OptometrystudentsfromacrosstheUS,Canadahave eyesonMemphis
By Aisling Mäki, Daily Memphian
Published: September 01, 2024 4:00 AM CT
For decades, Southern College of Optometry has been successfully selling students across the nation on Memphis.
The proof: a student body representing more states than any other optometry school in the U.S. Through the years, SCO has recruited students from every state in the union
“We do an incredible job of recruiting throughout the nation,” said Dr. Lewis Reich, who has served as the college’s president since 2016. “We usually do about 10 more (states) than the next-highest school, which is pretty remarkable considering we’re this little school in Memphis, Tennessee.”
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While about 15-20% of each year ’ s freshman class is made up of Tennesseans, most students come from elsewhere.
Reich said SCO offers a strong academic program and clinical training opportunities, plus competitive tuition and an endowment focused on merit-based scholarships, with most students receiving some nancial aid.
“I believe we’re the complete package — academic, clinically, in terms of of debt when they graduate, and in scope of practice,” he said. “They get it all.”
The 2024 freshman class arrived on campus last week for a three-day orientation that ran Aug. 28-30. The class of 142 students represents 35 U.S. states plus Canada, including four students from South Dakota, three Canadians from British Columbia and a pair of childhood best friends from Louisiana.
On the second day of orientation, called ‘Wear Your Colors Day,’ students donned apparel representing their undergraduate alma maters. Among the 91 colleges and universities represented: University of Memphis; Ohio State; University of Georgia; University of Kentucky; University of Central Florida; Michigan Tech, and Arkansas State.
Reich said SCO’s diversity extends beyond geography.
“We want everybody to see themselves here — people of color, men, women, everyone, ” he said. “We’ve done a lot of things through the years to increase comfortability and acceptance and diversity One of the clubs that’s grown in recent years is our Spectrum Club for LGBT+ individuals, and it’s been personally very gratifying to see that.”
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During this year ’ s orientation, students were treated to Mempops by the National Optometric Student Association, which is dedicated to increasing minority representation in optometry.
“NOSA is our historically Black student association, and they like to do an event at the beginning of the year to greet our new students,” Reich said.
Freshmen also enjoyed breakfast delivered by Stak’s Pancake Kitchen, had measurements taken for their white coats and got to know their classmates during an icebreaker session.
But orientation extended beyond SCO’s campus at 1245 Madison Ave. The college brought in the Memphis Medical District Collaborative to talk about ride sharing and commuting options and Choose 901 to engage with students about all Memphis’ events and recreational and entertainment opportunities.
The incoming freshman class was also treated to outings across the city, including watching a Memphis Redbirds game from a suite at AutoZone Park Noah Eckel, 24, a student ambassador and optometry student at SCO, joined the freshmen to engage with them and answer any questions about SCO student life and making Memphis home.
“We’ve just been working to make sure that they feel welcome and feel at home from day one, ” he said “And it’s really fun on this end, being an upperclassman and already being familiar with Memphis.”
After graduating from Grove City College in Pennsylvania, Eckel initially explored optometry colleges in Philadelphia and Boston.
“I think if you had mentioned Memphis to me, I probably would have said Justin Timberlake and maybe Elvis — maybe some good barbecue as well,” he said. “I’ve traveled a fair bit, but I really had no experience with the Mid-South.”
However, SCO’s strong sense of community and the welcoming atmosphere he experienced in Memphis ultimately won Eckel over.
“The interview process was really what changed my mind,” he said. “I really got a good idea of what the school as a whole looked like, and it was really appealing. Of all the schools that I applied to, SCO really demonstrated a healthy and tight-knit community that I didn’t see elsewhere.”
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Eckel said he’s enjoyed making close friends from across the country, including Iowa, Kansas and Wyoming.
“People from all over the country have been drawn to SCO in large part due to their record of academic excellence,” he said. “But it’s also really unique to have this many people from this many backgrounds — such a diverse student population all in one place, working towards the same goal in a very collegial environment, where we ’ re all there for each other.”
Eckel said he’s spent the past three years exploring all Memphis has to offer. Asked about the benets of living in the city, he cites the friendliness of residents, slower pace of life, lower cost of living, vibrant sports scene, lush city parks and the array of ethnic cuisines available at locally owned restaurants.
Reich said that after four years in Memphis, many of the students will leave the city upon graduation to return to their hometowns or practice elsewhere.
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“For the four years they’re here, they learned about Memphis, they learned about the South, and they learned about our strong foundation and service to the community, and we just hope they bring that back to their town,” Reich said.
But, he said, there are always others who end up calling the city home.
“Some of them fall in love with Memphis and end up staying here.”
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AislingMäki
Aisling Mäki has spent the better part of two decades writing about Memphis. A former digital journalist for WMC Action News 5 and staff reporter for Memphis Daily News, her work has also appeared in The Commercial Appeal, High Ground News, I Love Memphis, Inside Memphis Business, The Memphis Flyer, Memphis Parent, Memphis Magazine and Tri-State Defender