Klaesyn Sibless wanted to become an optometrist because one of her cousins was born blind. But thanks to a couple of surgeries and extensive vision therapy, he’s now able to see out of one eye.

“I wanted to be able to provide that kind of care to people,” she said.

And she’s taken the next step on her professional journey as Sibless was one of nine students who recently completed the Summer Enrichment Program or SEP at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.

The SEP program, initially started in 1977 by Dr. Robert E. Horne, former dean of Student Affairs at PCO/Salus, ran continuously for 39 years before going on hiatus.

It returned in 2021 — delayed by one year because of the pandemic — made possible through a five-year sponsorship by National Vision, Inc. Since then, National Vision has committed to funding the program for an additional five years.

SEP provides underrepresented students of color within the Doctor of Optometry program a jumpstart into the academic year and a chance to adjust to the pace and rigor of graduate school before the fall term. The goal of this program is to improve matriculation attrition and graduation rates of underrepresented applicants of color while fostering a safety net of support and mentorship.

The 2023 SEP cohort bonded quickly, according to Melissa Trego, OD ‘04, Resident ‘09, Ph.D., dean of PCO.

“What I really liked about this group was that if you’d come in early, they would all be having conversations with each other,” she said. “The vibe was good from the beginning.”

Dr. Trego added that one of the things the SEP program tries to teach students is to develop a sense of community and introduce them to the support system they’re going to have at PCO/Salus.

“We gave them an introduction to who we are, how we teach and what to expect,” said Dr. Trego, who noted that all nine students in the program have been accepted to PCO/Salus and will start in the fall.

“They will hit the ground running, knowing each other, already being familiar with the faculty and have a bit of a taste of what the workload is going to be.”

Sibless agreed. Originally from Illinois, she completed her undergraduate study at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, graduating in 2023 with a degree in Biology and a minor in Sociology.

“I really like the Salus community. It feels like everyone is trying to be there for you,” said Sibless. “I know some schools didn’t have that feel for me, and I really like that about Salus. Graduate school is hard enough, so it’s good to have the support.”

That support also impressed Alex Buitron, who initially wanted to be an ophthalmologist but changed to optometry after some shadowing opportunities.

“I thought the SEP program would give me an idea of what optometry school would be like and also get adjusted to the workload and course load,” said Buiton, who is from Lancaster County.

He is entered in the PCO/Salus three-plus-four program and will complete his undergraduate studies in Biology and Pre-Optometry from Millersville University in 2024.

“I wanted to also meet people, that way I could go into school having a group of friends that I could rely on,” he said. “I think this program is very beneficial. I learned a lot and it definitely prepared me and makes me feel better about my transition into optometry school.”

At a closing reception Aug. 4, 2023, in the Bennett Lounge inside the Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park campus, University president Michael H. Mittelman, OD ‘80, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE, congratulated the students on completing the program.

“I have to tell you how proud we all are of you and what you’ve done and what you’re about to do,” said Dr. Mittelman.

“This program is designed to do a couple of things: build teams and internal mentoring groups for yourself; also to prepare you to jump into what is quite a rigorous curriculum.”

He also challenged the students to take some time leading up to fall orientation to reflect on the things they’ve learned and recharge for the start of the school year.

“You have everybody on the PCO/Salus side who are here to do nothing more than support you and to ensure your success,” said Dr. Mittelman.

Lear more about the Summer Enrichment Program at Salus University.

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A day in the life of a student.