President's Message
Vision of Service: Volunteerism in Optometry
As optometrists, we dedicate our lives to helping others see more clearly and preserving vision. Yet beyond our clinics and exam rooms lies another kind of vision: one shaped by service, compassion, and community. Volunteerism has long been a defining trait of our profession. I am continually inspired by the incredible ways our alumni give back.
College of Optometry students, professors, staff, and alumni volunteer their time at local health fairs, schools, and shelters, offering essential eye care services to individuals who might otherwise go without. Our alumni inspire and mentor the next generation of optometrists, giving their time and expertise to help keep the future of our profession strong. Others serve on regional and national boards, providing the BuckEYE perspective as leaders in our profession. Currently Jeff Walline (OD, MS’98, PhD’02) serves as President of the American Academy of Optometry, Terri Gossard (OD/MS’96) serves as American Optometric Association Trustee, and fourth-year optometry student James Chung (’26) serves as American Optometric Student Association President. These and other volunteer activities embody the very best of what it means to be an optometrist and humanitarian.
During my time at Ohio State, I enjoyed participating in Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH). With SVOSH, I was fortunate to attend two global mission trips, providing eye care in underserved regions, including Guyana (1998) and Costa Rica (1999). These trips were foundational for me and inspired me to participate in optometric service trips to Mexico, Honduras, China, Zambia, Cambodia, and local clinics throughout my home state of Colorado.
This spirit of service is not just admirable—it’s essential. Volunteerism deepens our connection to the communities we serve and reminds us why we chose this profession in the first place. It also fosters leadership, empathy, and innovation, allowing us to grow both personally and professionally. Mentored by others, I have become actively involved in the Colorado Optometric Association and have served as a member of the American Optometric Association Third Party Executive Committee for the last 13 years.
Another example of volunteerism paying forward to our profession took place this past winter when your own College of Optometry Alumni Board, along with alumni volunteers Kerry Giedd (OD/MS’00), Josie Kosunick (OD’01), and Nicolette Scott (OD’02), took the time to reach out to every first-year optometry student to ask how things were going with their studies and answer their questions about our own Ohio State Optometry experiences and post-graduation optometry practice. To every alumnus and optometry student who has offered their skills, their time, or simply their heart: Thank You! Your service doesn’t go unnoticed—it uplifts lives, strengthens communities, and carries forward the legacy of optometric care rooted in compassion.
Let’s continue to build a future where volunteerism remains at the core of who we are as optometrists, optometry students, and as humans.
Jason Ortman (OD’00)
President
The Ohio State University College of Optometry Alumni Society
