Hannah Evington has been interested in science since childhood, but a trip to the eye doctor when she was 10 indeed opened her eyes to the world of optometry––solidifying her future career path.
She’ll never forget Dr. Katherine White’s warm disposition and how comfortable she made her feel while being fitted for glasses. Evington’s passion for optometry was cultivated through job shadowing opportunities with White and other optometrists like UNCP alumnus Dr. Jared Lowery.
Now a senior biology student at UNC Pembroke, Evington is focused on graduate school. This week, she is exploring the optometry profession through the Optometry Learning Experience (OLE) program at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University.
Evington and 30 prospective students from across the country are touring the campus, interacting with faculty and current students, sitting in on lectures and receiving hands-on clinical skills training.
“This is a great opportunity,” Evington said. “It will give me more insight into the field, the curriculum and the clinics they offer.”
Evington has applied to Salus University in hopes of following in the footsteps of UNCP alumni Rawan Abumohsen, a third-year student, and Travis Walters who earned his doctorate in optometry in 2022.
While Salus is among the schools Evington is considering, leaders at UNCP hope students won’t have to leave Pembroke to pursue a graduate degree in optometry. In April, UNCP was granted permission by the UNC System to move forward with a proposal to establish the state’s first optometry school.
“I think that would be something pre-optometry students at UNCP and across the state would consider,” Evington said. “For someone like me, you must pack up your life and move several hours away because no optometry schools exist in North Carolina or the South.”
When she returns home, Evington will resume her summer internship with Drs. Ralph Hendrix and Jared Lowery at Red Springs Eye Clinic.
“So far, it’s been a huge learning experience. I’m getting experience with patients, checking prescriptions and getting acclimated with different lens technology like the OCT (optical coherence tomography) scan.”
Evington––who plans to practice one day in Robeson County––is looking forward to seeing many familiar faces when classes begin in August. One of those friendly faces will be her younger sister, Natalie, who will be a freshman and a member of the basketball team. The Evington sisters are continuing the legacy of their father, Brian, a graduate and former baseball player. Their mother, Denise, and older sister, Hailey Jacobs, are also UNCP alumnae.
“It feels good to be a part of such a great institution,” Hannah said. “And it’s cool when you see people and they ask why you chose UNCP. I can truly say one of the reasons is the family atmosphere.”