From the Archives of 2007

Someone asked me today what I wrote in my personal essay to get into optometry school. I searched the hard drive of my MacBook until I found it. I didn't really remember what I wrote but even reading it today made me stand back and say "Wow.". My final copy of this was saved on November 5, 2007. I thought I would share this publicly because it serves as part of my testimony. I went through a phase where I was fearful of applying, thinking I wouldn't get in. It's true that I only got accepted into one school and it happened to be the one that was farthest from home. I didn't understand it at the time but since then I can give you quite a few reasons why it happened this way. No matter what you apply to or attempt to achieve, put God first and apply humbleness to your daily walk. Six and half years later I am a doctor and in a few months I may be granted the opportunity to hood one of my doctor "relatives". I am truly thankful and recognize that although I went through a lot to get here, I am blessed. I thank God for the journey and the gift of good parents and siblings who supported me along the way. My mother didn't get to really see me bask in my profession but I know she is smiling down on me. I wasn't the smartest person in my class nor do I proclaim to be, but I was good enough to walk down the path that God so eloquently set forth for me. I was good enough to achieve great things. Knowing this... I encourage you to walk the path God sets forth for you and achieve to the highest potential what it is that He destined you to do. My journey towards greatness won't stop here, but it's nice to reflect on where it all began.

Here goes...

From the tender age of five, I was exposed to the field of optometry. Having a fairly strong and fluctuating eyeglass prescription and astigmatism caused my visits to the optometrist to be quite often.  As visits increased, the field of optometry became more intriguing to me. I became curious about the work of an optometrist, asking questions about the machinery and the procedures being taken.  During the fall of my senior year in high school I was provided with the opportunity to shadow a doctor at a local optometry office for several weeks.  Through this experience I gained an in-depth perception of the job obligations of an optometrist and the work environment of an eye care facility.

Currently I hold the position of optician at America’s Best Contacts and Eyeglasses.  I’ve been employed with this company since January of 2005.  I saw this job as an opportunity to increase my awareness and understanding of optometry.  Through this experience I have been able to observe the field of optometry from a different perspective. Instead of being the patient, I have learned the etiquette involved in being an eye care professional. I have also gained cross-training experience as certified ophthalmic technician. I have been able to bond with many of the optometrists that are employed at America’s Best, asking for words of advice and questions about the occupation. Working at America’s Best has developed my passion for optometry. Just knowing that there are millions of people in the world who suffer from at least one visual condition is what inspires me to continue the career path that I have chosen and inquire more about the topic.  Optometrists make such a difference in the lives of these people by making them aware of their current condition and offering correction to the problem at hand.  Being an optician has given me a greater passion to want to interact with patients, understand their situation or condition, and following up on their progress.

During my undergraduate years I was a very busy student.  Aside from being employed I was Vice president of my church’s Youth Choir and I am currently Vice President of my church’s Young Adult Choir.  I was a member of Howard Hughes Biomedical Honors Corps and Alpha Epsilon Delta.  Amongst my honors I received the following scholarships: Xavier University Academic Scholarship, Jefferson Dollars for Scholars, American Business Women’s Association Scholarship, Tuition Opportunity Performance Scholarship (TOPS), and the Pipe Council Scholarship.

I chose Illinois College of Optometry to pursue my professional degree because it is the largest and oldest optometry school in the world and its location.  In my perspective, I feel that I would be a great asset to Illinois College of Optometry and a successful optometrist because I am knowledgeable of the field prior to acceptance due to having nearly three years of experience within the field of optometry.  My interest in this field has been consistent for many consecutive years, displaying how grave the opportunity to pursue this career path is to me.  My determination and ability to grasp new concepts quickly is a characteristic that every optometry student and optometrist should possess.