Savannah Coker, a third year UAB School of Optometry Student, has been elected national secretary of the American Optometric Student Association (AOSA) and was also named Trustee of the Year. The award is given to one member of the board who has gone above and beyond. This is the second year in a row that a UAB Trustee has won this distinction, and the third straight year that UABSO has been represented on the AOSA Executive Council.
“It’s truly an honor to get to serve all optometry students across the nation by becoming Secretary of the AOSA.” Coker said. “I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the Executive Council to continue making the AOSA a benefit and tool for students to transition into the best ODs they can be.”
At Optometry, Coker serves as a sponsor representative to help the incoming first years have an easy transition into school and is a UABSO Trustee of AOSA, the treasurer of Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH) and a student ambassador.
She is mentored by Dr. Beth Steele, associate professor and the AOSA faculty advisor. Coker said that Dr. Steele’s her work ethic, patience and commitment to the optometry profession is what inspired her to get more involved in the AOSA and at school.
“It has been a pleasure to mentor and advise Savannah and to see her growth as a student leader.” said Dr. Steele. “Her being elected as national secretary and Trustee of the Year is well deserved. We are all very proud of her and I have no doubt that she has a very bright future as an optometrist.”