Kara and other NECO students had the opportunity to network with colleagues and leaders in the industry. Kara Chuang is the class of 2027 class president and AOSA Social Media Lead. She shares a passion for student involvement and advocating for Optometry’s future. In this blog, Kara recounts her trip to Nashville, how she received her travel grant, and what she learned at this unique conference.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, we have begun our descent and will land shortly. Please remain seated and have your seat belt fastened. Welcome to Nashville, Tennesee!

If there was a bucket list of must-do’s for all optometry students, attending Optometry’s Meeting (OM) would be on the very top. Each year, optometrists, students, industry leaders, and exhibitors gather for this four-day conference to experience the latest in the field. Whether you’re a first-year or fourth-year student, OM offers new ideas, innovations, giveaways, and branded swag for everyone.

I had the privilege of attending OM as NECO’s AOSA Influencer. To be considered, I submitted a letter of interest to NECO AOSA trustees. My main task was to fulfill social media posting requirements before and during the meeting. I also participated in the AOA+ Leadership Society events and continued education (CE) sessions, and visited the Target Optical Event Activation. Additionally, I completed a course on Leonardo, which covered topics from myopia management to the history of glasses. The grant was awarded after the confirmed completion of all requirements. Travel grants are the best way to help fund the cost of traveling to OM, along with other positions such as becoming a CE monitor.

A standout CE session was “Top 10 Diagnoses Not to Miss” by Dr. Andrew Morgenstern, a member of the NECO Board of Trustees. I had the opportunity to learn more about his insights on holistic patient observation and women’s ocular health at the NECO Alumni Reception, a great space to network with attendees from NECO and Massachusetts, like Dr. Howard Purcell, President of NECO! I also appreciated the opportunity to network with doctors and recruiters at the Residency summit and career fair.

Exploring the exhibit hall was like walking through Disney. We turned pictures of our irises into art with Alcon, played basketball through the lenses of a myopic child with CooperVision, experienced astigmatic vision with J&J VR headsets, and much more. I was introduced to Virtual Field, a company that has developed a portable, patient-friendly headset to streamline visual field testing and diagnosing.

All NECO students qualified for discounted registration fees as AOSA/AOA members, which included breakfast and lunch during each day of the event. There were finger foods and drinks scattered throughout the exhibit hall, in addition to the impressive industry-sponsored selfie lattes, mocktails, and boba.

Volunteering with One Sight Foundation’s Sale for Sight to help attendees pick out sunglasses that suit their styles and needs was so fulfilling. At the end of my shift, I even received a pair of Tory Burch sunnies for my efforts!

The evening events were equally memorable, including the Student Quiz Bowl and an incredible performance by 12 South. We cheered on Clarice, our NECO quiz bowl champion, sang along for hours, and captured memories at the photobooth. 

Before heading to the airport, we concluded our trip at Pancho and Lefty’s Cantina, where we feasted on catfish and birria tacos.

Getting involved in the optometry community has been gratifying, both in school and beyond. Initiating connections with optometrists and industry leaders at events like OM opens doors to opportunities for growth and learning. Whether it’s with the AOSA or other organizations, it’s never too late to get involved – the student voice is much needed on the local and national levels to advance the field of optometry. I hope to see more students from NECO at OM 2025 in Minneapolis!

AOA will be hosting Optometry’s Meeting June 25-28th at the Minneapolis Convention Center In Minneapolis, Minnesota. For more information on next years OM visit Optometry’s Meeting® 2025 | AOA.