Dear Residents and Graduate Students:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a career in academia?

Here is a quick preview of the benefits!

1. Extremely rewarding to educate and inspire the future of our profession
2. Spend time focused on your specific passion and patient base
3. Work in a supportive environment with expert colleagues just down the hall
4. Enjoy flexibility of time and the ability to explore professional interests beyond patient care
5. Pursue opportunities in teaching , research, service, and/or mentoring 

If this sounds intriguing, we would love for you to participate in the Future Faculty Program (FFP) hosted by the Association for Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO). FFP is a mentored program taking place virtually from January through March 2024 and beginning with an on-line orientation on December 13, 2023.

The program is appropriate for both those considering clinical teaching positions and those seeking research oriented faculty positions.

In this program, you will:

1. Understand the benefits of working in academia
2. Learn how to successfully navigate a career that centers around teaching and/or research
3. Learn how to prepare to interview for an academic job
4. Learn about promotion criteria, developing your CV, and giving effective presentations
5. Learn about teaching and assessment, working in research, and work-life balance
6. Receive asynchronous instruction and also spend synchronous time in small group with an assigned mentor

Synchronous sessions will be held biweekly. The schedule and topics are detailed below.

Mentorship assignments will officially last for 1 year but may informally continue throughout your career! You will be awarded a certificate upon successful completion of this program.

Applications are accepted electronically. Click on the link to apply below. 

The registration link will be provided once you have been accepted. Registration is only $25 if you apply by November 10, 2023.

Applications will be accepted until November 15, 2023, but note that the registration fees go up to $50 if you apply after November 10, 2023.

Space is limited, so we encourage early applications.

For more information please visit: https://bit.ly/3Fxf3v9

If you would like more information, please contact Jennifer Rubin jrubin@opted.org or Madison Broderick meetings@opted.org  

All topics will have an asynchronous component (ex: lecture to view, article to read) and a synchronous group discussion which will meet over Zoom at 6PM Pacific/9PM Eastern on the following dates:

Hello Everyone,

JOIN US for the ASCO International Optometric Educators SIG/ VOSH International Webinar!

This course focuses on international initiatives and collaborations that can improve clinical practice, support academic development, and enhance care delivery in increasingly multicultural societies. Leading experts will share about collaborative modes of care delivery, education, and Research, with the impact of international programs on culturally competent education and clinical care.

Earn CE Credit!! 
COPE Course ID:86678-PB

Date: October 5^th, 2023
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30PM PT
           7:00 PM - 8:30PM ET
Register: https://bit.ly/3RyDrny

Date: October 6, 2023
Time: 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET

Where: Zoom Webinar
Registration Link: https://shorturl.at/hkxR0

Cost: FREE to join

The US Supreme Court has made their decision with regards to whether institutions of higher education can use race as a factor in admissions. 

Now it’s time to discuss the impact on optometric admissions.  Our guest, Mr. Art Coleman, managing partner and co-founder of the EducationCounsel, LLC will discuss ramifications for admissions departments and important next steps in wake of this decision.

Generously Sponsored by VSP Vision

Speaker Bio:

Art is managing partner and co-founder of EducationCounsel LLC. He provides policy, strategic, and legal counseling services to national nonprofit organizations, school districts, state agencies, and postsecondary institutions throughout the country, where he addresses issues associated with student access, diversity, inclusion, expression, and success; faculty diversity, inclusion, and expression; and institutional accountability and accreditation.

He previously served as deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), where, in the 1990s, he led the department’s development of the department’s Title VI policy on race-conscious financial aid, as well as OCR’s first comprehensive Title IX sexual harassment policy guidance.

He was instrumental in the establishment of the College Board's Access and Diversity Collaborative (ADC) in 2004, which he has helped lead since its inception. With a focus on issues of diversity and inclusion, he has authored amicus briefs in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), Gratz v. Bollinger (2003), and in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (I and II, 2013 and 2016). His advocacy work also includes the development of a federal amicus strategy and numerous briefs on behalf of transgender students in federal court litigation throughout the United States.

A former litigator, Art has testified before the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

This is a friendly reminder that the deadline to submit nominations for the various 2023 ASCO awards is this Friday, January 13.

The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry is now accepting nominations for the various achievement awards that will be presented at the ASCO Annual Business Meeting in June 2023. Below you will find a list of the various awards with a brief description of each.

All submissions require the following to be considered by the Awards & Resolutions Committee:

• Letter of nomination, based on the award criteria
• copy of the nominee’s CV
• optional supporting documentation which should be sent by the nominating individual.

A link has been provided to the ASCO website where you will find past recipients for all ASCO awards, https://optometriceducation.org/awards-and-grants-opportunities/ This information may assist you when considering nominations.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The ASCO Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an outstanding individual who, over an extended period of time, provided exceptional leadership, made outstanding contributions and displayed exemplary commitment and dedication to ASCO and optometric education. This award is given “for unique and exceptional accomplishments and contributions to ASCO and optometric education.”

The award is not necessarily an annual award or tied directly to retirements.

Herbert Wertheim Award

This award recognizes remarkable individuals or organizations that have accomplished high-impact, ground-breaking, and innovative programs or initiatives, and contributed substantially, or have the potential to sustainably address, eye and vision health and/or the social determinants of eye health and vision care, at the local, national, or global level.

Dr. Jack Bennett Innovation in Optometric Education Award

The Dr. Jack Bennett Innovation in Optometric Education Award was established in March 2000 as the “Innovation in Optometric Education Award" to recognize an ASCO volunteer for outstanding leadership or an outstanding innovation in optometric education that significantly impacts ASCO as an organization. The award was named in Dr. Jack Bennett’s honor in June 2000. Dr. Bennett, a creative leader in optometric education, was dean at three optometric institutions. 

Rising Star Award

This award recognizes a full-time faculty member or administrator with no more than seven years of service at a school or college of optometry and less than 10 years in optometry who has made noteworthy contribution(s) to fulfilling the mission, strategic objectives or programs of ASCO through service on committees, groups, task forces or special interest groups or through special project work.

Nominees will have also demonstrated outstanding contributions to their school or college of optometry in at least one of the following areas:

• Teaching, which may include classroom, laboratory instruction or course development
• Scholarship, which may include grant writing, research, publications, presentations or other scholarly and creative activities
• Administration, which may include general administration, planning, development or evaluation activities
• Professional service, which may include work on the community, state or national levels that represents or promotes ASCO or optometric education.

A majority of all nominees’ professional career should be as a faculty member or administrator at a school or college of optometry.

Industry Leadership Award

The ASCO Ophthalmic Industry Leadership Award recognizes an individual from a current or past Corporate Contributor partner company who demonstrates exemplary support of ASCO and its member institutions. The individual serves as an example for his/her colleagues in industry and has made exceptional and meaningful contributions to the advancement of ASCO and optometric education. Nominations will only be accepted from the ASCO Board of Directors and ASCO staff.  

Nominations should be submitted by close of business on Friday, January 13, 2023. Please email your nomination letter with supporting materials to slau@opted.org.