It is my privilege to share with you The Impact of Giving, New England College of Optometry’s annual philanthropy report for our 2026 fiscal year, covering July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The past fiscal year was marked by tremendous momentum. Across our institution, NECO continues to move forward with purpose and ambition, guided by our strategic plan, The Future InSight, which charts our course through 2030 and reflects our commitment to leading the future of optometric education, clinical care, and community health.

Highlights of the 2025-26 year include:

• Celebrating our 132^nd commencement and conferring Doctor of Optometry degrees on 128 new graduates entering practice, residencies, and service across the world.

• Our Clinical Training Center on the Beacon Street campus has been fully operational since August 2025 and has changed how our students learn and prepare for practice, providing a contemporary, technology-enabled, and innovative training environment that raises the standard for clinical education.

• In November 2025, our fifth annual Industry Collaborative brought together more than 100 leaders from education, health care, and the optometric industry to examine the future of education in the age of artificial intelligence.

• We celebrated the clinical and professional achievements of more than 40 graduating residents at our annual Residency Conference.

• We honored students at our 2026 Scholarship Ceremony for their academic excellence, compassion, and clinical expertise.
  

• We launched the clinical phase of a new class of future optometrists at our annual White Coat ceremony, attended by more than 600 family members and friends.

• We continued to earn recognition beyond our campus as NECO’s faculty furthered the conversation about the profession of optometry.

As you will read in the pages ahead, behind every dollar raised is a person with a reason for giving. Some are inspired by the faculty who shaped them and want to ensure today’s students have the same experience. Some give to honor a parent or mentor whose career began at NECO. Some are corporate partners who see in NECO a commitment to excellence in optometry that aligns with their own missions. Others believe supporting the education of future optometrists is a worthy investment. Every one of these donors matters. Every gift, at every level, matters­—and we see and appreciate each one.

As we look ahead, NECO is preparing for its most ambitious chapter. Our investments in our clinics, students, and programs will position this institution for decades to come. We are building not just facilities, but a new model for clinical education, community eye health, and the future of optometry. Together we are changing the way people see the world.

With gratitude,