Summer Enrichment Program Prepares Students for the Rigors of Grad School  

After their last class of the day, Malia Foy, Madi Kore, and Marcia Youssif were sitting together recently having lunch in the cafeteria on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, campus of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), Salus at Drexel University.  

All were enrolled in the Robert E. Horne Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), which provides underrepresented students of color within the Doctor of Optometry (OD) program a chance to get a head start into the academic year and a chance to adjust to the pace and rigor of graduate school before the fall semester. The program’s goal is to improve matriculation, attrition, and graduation rates of underrepresented applicants of color while fostering a safety net of support and mentorship.   

All three women agreed that while the challenge of graduate or professional school could be daunting, they were better prepared for what to expect by having completed the SEP.   

“We’re getting an idea of what the course load would be and what subjects we’ll be studying in that first year,” said Foy, who hails from Atlantic City, New Jersey and recently graduated from Stockton University with a degree in biology. “Learning how to study for graduate school is rigorous.”  

Both Foy and Kore were recruited for the program by Juliana “Dr. J.” Mosley-Williams, PhD, CDP, special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Salus/Drexel. Dr. J, along with Bisant Labib, OD ‘14, Resident ‘15, FAAO, DIPL, associate dean of PCO, director of the internship program, and co-chief of Suite 3 Primary Care at The Eye Institute, are co-directors of the program.   

“I thought it (SEP) would be a great opportunity to jumpstart my education” said Kore, from Silver Spring, Maryland who recently graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with a degree in biology. “I also did something similar in undergrad the summer before my freshman year that was very helpful and super-beneficial, so I definitely wanted to do this program.”  

In addition to the academic takeaways, SEP also prides itself in fostering a tight-knit community that will initiate the connection between the students throughout their time at PCO, in the classroom, and the clinical setting at The Eye Institute.   

“The lectures we’ve been having, it’s been interesting the way the professors have this close-knit relationship with the students,” said Youssif, from Westchester County, New York, who graduated in 2024 from the State University of New York (SUNY) Binghamton with a degree in biology. “I come from a very big school, so I think those close relationships with the professors are going to be beneficial for me.”  

Fully funded through the generosity of National Vision, Inc., the program offers a full scholarship to participants which funds, tuition, housing, meals, transportation, and a travel stipend to Philadelphia; a four-week academic program that exposes scholars to five of their fall courses; a mentoring component that includes peers and alumni; and academic and social-cultural support for their first academic year.   

“This year’s cohort, they are a diverse but already tight-knit group,” said Dr. Labib. “They are so positive and motivated. We are excited to watch them progress through the program.”  

The SEP, initially started in 1977 by Robert E. Horne, former dean of Student Affairs at PCO/Salus, was offered every summer for 39 years continuously until its hiatus in 2015. It returned in 2021 — delayed by one year because of the pandemic — and is funded through 2030 by a National Vision, Inc. sponsorship.   

At the conclusion of the program, a reception was held for the students in the small cafe. Among the guests were the program’s namesake, Dean Horne, and Donald Smith, OD ‘73, director of Professional Relations at National Vision. 

“We at National Vision are hopeful that you will find this program rewarding and beneficial as you go through your career,” said Dr. Smith. “You basically got a jumpstart on everyone else, so good for you for getting that. Congratulations on being smart enough to pick the right school. What you have in front of you is a wonderful career opportunity and you’ll never not be able to find a job in this profession.” 

Dean Horne told the students to work together because graduate school isn’t easy and they will be challenged to be the best. 

“And don't be afraid. If you are not learning something, if the faculty gives you an assignment or there's a chapter that you just don't get, tell the faculty,” said Dean Horne. “The best source of information is the faculty.” 

He encouraged the students to take advantage of the opportunity that has been presented to them. 

“You are paying for a full education. Get it,” said Dean Horne. “That’s the attitude you have to take, that nothing is going to stop you.” 

Interested in applying to the SEP? Contact our Admissions team to learn more about the program.