As a bonus, VT is fun! If you want to learn more about VT, check out OVDRA, OEPF, and NORA.
The Vision Therapy Club seeks to bring VT to life outside the classroom and show you what VT is like outside SCO. This year we have many incredible optometrists and vision therapists lined up to share their stories and experiences with you! Along with mee6ngs, we host the VT Olympics in the fall, distribute Boo Pops for Halloween, and sell Peds Packs in the spring. We also have some exci6ng raffles at our mee6ngs, so stay tuned!
Please don't hesitate to reach out any6me with any ques6ons about VT or the VT Club!
Heena Rafi
Vision Therapy Club President Class of 2028
hrafi@sco.edu