OPT Visionary - Summer 2014

N SUCO students created their own World Sight Week Chal- lenge on October 6-10, 2013, called Nova Challenge Cycle for Sight, which was spearheaded by class of 2016 student Micaela Crowley and organized by NSUCO’s SGA. Their goal was to raise $10,000 while attempting to pedal 25,000 miles around the world. With the slogan every mile helps the world see better , people could take special spin classes, log their road miles, and keep the wheels spinning on a stationary bike set up in the atrium of the Health Professions Division where classes are held. To assist with the fund-raising effort, special team T-shirts were sold and donations were solicited, Thanks to these efforts and the 2,100-plus miles peddled by participants, over $12,000 was pro- cured for Optometry Giving Sight. NSU students raised more money than any other optometry school and came in second overall to Cooper Vision—a contact lens manufacturing company. The stu- dents created their own challenge between class years and pre-op- tometry students in the undergraduate program, while administrators as well as faculty and staff members also joined Cycle for Sight, which was supported by Walmart and Sam’s Club. In addition, the different student clubs banded together to raise funds, with the Na- tional Optometric Student Association obtaining the most donations. “Our students take their compassion for optometry for the un- derserved seriously,” said Janet Leasher, O.D., M.P.H, FAAO, as- sociate professor, who is involved internationally with blindness prevention programs. “They grabbed those bike handles and never let go the entire week. The energy and enthusiasm for this cam- paign spread to the other health professions students who passed by and wondered what those crazy optometry students were up to. Professors from other programs, and even the president of the Fort Lauderdale Lions Club, took to the saddle to spin toward a solution to this global problem. “With this passion, the next generation of optometrists is poised to tackle the problems of the world,” added Dr. Leasher. “NSU be- came known around the world for the great job it did.” 2013 Nova Challenge CYCLE FOR SIGHT PAGE 13 Eye Site Student News