SCCO President Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., Ph.D., welcomed students and announced personnel changes at the College during the Fall Assembly.

Welcoming new and returning students, honoring faculty and being encouraged to participate in the profession of optometry highlighted the presentations at the Southern California College of Optometry's (SCCO's), Fall Assembly. The annual event, a gathering of students, staff and faculty, kicked off the 2010–11 Academic Year.

SCCO President Kevin L. Alexander, O.D., Ph.D., welcomed students and announced personnel changes at the College. As President of the California Optometric Association, SCCO Associate Professor Harue J. Marsden, O.D., M.S., '87, addressed the crowd on the importance of their participation in organized optometry.

Highlighting the Fall Assembly was the announcement of the 2009–10 Teacher of the Year Recipients. Honored were: Class of 2013, Associate Professor Lawrence R. Stark, Ph.D.; Class of 2012, Adjunct Professor RoseAnne Jankowski, Pharm.D.; and Class of 2011, Professor Susan A. Cotter, O.D., M.S., Assistant Professor Mark H. Sawamura, O.D., '91, and Assistant Professor Robert M. Yacoub, O.D., '06.

Two additional awards for teaching and research excellence in 2009–10 were also announced. The Dr. Walter Chase Teaching Excellence Award was presented to Associate Professor Lawrence R. Stark, Ph.D.; and the recipient of the Dr. Richard Hemenger Research Award was William H. Ridder III, O.D., Ph.D.

The first presentation of the, Dr. Michael W. Rouse POVT Residency Endowment, was made at the Fall Assembly. The endowment, established as a tribute to Distinguished Professor Emeritus Rouse, provides a monetary gift to each of the Residents in Pediatric Optometry and Vision Therapy at the College to purchase items for residency or educational needs. The 2010–11 POVT Residents, the first-ever recipients, are pictured with faculty who were instrumental in securing funds for the endowment.

They are (l-r): Angela To, O.D.; Alicia Liu, O.D.; Associate Professor Carmen N. Barnhardt, O.D., M.S.Ed., '95; Kayla Rouse, daughter of SCCO Assistant Professor Janet Armstrong, O.D., '82 and her husband, Dr. Michael Rouse; Assistant Professor Catherine Heyman, O.D., '93; and Professor Eric J. Borsting, O.D., M.S., M.S.Ed.