2018 White Coat Ceremony for the Class of 2021

The Class of 2021 White Coat Ceremony

by Jennifer Bennett, MSEd, Director of Student Affairs

The Class of 2021 in the Performance Hall at the Ohio Union

For the Class of 2021, the first year of optometry school came to a close with the annual White Coat Ceremony on May 12 at the Ohio Union. Founded by “Buckeye” Bob Newcomb (OD’71, MPH), the White Coat Ceremony provides a ceremonial welcome into the optometry profession and marks the beginning of students hands-on training in the clinical setting. After a fast-paced year of new learning and new friendships, the class of 2021 arrived alongside their friends and family, ready to receive their first white coats.

Congratulatory remarks were shared by Optometry Alumni Society President Vincent Driggs (00’85) and Ohio Optometric Association President David Anderson (OD’04). Mlchael Rales (OD’89), Patrick Dollenmayer (OD’91), and Tony Fenton (00’89) performing as Bad Habits, the Eye Docs of Rock, led the class of 2021 in sing-along classics such as Don’t Stop Believin’ and Hang on Sloopy.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Michael Earley (OD/MS’88, PhD’92) and EF Wildermuth Professor Donald Mutti, OD, PhD then presented the class of 2021 with their white coats while Dean Zadnik read a sentence written by each student The sentences contained messages of thanks for their family, friends, dassmates, and of course, a few pets and plenty of caffeine.

Class President Emma Thompson (’21) provided closing remarks that gave us a sneak peek behind the scenes and into the daily lives of the class of 2021 and the many dose relaijonships that held them together during the course of the year. The class of 2021 will enjoy their summer off before returning in the autumn semester to continue their optometry school journey.

Dean Karla Zadnik welcomes the class of 2021 and their friends and family to the White Coat Ceremony

Sid Fragoulis (’21) receives his White Coat from his mother, Maria Fragoulis (OD’89} and sister Evangelia Fragoulis (OD’18)

Michael Raies (OD’89}, Patrick Dollenmayer (OD’91), ard Tony Fenton (OD’89) perform as the “Bad Habits, the Eye Docs of Rock”

Content from page 20 of the Summer 2018 Buckeye Optometry Alumni Magazine.