SUMMER 2026
TALKNG HEADS
What is your favorite memory of ICO Commencement?
ICO’s Commencement Ceremony is my favorite event of the year and has been ever since I graduated in 1992. It was held in Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago. The gothic-style chapel and booming pipe organ sent chills down my spine every time I stood at the entry. Though it had drawbacks, its seating was limited to only seven guests per graduate. Dining options for family and friends were also limited.
Today we celebrate at Chicago Symphony Center, an equally impressive location in downtown Chicago right on Michigan Ave. The seating is much more comfortable and abundant, providing a much better line of sight for everyone attending, and the acoustics are wonderful. They also have an impressive pipe organ. Everyone attending gets a much better appreciation for the city of Chicago.
I have always felt that ICO’s Commencement was the perfect mixture of grand academic pageantry and efficiency. Months of planning are required to make the event special for every graduate and their families. Over the years we have worked to improve the ceremony at every opportunity. Bagpipers and a macebearer were added in 1997 following the inauguration of Dr. Charles Mullen. We eliminated Class Representative speeches to make the ceremony more relaxed for our graduates. ICO’s Board of Trustees and Alumni Council began participating.
My favorite non-political speaker was Astronaut Dr. Larry DeLucas. My favorite political speaker was then U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth. Both gave very personal and relatable accounts of Optometry as a profession.
What is your favorite memory of ICO Commencement?
Stephanie S. Messner, OD
Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean
Commencement for the ICO Class of 2026 was bittersweet for me, as it marked my final ceremony as academic dean. The pageantry and traditions of the day provide an appropriate sendoff for our graduates, celebrating this important milestone in their lives.
Early in my tenure as dean, I realized how special our commencement truly is. During the pre-event sound check I heard someone calling my name. To my surprise, it was a former professor of mine, attending his nephew’s graduation. We chatted for a few moments and went our separate ways. After the ceremony he told me that it was the best commencement he had ever seen. Upon reflection, I have to agree!
My favorite traditions begin with the processional. The soaring pipe organ fills the auditorium with energy and pride as students, faculty, and administrators make their entrance. The head marshal, an honored faculty member, carries the ICO mace, leading the way amid the vibrant colors of academic regalia, the President’s robe, and medals.
A newer but beloved tradition is the presentation of the bagpipers. The audience’s initial surprise quickly turns to delight as phones emerge to capture this stirring moment.
Personally, I cherish the chance to address the graduates and recognize the class valedictorians. It is also a privilege to hood most of our graduates—symbolizing their transition from student to scholar, and marking the culmination of years of rigorous academic and clinical preparation. When OD family members or mentors assist in the hooding, the ceremony becomes even more personal and meaningful.
My favorite moment comes when I formally recommend to the President, on behalf of the faculty, that the degree of Doctor of Optometry be bestowed upon the candidates. When the President officially confers the degree and the applause erupts, the joy in the room is palpable. The singing of the ICO Alma Mater and the recessional—where faculty line the lobby to applaud our new colleagues—bring the celebration beautifully to a close.
It’s remarkable that our commencement lasts only about 90 minutes, yet captures so much tradition, pride, and heart—all centered on our graduating students. Just as it should be.
Kelly Frantz, OD, FAAO, FOVDR
Professor of Optometry
As a long-serving ICO faculty member, I have eagerly attended nearly 40 ICO Commencement ceremonies. I find the recognition of our students’ tremendous accomplishments to be most meaningful. Faculty receive great satisfaction knowing we played a role in the graduates’ education and training as we launch them into a fulfilling career in optometry. I have fond memories of watching certain graduates receive their hood from an optometrist family member or mentor. It’s amazing to me that I have now been employed at ICO long enough to have taught many of those mothers and fathers who are performing the hooding!
It is gratifying when graduates introduce me to their family members following the Commencement ceremony. I feel blessed when parents have expressed their thanks not only for my role in their son’s or daughter’s education but for my mentorship. In a few cases, I have even played an indirect role in students meeting their future spouses at ICO!
Commencement music also holds a special place in my heart. It is a delight to process into an ornate space, whether Rockefeller Chapel or more recently, Chicago Symphony Center, to the sound of a magnificent pipe organ. Gathering onstage with a few brave graduates and fellow faculty to sing ICO’s alma mater—in four-part harmony, without accompaniment—is both scary and exhilarating, especially considering the renowned musicians who have shared the Symphony Center stage. It is a surprise to most graduates that ICO even has an alma mater, but the all-volunteer choir continues to make it sound good despite limited opportunities for rehearsal. For many years, Professor Emeritus Dominick Maino, OD ’78 contributed greatly to the choir’s success with his strong tenor voice and his willingness to direct.
Commencement would not be the grand ceremony it is without months of careful planning. As one of the organizers of the graduate/faculty choir, I have been able to witness the dedication of ICO’s Student Affairs staff, who demonstrate excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. Their diligent work has led to memorable Commencement ceremonies year after year for our very deserving ICO graduates!
Naeem Abdulla, OD ’03
Optometrist at Summerhill Optometry, Toronto, Canada
As ICO celebrates its 183rd Commencement, I look back fondly on all the memories of that day when the class of 2003 participated in this time-honored milestone.
As I congratulate the class of 2026 on their years of hard work finally culminating in this proud moment, I can’t help but reminisce on that day and the four years of hard work and resilience it took to get there. Even more importantly, I reflect on all the friendships forged and the many professors and staff who helped us get there.
As we all entered the auditorium to receive our diplomas, there was a shared feeling of anticipation, excitement, and pride. Students who once met as strangers now stand shoulder to shoulder as colleagues, reflecting on the countless exams, clinical achievements, and shared challenges that shaped their time at ICO. Not to mention the many good times we all had together! Eyeballs, Cubs games, and Quiz Bowl competitions.
I have always liked the tradition of being hooded by a mentor or faculty member. That moment underscores the personal nature of the achievement, is a reminder that optometry is a profession built on guidance, trust, and the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next. The moment you realize you have finally graduated.
And then the best part of all was seeing all your classmates with their family and friends and all the faculty. The celebration of the sacrifices made behind the scenes, the support systems that sustained each graduate, and the shared joy of reaching a long-awaited ambition. All with the bittersweet knowledge that our time at ICO as students has come to an end, and we are now embarking on our next chapter as Doctors of Optometry.
Was it really 23 years ago? I could have sworn it was yesterday.