Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Consortium for Optometry Summer Enrichment Programs



The Consortium for Optometry Summer Enrichment Programs is pleased to share the upcoming dates and deadlines for our individual programs.  We encourage you to share this email among your preoptometry students and we look forward to hosting them on our campuses during the summer of 2013.
Do note that prospective students may apply to and attend multiple summer programs; we do not restrict or cap an individual's participation between or among any of the programs described below:

Illinois College of Optometry, Focus on Your Future
July 15-19, 2013
The Illinois College of Optometry is pleased to announce our annual summer program for underrepresented minority undergraduate students. The program is a weeklong experience that will expose undergraduate students to the profession of optometry in a variety of settings. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and work with current optometry students, ICO Faculty & Staff, as well as practicing optometrists.  Students will be housed at no charge in our Residential Complex. There is no cost to participate in this program. Participants are responsible for their travel expenses and/or transportation cost to and from ICO.
Program Contact:  Teisha Johnson, 312.949.7407, tjohnson@ICO.EDU

 The Ohio State University, I-DOC 
July 17-19, 2013
The Improving Diversity in Optometric Careers program is an intensive three-day program for people from an underrepresented ethnicity (American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian or Pacific Islander; African-American, not of Hispanic origin; or Hispanic) interested in finding out more about an optometric career. The program provides information about optometry through hands-on experiences, and it aims to increase the number of underrepresented ethnic minority optometrists.  Thanks to underwriting by the Vision Service Plan (VSP), there is no cost to attend the program and includes all meals and activities. There are also a limited number of scholarships for airfare reimbursement (up to $500) and accommodations for out-of-state college applicants.
 For more information about the program and information regarding the application process, please visit the I-DOC webpage:
Program Contact: Justin Griest, 614.292.8825, JGriest@optometry.osu.edu

University of California, Berkeley, Opto-Camp
Session I, June 17-19, 2013
Session II, July 15-17, 2013
The goal of Berkeley Optometry's Opto-Camp is to introduce underrepresented pre-health science majors to Optometry as a potential future career track and to prepare them to be successful applicants to optometry school.  The objective of Berkeley Optometry's Opto-Camp is to present a three-day in residence experience that will provide participants with opportunities to learn about the profession of optometry and the process of becoming an optometrist.
Program specifics and the application, available mid-February, 2013, are linked here:
 Cost:  $125 program fee; limited amount of scholarships to waive program fee per session, as demonstrated by financial need.
 Program Contact:  Heather Iwata, 510.642.9537, hiwata@berkeley.edu