Acting Dean's Welcome

A message from the College of Optometry's Acting Dean
By Jeffrey J. Walline (OD, MS’98, PhD’02)
A portrait of Dr. Jeff Walline

Bob Layman (OD’82) called to tell me that I was named the 2024 Optometric Educator of the Year by the American Optometric Association. Nobody could have been more surprised than me! Every day, I am surrounded by better educators than me. I don’t receive 5.0 out of 5.0 on Student Evaluation of Instruction surveys like Donald Mutti, OD, PhD, or Heather Chandler, PhD. I don’t wear a Distinguished Teaching medal around my neck at convocation like Michael Earley (OD/MS’88, PhD’92), Dr. Mutti, Gregory Nixon (OD’96), Vondolee Delgado-Nixon, PhD, or Nicklaus Fogt (OD’92, PhD’96). I can’t claim a faculty member of the year or clinical instructor of the year like so many other faculty at this college. Nor am I a top-notch mentor who has advised eight PhD students like Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD. None of this is bitterness; it is bewilderment and amazement. We are so fortunate to have such a great academy of gifted instructors, and this is illustrated by our students’ national board scores and clinical acumen.

The Ohio State University College of Optometry is a wonderful place to “work.” Our faculty are dedicated to advancing the profession of optometry through teaching and research, our staff capably conduct the business to improve learning opportunities, our students dedicate their lives to becoming the best optometrist possible, and our alumni generously support our lofty goals with their time and resources.

I am honored by the AOA Educator of the Year Award, but it really just reminds me that we are truly surrounded by a smart, diligent group of people who are resolutely dedicated to the advancement of optometry. It makes be proud to be a BuckEYE!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Walline (OD, MS’98, PhD’02)
Acting Dean

P.S. Please mark your calendars for our upcoming in-person continuing education opportunities. Our Winter CE Conference is December 7 and 8, 2024 at Ohio State’s Fawcett Center, and our Binocular Vision and Pediatrics Forum is March 14, 2025 in Hamilton Hall. Plus, we have a robust catalog of convenient online CE courses. Learn more at go.osu.edu/optometryCE.

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