OPT Visionary - Spring/Summer 2013

THE V ISIONARY • S PRING /S UMMER 2013 — 7 When Anthony “Blake” Hutto, O.D., graduated from Bacon County High School in 1999, he didn’t foresee himself becoming NSUCO’s class of 2013 president, vice president of Gold Key, and an NSU Honor Society member. What he did envision was taking the initiative to become an O.D., which oc- curred in May 2013 when he graduated from NSUCO. The Student: Challenge and Tenacity Dr. Hutto, who described growing up in the small town of Alma, Georgia, as “far, far away fromAtlanta,” was surrounded by a close community of extremely welcoming people and proud to be a part of Bacon County, which he said is “maybe the greatest county name ever.” Although he was “always interested in all things medically related,” Dr. Hutto said he “never knew exactly what branch of the medical field was right for me until I explored optometry in my second year of undergraduate school. I quickly became intrigued by the eye and all its intricacies; in fact, the eye is the only aspect of human anatomy for which Darwin’s theory of evolution has no explanation.” While obtaining his bachelor’s degree in Biology at Valdosta State University, Dr. Hutto also worked as a certified ophthalmic assistant. At the same time, he was met with a challenging life hurdle. In 2004, a year before graduating from Valdosta State, Dr. Hutto was diagnosed with adult-onset attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In hindsight, this had a negative impact on his grades, which meant no immediate acceptance into optometry school. Con- sequently, Dr. Hutto felt his options were limited. Going against peer advice to continue on by pursuing an M.S. in Biology, Dr. Hutto chose to study for a B.S. in Nursing because he felt this path would “make me a more well-rounded student in the areas of pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, and microbiology.” Because he had already begun treatment for his ADHD when he entered the nursing program, his grades improved dramat- ically. As a result, Dr. Hutto “was able to graduate from an accelerated nursing program with a near-perfect 4.0 GPA.” However, his prior low grades were documented and remained an obstacle in regard to earning direct entry into optometry school. Unfortunately, graduate schools were sidetracked by his former grades, even though he had tried to prove himself by working full-time in the field of optometry while studying for his first degree. After receiving his B.S.N. degree in 2007, Dr. Hutto returned to his former practice and managed the ambulatory surgery center while he continued to apply to optometry school. The Alumni Connection Thanks to three O.D.s, Dr. Hutto found his way to NSUCO. “I first heard of NSU’s College of Optometry from my friend, Michael Land, in 2001,” he said. “When Michael heard I was interested in optometry school, he mentioned that his sister, Natalie Land (class of 2004), was studying at NSUCO at the time. About a year later, I met Jennifer McCall (class of 2007) in a biochemistry class. Jenn mentioned she had applied to various optometry schools and was plan- ning to attend NSU to pursue her optometry degree. “However, the greatest influence came from my friend, Lisa Martin (class of 2009). Lisa and I met at Valdosta State University, and anyone who knows Lisa knows she possesses a captivating personality. Lisa would call frequently from NSU, where she was busy leaving her mark on the optometry program. She regularly emailed to encourage me throughout my application process and Dr. Anthony “Blake” Hutto: By Rachel Snell, Assistant to the Dean Student, Husband, Friend, Optometrist