Walline, Dunn Earn Top AOA Honors

The American Optometric Association (AOA) bestowed top honors upon leaders from The Ohio State University College of Optometry at the organization's annual meeting in Nashville. Acting Dean Jeffrey J. Walline, OD, PhD, was named 2024 Optometric Educator of the Year, and Maggie Dunn was named 2024 Student of the Year.

Dr. Walline is the acting dean of The Ohio State University College of Optometry and previously served as chair of the Research and Graduate Studies Committee and associate dean of research. Throughout his tenure at Ohio State, Dr. Walline has led several pediatric contact lens studies to evaluate the effect of contact lens wear on myopia progression and children's self-perceptions. At the AOA level, Dr. Walline was a member of the AOA’s Council on Research, is immediate past chair of the AOA Council for the Cornea and Contact Lens Section and is a member of the Food and Drug Administration Myopia Control Review Taskforce.  

Maggie is currently in her third year at The Ohio State University College of Optometry. As president of the Ohio State chapter of AOSA, Maggie is a leader in Ohio’s advocacy efforts to modernize optometric scope of practice. She actively engaged and educated legislators on the depth and breadth of optometric education at Ohio Optometric Association’s Optometry Day at the Statehouse. Maggie also works with pre-optometry students as a “big sibling” and has been a member of Optometry Ambassadors since 2021.