NECO’s 130th Commencement Ceremony

New England College of Optometry (NECO) celebrated its 130th Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2024 at Boston’s Symphony Hall. The Class of 2024 was honored with awards and accolades that recognized their academic excellence and expertise over the past four years. Watch the recorded livestream of the ceremony.

NECO conferred Doctor of Optometry degrees to students in the four-year OD program, as well as seven students who were awarded a Master’s Degree in Vision Science concurrently with their OD degree. Four students were awarded Accelerated Optometric Degrees; seven students completed the Advanced Standing International Program and received their Doctor of Optometry degree; and two students completed the dual MS and OD degree with our sister academic institution, Wenzhou Medical University, in Wenzhou, China.

Drs. Thanasis Panorgias, Bina Patel, and Maureen Hanley served as faculty and student marshals and led the processional. In attendance were NECO faculty, staff, senior leadership, members of the Board of Trustees, alumni board members, honorees, as well as nearly 1,000 family and friends of the class of 2024.

man in graduation robe speaking at podium

Dr. Howard Purcell, NECO President and Chief Executive Officer, welcomed the Class of 2024 and introduced the faculty, staff, Board Members, golden alumni from the Class of 1974, and the special guests in attendance. He shared his top six recommendations for a fulfilling and successful career, focusing on the importance of personal integrity. Dr. Purcell’s words were followed by a warm welcome and congratulations from Dr. Kristen Griebel, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Alumni Association President Dr. Thomas Andrea, who applauded the graduates’ dedication and welcomed them to the alumni and optometric community.

Honorary Degrees and Presidential Medal Awards

As in prior years, NECO awarded honorary degrees upon recommendation by the Board of Trustees to distinguished individuals who have furthered the body of knowledge in eye care, expanded access to eye care in underserved communities, and have made outstanding contributions to the welfare and development of NECO or communities in which we serve. This year’s recipient, Dr. Jane Gwiazda, is an innovator who has made outstanding contributions to the optometric profession. Her research has focused on risk factors and treatments for myopia. Dr. Gwiazda chaired the Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial, a multi-site, 17-year study funded by the NEI/NIH. She was a member of the National Advisory Eye Council from 2014-2019, and currently serves on the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee for the BLINK study.

“Know that the unexpected is not always negative… so don’t give up on yourselves or your future,” Dr. Gwiazda shared. “You likely know where you will be going next, and I wish you well in these many paths you have chosen. But realize that you can always move on to somewhere different. There will always be choices. Figure out what is important to you and go for it!”

The NECO Presidential Medal is awarded to eye care professionals or professional groups who have made a unique impact on the College and its constituencies. Dr. Howard Purcell introduced this year’s two worthy recipients: Marjorie Axelrad and Marc Ferrara.

Marjorie Axelrad is the Editorial Director Emeritus of Vision Monday and VMAIL. She served as the Senior Vice President and Editorial Director of Vision Monday and VMAIL, part of the Jobson Optical Group, from 1988 to March 2024, when she retired from her long-time role.

“You are facing a real opportunity right now, perhaps more than other optometric class graduates,” Axelrad stated. “You are at what’s known in the business and the cultural world as an ‘inflection point.’ We are experiencing the world being off- axis and at a flex point. We are living in a time where each of us are coming together to create transformation.”

Marc Ferrara, former CEO of Jobson Publishing’s Information Services division and executive consultant for Jobson Optical Group, was the second Presidential Medal awardee. In his former role, Ferrara had a wide-range of responsibilities, including the business units 20/20, Frames Data, Vision Monday, Review of Optometry, Review of Ophthalmology, Jobson Research, Jobson Internet Solutions and Jobson’s international business in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, as well as US Pharmacist.

“I want to congratulate you on your own curiosity which has led you to this incredible achievement today,” he said.

Six Class Valedictorians

One outstanding characteristic of the Class of 2024 has been their dedication to academic excellence. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fact that this year there is not one, but six valedictorians who completed NECO’s OD program with a 4.0 grade point average throughout their four-year journey.

Dr. Purcell welcomed each of the valedictorians to the stage. “One outstanding characteristic of your class is your unparalleled commitment to academic excellence, with not one, but six valedictorians. We recognize and celebrate that individually they bring so much more to the NECO community than their grades.”

Kaylee Brann, Sarah Curtin, Kylie Donahue, Bonnie Loh, Zach Turple, and Zamaan Valani inspired the audience as they shared the experiences that prepared them for graduation and careers in optometry. Bonnie Loh, Zamaan Valani, and Zach Turple had the opportunity to represent all six valedictorians and address their classmates.

“In the future, during the days where you might feel lost, remember that you can indeed go very far even when you are unclear in where you are going,” Bonnie Loh reminded her classmates.

“To the NECO Class of 2024, even though there are a couple of us on stage today, it is by no means an individual accomplishment,” said Zamaan Valani. “I would not be standing here without my whole NECO family.”

“While it is each of our individual names written on these diplomas, none of us would have made it this far without the support of our whole class and everyone at NECO,” said Zach Turple. “Let’s enter the profession with a confidence, motivation, and a passion to make a difference in our patient lives and in our communities.”

Hooding and Diplomas

Before the conferring of degrees, Dr. Purcell acknowledged the students who had served on the Student Council for their commitment and contributions to NECO. Following applause, the audience recognized the individuals who received awards for clinical excellence, personal achievement, academic excellence, and scholarship awards. In addition to the award winners, candidates for Residency Certification were also recognized and celebrated. (NECO has one of the largest affiliated post-graduate residency programs in the country and a formal ceremony will be held at a separate event in June after the completion of their training.)

After this recognition, candidates lined up to be called one by one on stage. They were hooded by NECO faculty members Drs. Bina Patel and Maureen Hanley as Dr. Erik Weissberg, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs, read the names of each degree recipient. Dr. Purcell handed out diplomas and was assisted on stage by Tia Vuu, Student Council Vice President Class of 2025. After the 135 graduates received their doctoral hood and degree, Dr. Jennifer Riley, Assistant Professor of Optometry and Attending Optometrist at Martha Eliot Health Center, led the new doctors in reciting the Optometric Oath.

The graduates excitedly stood and applauded their loved ones in the audience as they turned to graciously cheer their achievements together for the first time as doctors. The ceremony concluded with the newly-minted doctors exiting Symphony Hall to greet family and friends, and to embark on the next phase of their personal and professional lives.