Senator Boozman Visits His Alma Mater

United States Senator John Boozman, OD ’77, recently revisited his optometry school roots with an afternoon on the SCO campus. Currently the only optometrist serving in the U.S. Senate, Senator Boozman requested a visit after meeting with an agricultural group in nearby Marion.

As interim leader of SCO’s Office of Institutional Advancement, Lisa Wade, OD ’84, gave the senator a tour of campus and presented him with several SCO mementos. During his tour, Senator Boozman talked about military optometry with faculty member Rick Savoy, OD, an active member of the American Public Health Association’s Vision Care Section.

Vice President for Clinical Programs Jim Venable, OD ’89, gave the senator a tour of The Eye Center and pointed out the technological advancements that have been incorporated into SCO’s clinical curriculum in recent years. The tour also included a visit to the Advanced Procedures Suite, where Dr. Venable noted the recent scope of practice gains made in Arkansas, the senator’s home state.