The College of Optometry has been hard at work since the previous EyeWire edition. I am pleased to announce that we completed a successful Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) site visit in November 2025. The UMSL College of Optometry culture was on full display as our students, staff, and faculty warmly welcomed the site visit team.
This fall, we had the honor of hosting our AOA Board Liaison, Dr. Marrie Read, for the annual AOA school visit. In addition, we held both our staff retreat and faculty retreat as part of our ongoing commitment to professional development and culture building.
Among the many amazing events, one of the true highlights was the opening of the Missouri Optometry Hall of Fame in the Patient Care Center, created in partnership with the Missouri Optometric Association. We celebrated four individuals whose vision, leadership, and dedication shaped the profession of optometry in Missouri and beyond. Dr. James DeClue, Dr. Frank Fontana, Dr. Robert Koetting, and Dr. Anne Ream comprise the inaugural class and exemplify the very best of optometry.
The relocation of the Marillac Hall academic spaces into renovated spaces in JC Penney North on UMSL’s North campus remains on schedule. The renovation will be completed this spring with occupancy slated for Summer 2026. You can find updates on this exciting project on our website at UMSL Optometry New Academic Space.
Thrilling things are happening for our students. Fourth year student Emerald Jones was awarded the prestigious Remington R. Williams Award by the University of Missouri System Board of Curators, its highest non-academic honor. As we continue in this spring semester, we look forward to our first-year students completing their first year of the optometry program. The White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2028 is scheduled for May 29, 2026, marking the beginning of their direct patient care this summer. Our third year students will sit for NBEO Part I in March, and the Class of 2026 will become our colleagues as they graduate on May 15, 2026, at 2pm at Touhill Performing Arts Center.
Although winter is in full swing, the bright January afternoons remind us that spring, and all the celebrations it brings, is just around the corner. I hope to see you August 14-16, 2026 at the Alumni and Friends Weekend, Through the Lens of Legacy, where we will honor the UMSL heritage and celebrate the opening of our newly renovated academic spaces.
Sincerely,
Keshia S. Elder, OD, MS, MS, FAAO, FNAP
Dean and Clinical Professor