SUMMER 2023
CLASS NOTES: SUMMER 2023
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1973
Douglas Kiessling retired after a fulfilling fifty-year career – congratulations Dr. Kiessling!
1980s
1984
Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU), an independent, private, non-profit, accredited educational institution in Fullerton, California formally introduced Julie A. Schornack, MEd as its next president to lead the university following a highly attended inauguration event on Friday, April 28, 2023. The event welcomed over 200 guests including faculty, students, local dignitaries, family and friends to honor the university’s second president. The ceremony was followed by a 10-year anniversary celebration at the MBKU campus, which commemorated the milestone of the university’s expansion and name change in 2013.
Dr. Schornack is not only the first-ever female president at MBKU, but also a long-standing faculty member of over 35 years. During her time with the university, she has witnessed first-hand many impressive graduating classes, worked with extraordinary faculty and influenced a number of education and industry developments that have positively impacted the school’s trajectory. She plans to harness her experience and knowledge to carry out a vision focused on people, programs and places. These key areas of focus will support admissions and enrollment, identifying ways to continue to curb the high cost of education while still delivering a premiere healthcare education and improving campus infrastructure. Her vision takes inspiration from the past and centers around excitement for the future.
The event included a traditional ceremony welcoming the university’s president into her new position. Members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, student body, and close colleagues stood by Dr. Schornack’s side in unity to highlight her remarkable journey, service, and leadership in a manner that touched each and every guest in the room.
Following the ceremony, guests gathered on campus to celebrate Dr. Schornack and to recognize the 10-year anniversary of MBKU becoming a university and changing its name from the Southern California College of Optometry to reflect its expansion to also include a school of Physician Assistant Studies and College of Pharmacy.
To watch the full inauguration ceremony, visit: https://ketchum.edu/livestream.
1990s
1992
Donald Furman of Forest City, IA was recently installed as President of the Iowa Optometric Association at its annual congress held at the Marriott Downtown Hotel in Des Moines.
Dr. Furman currently practices at Family Eye Care Center in Garner, Britt, and Forest City, IA with his partners, Drs. Trichelle Jackson and Haley Mathews. Dr. Furman has been practicing optometry for 31 years having graduated from the Illinois College of Optometry in 1992.
Dr. Furman and his wife, Melinda, live in Forest City.
2000s
2005
Shinu Varghese, ’05, and Robert Richardson, ’78 visited Jordan Beller’s, ’71 museum after seeing his feature in our 2022 issue of ICO Matters. (pictured at the top of the page) Dr. Varghese is the current owner of Dr. Beller’s practice and had never had the opportunity to meet him after purchasing the practice from Dr. Richardson. How wonderful to see that ICO Matters can bring together generations of ICO Alumni!
2006
Christopher DeAngelis, was selected as the Senior Allied Health Provider for the 2022 Military Health System Leadership Excellence Award. This award is competitively selected across U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Army licensed independent providers. He was presented the award by the Assistant Secretary of Health Affairs and Navy Surgeon General. CDR DeAngelis currently serves as the Dean of the Tri-Service Optician School in Yorktown, VA.
2010s
2011
Kyle Ross, president and chief optometrist at North Shore Eye Health and Wellness in Cedarburg, WI, received recognition in June 2023 for his continued commitment to professional development at a recent meeting of Cleinman Performance Network in Grapevine, TX. Ross, celebrating five years in the network, demonstrates a dedication to not only creating a healthy and beneficial work environment at North Shore Eye Health and Wellness, but also maintaining a high level of patient care and satisfaction at his eye care practice, according to a Cleinman Performance Network press release.
As a member of the network, a wisdom-sharing group of peer optometrists from across North America, Ross "shares, receives and puts into practice valuable knowledge which highlights and contributes to the best practices in vision care and eye health, benefiting the patients at North Shore Eye Health and Wellness."
2014
Lauren Dyak, was recently named Young OD of the Year by the Georgia Optometric Association.
2020s
Friends and Family
Mea Culpa
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The following abbreviations denote predecessor names of the Illinois College of Optometry.
NICO: Northern Illinois College of Optometry
CCO: Chicago College of Optometry
MCO: Monroe College of Optometry
