A Major opportunity

In 2022, Brooke Major, O.D., attended her first Student Bowl during Optometry’s Meeting® in Chicago. It’s a memory she’ll always hold onto. 

Now, four years later, Dr. Major will help usher this iconic event into its next chapter by hosting the brand-new AOA EyeQ Championship, presented by AOAExcel®, at Optometry’s Meeting, June 17-20 in Phoenix.  

Adding to the excitement, this year’s meeting will feature AOA+, which promises impactful career readiness and professional development opportunities to orient future optometric leaders toward success. When it comes to optometry’s future, the AOA and AOSA are all in. That’s why over 2,000 AOA+ travel grants are available to Phoenix—but only for a limited time. Grants are going fast, but if you've still got questions, then the AOA and AOSA are ready with answers.  

Join the AOA+ Insider: Eyebot Updates & What’s Ahead in Phoenix webinar on Monday, March 23, at 8 p.m. CT in AOA EyeLearn. Sign up here.  

Hosted by the AOSA, this webinar offers details on AOA+ travel grants, a glimpse at the AOA+ schedule and gives you a chance to ask questions—and get real-time answers.   

What’s more, AOSA and AOA leaders will provide an exclusive update on Walmart’s rollout of Eyebot vision-testing kiosks. Impressive student activism—with over 1,500 students at 13 optometry schools and counting actively speaking out—adds to the ongoing advocacy by AOA and state affiliates to reinforce concerns about protecting patients’ eye health and ensuring continued access to in-person, comprehensive eye care provided by doctors of optometry. 

“Don’t miss out on this opportunity—especially coming from someone whose most memorable experiences happened during an AOA+ year,” Dr. Major says. 

Dr. Major shares with AOA Focus what to expect this summer in Phoenix. 

For decades, the Student Bowl has been a beloved tradition for students at Optometry’s Meeting. Tell us what it means to you?  

This event is more than just a competition—it’s a tradition that brings the optometry community together. It creates an atmosphere of school pride, friendship and connection that makes Optometry’s Meeting truly unforgettable for students. 

This year, the tradition is experiencing an evolution: the brand-new AOA EyeQ Championship, presented by AOAExcel®. This year also offers special AOA+ student programming and events. Why are you excited to attend Optometry’s Meeting? Why would you encourage students to attend?  

Another Student Bowl experience that stood out to me was in Washington, D.C., during an AOA+ year. There is something special about being in a room filled with students from optometry schools across the country—everyone cheering for their own school while also meeting and connecting with peers from everywhere. The energy in the room is truly invigorating, and it creates an atmosphere that every optometry student should experience, especially during an AOA+ year. 

I look forward to Optometry’s Meeting every year because, in my opinion, it is the best meeting of the year—and that’s coming from someone who attended many conferences during my residency. Optometry’s Meeting consistently brings an unmatched level of energy, opportunities and connections that you simply won’t find anywhere else. Some of my most valuable networking opportunities have come from this meeting, including connections that ultimately helped me secure my first job after residency. You never know who you might meet, what opportunities may arise or what memories you’ll create that will last a lifetime. 

As a student, Optometry’s Meeting was also a chance to reconnect with friends who attended other optometry schools. I also got to know their classmates, which allowed my network to grow even more. Each year, those connections continued to expand, making the experience even more meaningful. 

Tell us about your experience at AOA+ in 2023. Why is this a can’t-miss event for students?  

AOA+ truly is a can’t-miss event for students because it offers opportunities you won’t find anywhere else. With travel grants and programming specifically designed for students, it makes attending both accessible and incredibly valuable. It’s a chance to learn, advocate for the profession, build lifelong connections and experience the incredible sense of community within optometry. 

One of the most exciting parts of the 2023 event was the advocacy component—seeing students actively engage in conversations about the future of optometry and realizing that our voices truly matter in shaping the profession. 

My biggest advice to students is simple: bring your friends, represent your school and take advantage of this opportunity. You never know what connections you’ll make, what inspiration you’ll find, or how it might shape your future in optometry. It’s an experience that can truly open doors and create memories that last long after the meeting ends. 

As the emcee of the inaugural AOA EyeQ Championship, what are you hoping to bring to the event? And why would you encourage first timers to attend?  

I am absolutely honored to serve as the emcee for the inaugural AOA EyeQ Championship! My goal is to bring an exciting, high-energy atmosphere to the room that gets every student engaged. One of the things I’m most excited about is helping create an environment that inspires students—especially first- and second-year students—to see themselves as future competitors in the EyeQ Championship. I hope the energy we bring encourages them to step up in the coming years, represent their schools and be part of this growing tradition. 

For first-time attendees, this is truly something special. The new and improved EyeQ Championship is an event created for students and driven by students. It’s not just about competition—it’s about community, school pride and celebrating the passion we all share for optometry. I want students to walk away from the event having had an incredible time, already looking forward to coming back next year and encouraging the next group of students to attend.  

How have AOA/AOSA events impacted your career?  

As a first-year student, I was inspired to become involved in the AOSA after seeing the passion and leadership of one of my mentors, who was serving as our school’s AOSA trustee at the time. Learning more about the organization—what it stood for and the role it plays in advocating for students and the profession—made it clear to me that I wanted to be a part of it. From there, I became increasingly involved, serving first as AOSA trustee-elect and then trustee for my school. Eventually, I had the incredible honor of being elected vice president of the AOSA. Throughout my time as a student, staying engaged with the AOSA and AOA opened doors to opportunities that truly shaped my path in optometry. Through these experiences, I’ve been fortunate to gain incredible mentors, build lifelong friendships, and continually strengthen my passion for this profession. I’ve also had the opportunity to volunteer on numerous committees and work alongside dedicated AOSA and AOA members who have helped shape me into the person and doctor I am today. 

One of the most meaningful impacts these connections had on my career was guiding my decision to pursue a residency in Oklahoma, a full-scope state where optometrists can perform advanced procedures and lasers. Through my involvement with AOSA and AOA, I learned firsthand about the power of advocacy and how it expands the scope of our profession. Without those conversations, mentors and experiences, I may never have realized the importance of training in a state where I could gain exposure to those advanced skills and truly expand my clinical capabilities. 

The connections I’ve made through these organizations have been invaluable. In fact, they even played a role in helping me secure my first job after residency in the beautiful state of Alaska. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities these organizations have provided, but even more so for the amazing people I’ve met along the way. 

Being involved with AOSA and AOA has truly been one of the best decisions I’ve made for my career—both professionally and personally. It has given me a strong network, lifelong friendships and a deeper understanding of the impact advocacy, leadership and community can have on the future of optometry.