During a special called meeting on July 9, the Board of Trustees named Dr. Rich Castillo the founding dean of the School of Optometry at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The announcement comes two months after UNCP received unanimous approval from the UNC System Board of Governors to establish a Doctor of Optometry program.
"The addition of the Doctor of Optometry is a testament to the university’s continuing commitment to address the evolving healthcare needs of our region and beyond,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. “With his extensive experience, educational background, and national presence in the field of optometry, Dr. Castillo is uniquely qualified to lead our program through its launch, ensuring the development of an exceptional School of Optometry at UNC Pembroke."
Castillo — who will begin his new role Aug. 5 — said his first priority will be assembling a quality faculty with an “eye toward the future, who understands healthcare and is prepared to educate and train future optometric physicians for practice in the 21st century.”
As dean, Castillo will guide the School of Optometry’s application process with the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), develop innovative curriculum and cultivate partnerships with regional, state and national stakeholders. Castillo will also lead the university’s efforts to establish a community clinic, ensuring students have access to hands-on patient experience under the supervision of experienced clinical faculty.
“This is a great privilege. I’m humbled and appreciative of the confidence the UNCP community is placing in me,” Castillo said. “My vision is to establish this school as the preeminent leader in optometric medicine — ensuring UNCP students graduate as comprehensive optometric physicians for primary eye care.”
Castillo joins UNCP from the National Board of Examiners in Optometry where he serves as the senior director for Clinical Examination Development and Administration. Previously, he served nearly 30 years at Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry (NSU-OCO) as a clinical professor, assistant dean and chief of surgical services. While at NSU-OCO, he also served as a consulting ophthalmologist to Cherokee Nation and Tahlequah area patients through the NSU-OCO/Cherokee Nation Rural Eye Program, a system of 11 rural clinics throughout northeastern Oklahoma.
“I saw the tremendous impact a small school in rural Tahlequah had on communities in northeastern Oklahoma, and I’m confident UNCP is poised to do this and more as a leader in optometric education, research and clinical practice here in North Carolina,” Castillo said. “Preventive eye care is critical in rural communities because identifying those patients who are at risk is tantamount to preserving vision down the road.”
Recognized as a national leader in contemporary eye care and education, Castillo is the founding president of the American Society of Optometric Surgeons, a Diplomate of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and certified by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry. He is also a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Optometry.
Castillo holds a Doctor of Optometry from NSU-OCO and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences. He completed a residency in Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Surgery at Oklahoma State University Medical Center.
A School of Optometry is part of UNCP’s strategic academic expansion in health sciences. In 2018, the university established a College of Health Sciences after a health study conducted by UNC-Chapel Hill’s Sheps Center concluded new academic programs at UNCP could address the region’s workforce shortages. The study has led to the addition of several health-related degree programs, including a Doctor of Nursing Practice, a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, and a Master of Healthcare Administration.
UNCP plans to welcome its first optometry class in the fall of 2027. The program will be housed in a new $91 million health sciences building, which is set to break ground next year.
“This is a historic and transformational time for the university and for the field of optometry,” Castillo said. “I look forward to working with the campus community to design an academic program that embodies UNCP’s values and culture of excellence.”