New York, NY — The State University of New York College of Optometry held its 52nd commencement on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Gotham Hall in Manhattan. 92 graduates earned OD and MS degrees. Watch the full ceremony.
The ceremony began with the College’s official mace being carried by Faculty Presiding Officer Dr. Jennifer Hue. The keynote address was given by Dr. David C. Rhew, MD, Global Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Health & Life Sciences at Microsoft.
“I call on each of you to lend your voice and your leadership to advocate for the profession of optometry, and for the research that transforms eye care and improves systemic health,”said Dr. David Troilo, PhD, President of SUNY Optometry during his remarks to the graduates. “Be resolute in your commitment to the highest standards of care. And carry forward the work of translating innovation into better outcomes for patients’ eye care and overall health.”
The featured keynote address given by Dr. David Rhew spoke of the impact of AI on the optometry profession. “Every generation experiences a moment when the rules begin to change. And for your generation, that moment is AI,” said Dr. Rhew. “This transition is going to impact healthcare – including eye care – in a very big way.”
To prepare graduates for this new paradigm he urged them to embrace the change by understanding AI conceptually and learning about new fields; incorporating AI into their work to augment their care; and proactively engaging in shaping how optometry uses AI to “deliver better care, to more people, than ever before.”
The audience also heard from Class President Nicholas Premnauth who offered reflections on the class’s time at SUNY Optometry and the journey ahead.
“We’re stepping into a world with real responsibility, real patients, and real lives that will trust us with their care,” said Class of 2026 President Nicholas Premnauth. “But if these past few years have taught us anything, it’s that we’re capable of more than we think.”
SUNY Optometry also presented Dr. Jerome Sherman, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, and David Bowers, Vice President for Administration and Finance, with the Presidential Medallion in recognition of their contributions to the College and the broader field of eye care and health.
Additionally, SUNY Optometry conferred honorary degrees upon two distinguished leaders in healthcare and science. Dr. John G. Flanagan, former dean of the Wertheim School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of California Berkeley, received the doctor of science, honoris causa, degree in recognition of his groundbreaking scholarship in glaucoma and commitment to leadership in optometry. James Winans, president and CEO of The Bowery Mission, received the doctor of humane letters, honoris causa in recognition of his commitment to advancing evidence-based care to help transform the lives of people and families experiencing homelessness and poverty.
Among the College’s newest alumni are 91 who received their Doctor of Optometry degree— 4 of whom also earned a master’s degree; a resident who earned a master’s degree; and 18 who earned microcredential certificates in areas of advanced concentration and inaugural Area Health Educational Center Scholars. 33 members of the class were recognized with awards for academic achievement, research, and service.
For more information about academic programs, residency, and patient care at SUNY Optometry, visit www.sunyopt.edu.
To donate to the Presidential Scholarship or any of our other initiatives that help improve lives and help people see better each day, visit www.sunyopt.edu/giving.
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About SUNY Optometry
Founded in New York City in 1971, the State University of New York College of Optometry is a leader in education, research and patient care, offering the Doctor of Optometry degree as well as MS and PhD degrees in vision science. An academic health center in optometry, the College conducts a robust program of basic, translational and clinical research and has more than 65 affiliated clinical training sites as well as an on-site clinic, the University Eye Center. A recent expansion of the College’s OD program offers students the opportunity to pursue their degree either on the New York City campus or, beginning Fall 2027, on the campus of SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse.